Australian comedy
This article is part of a series on the |
Culture of Australia |
---|
Society |
Arts and literature |
Other |
Symbols |
Australia portal |
Australian comedy (or Australian humour) refers to the comedy and humour performed in or about Australia or by the people of Australia. Australian humour can be traced to various origins, and today is manifested in a diversity of cultural practices and pursuits. Writers like
Vaudeville
Australian sense of humour
The "Australian sense of humour" is often characterised as dry, irreverent and ironic, exemplified by some of the works of performing artists like
Formative years: early Australian comedy
While the convicts of the
Influential in the establishment of stoic, dry wit as a characteristic of Australian humour were the bush balladeers of the 19th century, including Henry Lawson, author of The Loaded Dog.[5] His contemporary Banjo Paterson contributed such classic comic poems as "Mulga Bill's Bicycle", "The Geebung Polo Club" and "A Bush Christening".
Early novelist
Australia's
Vaudeville stars like
Modern Australian comedy
Character creations
The satirical character creations of
Impersonators of the famous with wide followings have included
- Sittin' at home last Sunday mornin' me mate Boomerrang. Said he was havin' a few people around for a barbie, Said he might Kookaburra or two. I said, "Sounds great, will Wallaby there?" He said "Yeah and Vegemite come too". So I said to the wife "Do you wanna Goanna?". She said "I'll go if Dingos". So I said "Wattle we do about Nulla?" He said "Nullabors me to tears, leave him at home."
Song
- It's a lonesome away, from your kindred and all
- By the campfire at night, where the wild dingoes call –
- But there's-a nothing so lonesome, morbid or drear,
- Than to stand in the bar, of a pub with no beer
Williamson was influenced by Australian folk-singer, artist and broadcaster
- Tan me hide when I'm dead, Fred,
- tan me hide when I'm dead.
- So we tanned his hide when he died Clyde,
- (Spoken) And that's it hanging on the shed.
- Altogether now!
Popular novelty hits of recent decades have included The Twelfth Man (Billy Birmingham)'s sports commentary parody "Marvellous";[17] the Pauline Hanson send up "I Don't Like It" by Pauline Pantsdown; and the "bogan anthem" "Bloke" by tattooed, mulleted stand-up comic Chris Franklin.[18]
Cinema
The
Australians have a strong tradition of self-mockery in their comedy, from the outlandish Barry McKenzie expat-in-Europe movies of the 1970s, to the quirky outback characters of the Crocodile Dundee films of the 1980s and the Working Dog Productions' 1997 homage to suburbia The Castle.
Other successes at the Australian box office include: 1966's
The 2006 comedy-drama Ten Canoes, directed by Rolf de Heer and Peter Djigirr, is notable for its setting in pre-European Australia.
Television
The vaudeville talents of
Nevertheless, sketch comedy rather than the sitcom formula has been a popular stalwart of Australian television.
Growing out of
The Australian tradition of self-mockery runs thick in television comedy. The dysfunctional suburban mother–daughter sitcom Kath & Kim pokes fun at the accents and attitudes of Australian suburbia. Roy and HG provide an affectionate but irreverent parody of Australia's obsession with sport. The Dream with Roy and HG has been a regular feature of Olympic television coverage in Australia since the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Actor/writer Chris Lilley has produced a series of award-winning "mockumentary" style television series about ordinary Australian characters since 2005.
Cynical satire has had enduring popularity in Australian comedy.
Australian tastes can be eclectic when it comes to imported comedy from other English-speaking countries, with long-running American series like
Australian stand-up
Australian stand-up comedy is an important aspect of contemporary Australian comedy. Show-piecing the art is the
Among the best known of contemporary comedy performers in Australia are Wil Anderson, Carl Barron, Jimeoin, Dave Hughes, Wendy Harmer, Peter Helliar, Russell Gilbert, Tony Martin, Jim Jefferies, Anh Do, Judith Lucy, Mick Molloy and Adam Hills.
Radio
on the commercial networks.Cartoons
Australian cartoons have a long history dating back to colonial times.[26] Political cartoons began appearing in Australian newspapers in the 1830s and The Bulletin magazine used political cartoons to great effect from the 1880s. Will Dyson took the Australian style of satirical cartooning to London before the First World War. Later internationally influential Australian cartoonists included Pat Oliphant and Paul Rigby. Ginger Meggs, a popular long-run Australian comic strip, was created in the early 1920s by Jimmy Bancks. The strip follows the escapades of a red-haired prepubescent mischief-maker who lives in an inner suburban working-class household. Stan Cross is famous for his iconic 1933 "For gorsake, stop laughing: this is serious!" cartoon.
