Funny Business

An introduction to comedy with royalty-free plays and sketches by Marsh Cassady. For big laughs, comedy relies on exaggeration, incongruity, automatism, character inconsistency, surprise and derision. Now a book that defines and demonstrates each of these devices with twenty-two short sketches and one-act plays. This unique overview of high and low comedy defines all comedy genres: absurdism, tragicomedy, farce and melodrama. Following each sketch or play are notes reviewing what must be considered for acting the roles and preparing the total production. The book explains why references to events, places and people, both past and present are so important to each play or sketch. The reader will find many insights along the way about how to write and perform each comedy style successfully.