A Brief History of English Humour by Charly Taylor
This course is an English language elaboration of this book, originally published in Spanish by our Lecturer. The voyage to the centre of the English chuckle zone has been translated into video format so you can watch or listen in comfort. Each lecture is accompanied by a small quiz to help you strengthen your funny bone.
Humour through History - History through Humour
With degrees in Philosophy, English teaching and drama, Charly is also an enthusiastic amateur Historian, Etymologist, Cyclist and curmudgeon.
He continues to delight and appal audiences both live and online through the media of stand up, quizzes and YouTube content.
He has done over 3,000 live gigs of stand up and improv with appearances on Spanish National television and two published books to his name.
What you will learn in this course
Why Ben Jonson is buried standing up, which famous comedians were drug dependent/ depressive/ suicidial / alcoholic / happy, why Joe Orton was sent to prison, the answer to an Anglo-Saxon riddle, why Betty Boop’s skirt got longer, what is funnier than a burning orphanage, where Punch and Judy came from, who pinched the devil’s nose, Ben Johnson’s blackface triumph at the court of King James I, which old comedy would be censored today AND who the first black headliner was amongst many other interesting but useless snippets.
And if you like funny books...
Here is a book what I wrote, check this link for more details. It´s historical and hysterical!
Where does laughter come from?
"Humour is emotional chaos remembered in tranquility" - James Thurber
"Stand up comedy is like a character flaw that you can do as a job" - Jimmy Carr
"I thank the Lord that I have been blessed with the ability to laugh at other people" - Anon
More such insights in the course. Send me your money or the puppy dies.
Example Curriculum
- 9 Satire 1 (26:40)
- 10 History and pre-history of Monty Python (10:46)
- 11 The Sitcom (11:42)
- 12 The Maverick and the Establishment (7:02)
- 13 Satire 2 (15:17)
- 14 The birth and adolescence of Stand-up (13:35)
- 15 Word Play 2 (16:59)
- 16 Funny films (10:39)
- 17 Working Men's Clubs (7:22)
- 17B A history of offence (16:47)
- 18 From Jazz to Rock n' roll (12:54)
- 19 The new rock n' roll (11:15)
- 20 British literary humour (13:28)
- 21 American literary humour (8:30)
- 22 Improv (11:00)
- 22B Some improv games (6:53)
- 23 Word Play 3 (11:44)
- 24 Panel games (6:50)
- 25 World Play 4 (10:51)
- 25B Grammar games (6:37)
- 26 Double acts and music (11:43)
- 27 Mockumentaries (12:48)
- 28 One-liners (9:17)
- Annex - filling in the gaps (12:23)