South African Theatre and Satire Flashcards
What was the beginning of satire?
Satyr
Define satire
Art of mocking someone or something to look ridiculous and raise laughter by embarrassment, humble and discredit
What does satire attack?
Attacked vices and follies as well as human behaviour
What does satire state or imply?
Idea of what should be correct in behaviour or thoughts
What is the goal of satire?
Self examination and to change foolish ways
Why can satire be uncomfortable and unsettling?
It’s about challenging the audience is about their beliefs and views
What makes satire more palatable?
Humour, mockery or parody
Why isn’t satire always clear?
It is not only satire made in more direct or preachy form
Why do satirist use humour?
To inspire reform or change
What is satire used form in terms of the community?
Used to promote status quo and balance within the society
What does it mean when the satirist does not have a reform or solution?
They are holding an aspect of the world as ridiculous. Therefore, creating an irony or gallows humour
Define gallows humour
Humour from stressful situations. Eg. death at the gallows
What is gallows humour also known as?
Dark humour or nervous laughter
What is the intention of gallows humour?
Make a point
Define catharsis
Purging or release of emotional tension
What kind is catharsis?
Art or music that creates laughter or crying
How does catharsis release emotion?
Through process, ideas, feelings
What is collective catharsis?
Comedy and satire in theatre as it temporarily builds a community
What is humorous commentary?
Laugh at similar things which crosses divide within society
Define naïve speaker
Does not understand the implication of their narration. They are oblivious. Laugh at them
Name the six satire techniques
- Trivial concern or situation seriously
- Treat serious concern
- Praise but mean opposite
- Say one thing, but mean the opposite
- Rhetorical question
- Exaggerate
Describe Treat serious concern
Unimportant or trivial
Describe Praise but mean opposite
Criticise (irony)
Describe Say one thing, but mean the opposite
Sarcasm
Describe rhetorical question
Suggest one answer. Reader is supposed to disagree
Describe exaggerate
Blow issue out of proportion. People focus on it
Define caricature
Distort one or two elements of appearance. It is a gentle form used for effect
Define burlesque
Ridiculous exaggeration to do with language. Comic affect use in a situation that is so absurd to make funny
Define irony
Incongruity
Presents things out of place. Absurd in relation to its surroundings
Define symbolism
Concrete symbols that represent abstract characteristics and conditions. Can be context specific
Define diatribe
Direct, angry attack
Define parody
Imitate style of particular work or writer. Crucial
Define reversal
Presents opposite of normal order of events
What are the speakers in satire?
- Very angry voices
- Evil men and women
Describe very angry voices
Direct attacks
Describe evil men and women
Confessing sins proudly, sometimes without intending to. Reveal own folly
What ish oration satire?
Good-natured and lighthearted. Used to raise laughter and encourage moral improvement
What is juvenalian satire?
Better and dark expressing anger and outrage. It is the state of the world
What does satire depend on?
The audience
How can satire be effective?
Must receive as satire
What is the risk of satire?
Straight or superficially. Depends on who is receiving it
What is South African notorious for?
Use of humour to shine lights on the issue
What is used for social re-conciliation?
Satire and jokes
What is the iconic 1981 SA satirical play?
Wowza Albert
Who wrote Wowza Albert?
Percy Mtwa, Mbongeni Ngemi, Barney Simon
Who was Wowza Albert portrayed by?
Portrayed by disenfranchised black people anticipating second coming of Jesus
Who is Pieter-Dirk Uys?
Well done work. Also, put former, satires from the mid 1960s until today
What did Pieter expose?
Apart Tate culture. Entertainment of democratic audiences worldwide
What was the integral medium for indoctrination and pacification?
Comedy during Apartheid. It pacifying the crowd with stuff about the government to help people cope
Why was comedy during apartheid a key instrument?
Apartheid regime was contested and leading up to democracy - promoting the nation-building and cultural reconciliation
What happened was it was leading up to democracy?
Promoting the nation-building and cultural reconciliation
Publications and Entertainment Act of 1963 until Publication Act of 1974 did what?
Censored and band of films, TV shows, please, records, books, live performances, artwork that was obscene, blasphemous, harmful to social relations, derogatory tp Afrikaner or state
What was comedy served to do during apartheid?
Served to entertain.
“To distract, to diverge from reality, to allow a temporary escape that slows down the raising of awareness
What was stand up integrated into?
Theatrical plays, musicals, TV comedies, axe
How was political comedy set still possible?
Mainly limited to theatre
What was the theatre of resistance?
Linked to growing civil unrest
What is human mode is based on?
Overachieving drives
What are the three humour mode?
- Instrument of social control
- Social protest
- Instrument of social and political transformation
What was Uys political humour?
Indirect and playful (horation). Popular
What did Uys ridicule with?
Amused and tolerant contempt
Who was Tannie Evita Bezuidenhout?
Created female alter ego through drag
What did Evita look like?
Big coiffed black wig with white highlights.
Bright red lipstick
Extravagant jewellery
Garish outfit
Typical Afrikaans lady
What did Evita’s hair symbolise?
The nation - race relations
What was Evita representative of?
Representative of respected volksmoeder. Mother of Nation
Who was Evita?
White Afrikaner in the middle class. Patrician and pious housewife. Religious
What was Evita a member of? What does this mean?
National Party Member - patriotic, loveable, stern
Why did Evita have an ironic mask?
Ignorantly idiotic, racist, crass. Privileged correctness and social backlash - allow to bypass censors
What does Evita make the audience conscious of?
Sneaky and hypocritical values of apartheid.
What did Evita allow him to do?
Bypass censors that were invulnerable to political correctness and social backlash
What was Evita the face of?
White change and adaption
What was Evita directed at?
White audience
What did Evita help audience cope with?
Loss of privilege, confront fears of multi racial SA and inherent racism
What does stand up comedy relate to?
everyday social relations and observations
What will social relations and observations comedy enable?
Opportunities of catharsis through laughter and escapism
Why is escapism valid?
Society has many stresses
What type of satire is experienced the most often and directly?
Satire through political cartooning
What is the difference between satire and bullying?
Publicly shaming or satirising someone who is vulnerable is bullying.
Why do politicians deserve to be satirised?
It’s shielding, safeguarding and protesting of them general public, while deservedly bringing them down
Who is Cocnute Kelz?
Lesedi Tlhabi creates short videos that wrap current events in much needed humour
What does Coconut Kelz criticise?
criticise “racism and privilege, and point out to South Africa’s very real social tensions and inequalities
What are examples of Coconut Kelz videos?
CoronavirusUpdate or her commentary on racism in high schools
What does diatribe hope to eliminate?
hope of eliminating what satires regarded as undesirable conditions, attitudes and behaviour
