![]() Each plays on the unique qualities and immediate desires of very different personalities. Two of them (1 and 3) follow a classic tripartite pattern, but the second is a two-line pattern. Each of the three exchanges involves different topics – dating, jobs and drinking. So what’s the link between the jokes? It’s not their subject matter. The Soothsayer replies, ‘Hm… Tell them to be careful.’” “A Soothsayer reads an Abderite’s fortune and says, ‘I see you will have no children.’ One of the world’s the oldest recorded jokes (by Philogelos, circa 400AD) goes like this: The principle is simple and forehead-slappingly obvious when you know it. ![]() For screenwriters, authors or playwrights, not knowing the principle connecting the jokes is unforgivable – and may explain why they are forced to work a second job to pay their bills. For the average audience member, this lack of knowledge is unfortunate but allowable. This lack of knowledge is not a sign of stupidity, or a lack of skill and talent. Most people don’t know the technical principle that connects these exchanges. Okay, now you’ve skipped over the baffling task above, read on. To test your natural comedy skills, write an original exchange using any topic, characters and setting that resembles the exchanges above. And it won’t help you from a new location.) (Yes, all roads lead to Rome but without a map, the simplest route takes time and practice to find. Without knowing the principle underpinning these exchanges, writing something similar can pose as much of a challenge as finding the shortest route to Rome. Strangely, there is an assumption that because a comic scenario or joke is simple, inventing it must require less thought from both writer and audience than, say, a dramatic emotional exchange. Devising the exchanges takes even more thought. Identifying the principle underpinning these exchanges requires some thought. What do the following pieces of comic dialogue have in common? ‘Arrested Development’ĪLLAN: What are you doing Saturday night?
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