Chaplin moved to the US to star in a. vaudeville shows b. silent films c. radio shows
Chaplin’s first sound film was a. The Kid b. The Immigrant c. The Great Dictator
The US government accused Chaplin of being a. a fascist b. an anarchist c. a communist
Discussion/essay questions
Do you think comedy is an important tool for social change? Why or why not?
Transcript
Charlie Chaplin was an English comedian and actor. He was born in 1889 in London. Both of his parents were music hall performers, and he began acting on the stage when he was very young. He later moved to the United States to star in vaudeville shows. In 1914, he began acting for a silent-film company, where he invented his alter ego, “The Tramp.” His persona quickly became world famous. He began writing and directing his own silent films, playing The Tramp in many of them. Chaplin’s first sound film, The Great Dictator, parodied Hitler in the early days of World War II. In the 1940s and 1950s, Chaplin began to talk more about his political opinions. The US government feared he was a communist and banned him from the country. He was only invited back to accept an Academy Award in 1972, five years before his death.
The first known script comes from a. Greece b. Egypt c. Rome
The single performer in an early Greek play was called a. the lead b. the antagonist c. the protagonist
A satirical play a. always has a tragic ending b. has a religious purpose c. uses humour to criticize something
Discussion/essay questions
How often do you go to the theatre? Do you think movies have replaced traditional theatre? Why or why not?
What are some examples of satirical stories? Do you think satire is an important kind of art? Why or why not?
Transcript
Many ancient cultures used performance to tell stories. Early performances often had no “audience.” People would gather in groups and act out scenes to each other. The first known script is the ancient Egyptian Passion Play, which tells the story of the god Osiris. In ancient Greece, outdoor theatres were built to display performances. The earliest Greek plays often had a single performer, who was called the protagonist. Over time, more complex comedies and tragedies developed. Throughout history, plays often had religious purposes. However, many plays were also satirical. They used exaggerated characters and plots to mock social institutions, including religion. For this reason, the theatre was often controversial.
Can you think of some other books, movies, or TV shows that use humour to criticize society?
Transcript
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is a comedy science fiction novel by English author Douglas Adams. The book is based on a radio series that Adams created in 1978. The protagonist, Arthur Dent, learns from his alien friend Ford Prefect that the world is about to end. Ford helps Arthur escape, and the two begin to travel through the galaxy. Along the way, Arthur learns that Earth was really a computer built to reveal the truth about “life, the universe, and everything”. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is a very satirical story. Many of the humorous events in the book represent problems in society. Adams published four more novels about Arthur Dent’s adventures before his death in 2001.
Do you know of any modern books, movies, or plays that are based on Shakespeare’s plays?
Why do you think that so much modern entertainment is inspired by these plays?
Transcript
William Shakespeare was an English dramatist and poet, currently considered to be one of the greatest writers of all time. He was born in 1564 in Stratford, where he would spend the rest of his childhood. At age 18, he married a woman named Anne Hathaway, and the couple had three children together. After the birth of his youngest two children, Shakespeare travelled to London and helped to found an acting company known as the Lord Chamberlain’s Men. While working as an actor, Shakespeare began to write scripts. One of the first plays to be officially credited to Shakespeare was the iconic Romeo and Juliet, a story of two young lovers who come from rival families. During his life, Shakespeare wrote at least 38 plays: 14 comedies, 12 tragedies, and 12 histories. Shakespeare died in 1616 – over 400 years ago – but his plays are still relevant today because of their influence on modern stories. In fact, many of today’s books, movies, and plays are based on concepts from Shakespeare’s work.
