‘Past Mirth, Present Laughter?: Forms of Comedy 1300-1900:

This event will be taking place on the 4th May, 9:30-18:00

English Faculty, 

GR06/07

9 West Road, Cambridge,

CB3 9DP

‘Past Mirth, Present Laughter?’ is a postgraduate Conference which seeks to bring the comic works of the past back into the critical spotlight of the present-day academy. ‘[One] issue that humor scholars constantly face is the idea that tragedy or “serious” things are […] more important than is humor,’ write Alleen and Don Nilsen (2008). If this is true, then what causes this perception; to question if it is justified; and, ultimately, can it be changed? Can comedy also be a ‘“serious” thing’?

We also believe that the turn of the 20th century saw a significant change in both comedic praxis and theory, which has rendered much comedy prior to this epoch in some sense alien to us. We will therefore if comedy can still be relevant to us now even if it no longer makes us laugh. 

The conference  will feature papers which are both cross-period and cross-disciplinary, exploring both ‘high’ and ‘low’ forms, the relationship between comedy and role-playing, and also how we might broaden our conception of what the ‘comic text’ can be. 

We will also have Tiffany Stern (author of Shakespeare in Parts and Documents of Performance in Early Modern England) to give a keynote speech. Since Tiffany’s work concentrates on literary criticism, theatre, and book history – with an interest in comic performance such as puppetry – there will no doubt be a lot for people to get stuck into.

Tickets are limited – although free – so please get booking if you wish to come and watch!

For more information, as well as the link to ticket booking, see below:

Eventbrite Ticket Booking: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/past-mirth-present-laughter-forms-of-comedy-1300-1900-conference-tickets-572850851317?lang=en-us&locale=en_US&status=30&view=listing

Website: https://camcomedyconferenc.wixsite.com/camcomedyconferenc