Slapstick

Posted by Punch on September 20, 2004

In Reply to: To get the hump - revisited posted by Brian from Shawnee on September 20, 2004

: : We discussed this a couple of years ago. Yesterday, on a TV antiques programme, a collector of Punch and Judy memorabilia - he had hundreds of items - said it came from Mr Punch, who always had a humped back. It's said that Punch stored his frustrations, etc in his hump. Likewise 'slapstick comedy' came from him since he was always knocking other characters about with his stick, much to the amusement of the onlookers. Any comments?

: Long ago I heard that a "slapstick" was a sounds-effect device used to make a loud slapping sound when one actor "struck" another. The Encyclopedia Britannica on-line credits the Commedia dell'Arte with originating it:

: "It took its name from a paddlelike device, probably introduced by 16th-century commedia dell'arte troupes, that produced a resounding whack when one comic actor used it to strike another. "

: My impression had always been that the device was struck off-stage but the Encyclopedia Britannica indicates the device was used to strike another actor. But a little stick held by a puppet wouldn't produce a very big sound, so maybe in puppet shows they slapped the stick off-stage simultaneously with the Punch hitting Judy. They do that in movies, too, when an open hand is used to slap an actor.

• .which brings me on to "cop" TheFallen 20/September/04
  • From the French? Chameau de mot 20/September/04
    • From the French? David FG 21/September/04