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Billy Connolly – Share My Pain
The well-worn image of the traumatised comedian – the sad clown whose painted-on smile masks deep wounds – has been trotted out so much that it’s easy to forget how often there’s some truth behind…
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Stand-Up Comedy
Stand-up is about as simple as a comedy performance can get. And yet some surprises lie in wait for the unsuspecting blogger who tries explaining it. Definition The first surprise comes when trying to nail…
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Structure of a Sitcom Episode
In the recent article, I described the basic three-act structure of a sitcom episode. This week I’m going to put some meat on that bone by going through an example of that structure in action.…
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The Comic Flaw of Derek Trotter
A sitcom character could be many things. They could be short or tall, charming or repulsive, industrious or lazy. They might work as a copper or a priest or a shop owner. They might live…
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Red Dwarf’s Rocky Launch
Last week I discussed a show that was as simple and gimmick-free as a sitcom could be. This time we’re going right the other way and entering rather specialised territory, a science fiction comedy with…
A Funny Sort of History
Stories from the history of comedy