Unique 'bawdy bard' act discovered, revealing 15th-century roots of British comedy

Phys dot org ^ | May 30, 2023 | University of Cambridge

[Sirius Lee]

Talk about a hare trigger!

[GreenHornet]

The poem features fictional peasants including Davé of the Dale and Jack Wade, who could be from any medieval village.

"Dave of the Dale is soooo dumb......"

AUDIENCE: "How dumb is he?"

[SunkenCiv]

LOL

[SunkenCiv]

:^D

The original meaning of burlesque included this kind of entertainment. Later, the term was used to cover for less savory (or maybe more savory, depending on who was talking) shows done indoors.

I think the old low comedy, Roger Royster Doyster (sp?) is in the first episode of Michael Wood’s “Shakespeare”.

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x5nu0oj

[Ezekiel]

Thanks, SunkenCiv! Great material to start the day:

"Here we have a self-made entertainer with very little education creating really original, ironic material. To get an insight into someone like that from this period is incredibly rare and exciting."

>>>
Dr. Wade says, "Killer rabbit jokes have a long tradition in medieval literature.

>>>
There could be more evidence to be found but Wade emphasizes that minstrel writing is unlikely to have survived and that we should look for other kinds of evidence...

It's the kind of humor that can really destroy a temple (I never know when this stuff will come in handy):

A Wild Hare is a 1940 American animated comedy short film directed by Tex Avery, produced by Leon Schlesinger, and distributed by Warner Bros. as part of the Merrie Melodies series. The film was released on July 27, 1940, and features Elmer Fudd and Bugs Bunny, the latter making what is considered his first official appearance.[2][3]

>>>
The line, "What's up, Doc?", was added by director Tex Avery for this film. Avery explained later that it was a common expression in Texas where he was from, and he did not think much of the phrase. But when this short was screened in theaters, the scene of Bugs calmly chewing a carrot, followed by the nonchalant "What's Up, Doc?", went against any 1940s audience's expectation of how a rabbit might react to a hunter and caused complete pandemonium in the audience, bringing down the house in every theater.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Wild_Hare

Bugs' Hebrew Wiki page (horrible place!) provides the Hebrew translation:

"?מה המצב, דוק"

What's the status [המצב], Doc?

מַצָב
situation, state, status, condition, position, occasion

Which is a short hop from:

מַצֵבָה
gravestone, monument, tombstone, stone, pillar, column

***

What's Up, Doc? What's the status?

Still Not Dead (Official Video)

Thanks, Willie, for providing evidence that anything in this mundane, corrupted physical world can be lifted right back Up. That really irritates the crypt keepers.

"Don't bury me I've got a show to play."

Tombstone (typography) (מצבה)

Q.E.D. It's a veritable mashal [מש"ל].

Where have all the LEVites gone, anyway? They're the ones supposed to be in charge of the LEVity, and they don't even know where the hare it is...

❤️❤️❤️

He pondered our world from every side and every angle, and he realized something must have gone wrong. Something at the very beginning. Something before Time had begun and there were moments to count; before the laws of nature had been established and matter had yet a chance to form. Something at the very core of reality, and if he could find it, all the cosmos could be healed.

The Fallen Sparks of Tohu

❤️❤️❤️

Who invited *that* guy? There goes the neighborhood.

Worse yet, will be the realization that "What's up, Doc" is an extension of the "Who's on 1st" skit (out of the park, the PaRDeS). Someone obviously lost a vowel, just for starters.

"Observe my statues!"

[nopardons]

I learned that that play was titled RALPH ROISTER DOISTER and there was a Brit T.V. show, a while back, that talked about that play and recreated it with teen aged boys, as it had been originally done. I saw it on PBS.

[nopardons]

Interesting; thanks for posting all of that!

[dfwgator]

"I warned you! I warned you, but did you listen to me? Oh no, you just *knew*, didn't you? Oh, it's just a harmless little bunny, isn't it? Well, it's always the same. I always told them, but do they listen to me? Oooh, no..."

[SunkenCiv]

Oops, yeah, that’s the one.

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/21350/21350-h/21350-h.htm

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Ralph-Roister-Doister

https://www.google.com/search?tbm=vid&q=RALPH%20ROISTER%20DOISTER

[nopardons]

;^)

See your FRmail; I sent you a lot of info which, if you find worthy, you may post to this thread, as it adds some things that others might find interesting/useful.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks!

[Albion Wilde]

These are probably one comedian’s notes, stealing material from another comedian.

That was my thought as well. Every time a major contemporary comedian dies, someone mentions their valuable estate's huge files of thousands of jokes. Bob Hope and Joan Rivers come to mind.

[nopardons]

Comedians have been "stealing" from each other, from time immemorial!

Hope and Milton Berle had a huge feud about this and Berle was known as an outrageous joke stealer.

Abbot & Costello and the Three Stooges did some of exactly the same skits.

Charlie Chaplin STOLE ( and claimed it as his own idea and is now well known for ) the forks in potatoes dance; however, Chaplin STOLE that from Stan Laurel, when they both were doing English Music Hall and Laurel was THE bigger one/a headliner and it was something that Laurel originated and was well known, all over the UK, for!

Then there is JOE MILLER'S JOKE BOOK ( a very old comedian, who did publish his jokes ) and whom many comedians, after him, stole from.

Even Flip Wilson stole his "HERE COME THE JUDGE", from an old Burlesque skit.

[Red Badger]

The Miller’s Tale from the Canterbury Tales is as bawdy as you can get.................