Farce

Farce: Comedy built on improbable situations, mistaken identities and exaggerated physical action.

Farce trades psychological depth for escalating mechanical chaos; writers use it when the point is the machinery of embarrassment itself.

Farce examples

• "Two men both claim to be 'Ernest' to win their loves."

  — The Importance of Being Earnest, Wilde

• "A disastrous play collapses backstage in real time."

  — Noises Off, Michael Frayn

• "She is your treasure, she must have a husband: I must dance barefoot on her wedding day."

  — The Taming of the Shrew, Shakespeare

• "If everyone knows us and we know none, 'Tis time, I think, to trudge, pack and be gone."

  — The Comedy of Errors, Shakespeare

• "Ask me no questions, and I'll tell you no lies."

  — She Stoops to Conquer, Oliver Goldsmith

• "We dine well here in Camelot. We eat ham and jam and spam a lot."

  — Monty Python and the Holy Grail

Want a full walkthrough? Read our long-form guide: Farce examples, explained.

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