Cartoons are today an integral part of political commentary and analysis in Australia. The lyrical cartoons of Michael Leunig provide a quirky take on social issues. Patrick Cook, Alan Moir, Warren Brown and Cathy Wilcox are prominent contemporary political cartoonists.
Awards and festivals
The annual
The annual TV Week
Australian comedies and comedians
Notable comedians
Notable television comedies
See
Notable film comedies
- The Adventures of Barry McKenzie
- The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
- Alvin Purple
- Babe
- Babe: Pig in the City
- Bad Boy Bubby
- Bad Eggs
- Barry McKenzie Holds His Own
- The Big Steal
- Bran Nue Dae
- The Cars That Ate Paris
- The Castle
- Crackerjack
- The Craic
- Crocodile Dundee
- Crocodile Dundee II
- The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course
- On Our Selection
- Dirty Deeds
- The Dish
- Don's Party
- Gettin' Square
- He Died with a Felafel in His Hand
- Hercules Returns
- Kenny
- Malcolm
- Muriel's Wedding
- The Odd Angry Shot
- Spotswood
- Strictly Ballroom
- They're a Weird Mob
- Wog Boy 2: Kings of Mykonos
See also
- List of Australian comedians
- Australian English
- Australian cinema
- Television in Australia
- Australian literature
- Australian culture
- Australian history
- Theatre in Australia
- Henry Hoke, the central character in a comedic look at invention in Australia
References
- ^ "About Australia: People, culture and lifestyle". Dfat.gov.au. Archived from the original on 12 May 2012. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
- ^ "Leadership spills all over social media". news.com.au. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
- ^ a b "Reference at australia.gov.au".
- ^ "Hamish and Andy on making radio - Media Report - ABC Radio National (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 31 October 2013.
- ^ "Reference at australia.gov.au".
- ^ "THE SENTIMENTAL BLOKE by C.J. Dennis - Chapter V. THE PLAY".
- ^ "Australians in France: 1918 - Friends and Foe - Australian soldiers' relations with their superiors | Australian War Memorial".
- ^ a b c d e "Reference at australia.gov.au".
- ^ "Reference at australia.gov.au".
- ^ "Absurd moments: in the frocks of the dame". 14 September 2010.
- ^ "Coming up | Q&A | ABC TV". ABC Television. Archived from the original on 6 June 2011. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
- ^ "ENOUGH ROPE with Andrew Denton - episode 70: Sandy Gutman aka Austen Tayshus (28/03/2005)". ABC Television. 28 March 2005. Archived from the original on 12 November 2012. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
- ^ Laing, Dave (20 September 2003). "Slim Dusty". The Guardian. London.
- ^ "Talking Heads - John Williamson". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 12 November 2012. Retrieved 20 October 2012.
- ^ "ENOUGH ROPE with Andrew Denton - episode 90: Rolf Harris (15/08/2005)". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 22 August 2011. Retrieved 20 May 2011.
- ^ "Rolf Harris lyrics". Archived from the original on 6 April 2010. Retrieved 2011-05-20.
- ^ "Marvellous stuff, that, 12th Man's back". The Sydney Morning Herald. 26 November 2006.
- ^ "It takes a mullet to knock home the jokes". The Sydney Morning Herald.
- ^ "Reference at australia.gov.au".
- ^ Stratton, David (6 August 1995). "Dad and Dave on Our Selection". Variety. Archived from the original on 8 November 2012. Retrieved 27 January 2018.
- ^ "AUSTRALIA - A Baz Luhrmann Film » Second Highest Grossing Australian Film of All Time". Archived from the original on 24 March 2010. Retrieved 2010-03-29.
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 February 2011. Retrieved 25 May 2011.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Bert Newton and the history of Australian TV". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 20 March 2005. Retrieved 17 March 2005.
- ^ Mitchell, Tony, "Wogs Still Out of Work: Australian television comedy as colonial discourse", Australasian Drama Studies, no. April 1992
- ^ "Young crowd goes 'yum, yum' over veteran Goodies – Arts – Entertainment". Smh.com.au. 17 October 2009. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
- ^ "Reference at australia.gov.au".
- ^ "Oxfam Australia :: Media :: Ten years on and still laughing! The Comedy Festival and Oxfam workingto make poverty history". Archived from the original on 27 July 2008. Retrieved 2009-01-27.
- ^ "Cummings portrait wins satirical Bald Archy - ABC News". ABC News. 9 March 2009.