The Birth of Comedy - for iPod/iPhone

The Open University

Take the topical satire of Have I Got News For You and mix thoroughly with the adolescent humour of The Inbetweeners, add in a healthy dose of Monty Python-esque absurdity and finish off with lashings of songs and dances. Then serve it all up to a baying crowd in an atmosphere more like a football match than a theatre stage. Welcome to the world of Aristophanes, ‘the father of comedy’. The rise of democracy in ancient Greece produced one of the greatest ever flowerings of culture and gave birth to history, philosophy, science ... and fart gags. Theatre first appeared in Athens 2,500 years ago to educate and entertain the growing audience of citizens. However Greek theatre wasn’t a quiet entertainment but a rowdy, competitive sport involving teams of performers battling each other for prizes. In this collection James Robson, Senior Lecturer in Classical Studies at The Open University, explores the world of Aristophanes and asks what Greek comedy would look and sound like, why is it so rude, and where are all the women?

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Creating a Spectacle: Theatre in Ancient Athens

The Birth of Comedy - for iPod/iPhone

08/15/13 • 9 min

Why was theatre-going so important to the Athenians? James Robson, Senior Lecturer in Classical Studies at The Open University, looks at the birth of comedy and the rise of democracy and wonders why we never hear of Spartan stand up.

08/15/13 • 9 min

Transcript -- Creating a Spectacle: Theatre in Ancient Athens

The Birth of Comedy - for iPod/iPhone

08/15/13 • -1 min

Transcript -- Why was theatre-going so important to the Athenians? James Robson, Senior Lecturer in Classical Studies at The Open University, looks at the birth of comedy and the rise of democracy and wonders why we never hear of Spartan stand up.

08/15/13 • -1 min

Making Athens Laugh: The Ancient Sense of Humour

The Birth of Comedy - for iPod/iPhone

08/15/13 • 10 min

Slapstick, satire or stereotypes, just what made the Greeks laugh? In this episode James Robson, Senior Lecturer in Classical Studies at The Open University, examines the elements of successful Greek comedy.

08/15/13 • 10 min

Transcript -- Making Athens Laugh: The Ancient Sense of Humour

The Birth of Comedy - for iPod/iPhone

08/15/13 • -1 min

Transcript -- Slapstick, satire or stereotypes, just what made the Greeks laugh? In this episode James Robson, Senior Lecturer in Classical Studies at The Open University, examines the elements of successful Greek comedy.

08/15/13 • -1 min

Sex, Swearing and Satire in Aristophanes’ Comedy

The Birth of Comedy - for iPod/iPhone

08/15/13 • 8 min

Obscenity was a powerful tool in the hands of Greek playwrights. James Robson, Senior Lecturer in Classical Studies at The Open University, asks how Aristophanes pulled it off.

08/15/13 • 8 min

Transcript -- Sex, Swearing and Satire in Aristophanes’ Comedy

The Birth of Comedy - for iPod/iPhone

08/15/13 • -1 min

Transcript -- Obscenity was a powerful tool in the hands of Greek playwrights. James Robson, Senior Lecturer in Classical Studies at The Open University, asks how Aristophanes pulled it off.

08/15/13 • -1 min

Aristophanes’ Athens

The Birth of Comedy - for iPod/iPhone

08/15/13 • 14 min

What do Aristophanes’ plays tell us about life in ancient Athens? James Robson, Senior Lecturer in Classical Studies at The Open University, and his guests discuss the use of literary sources.

08/15/13 • 14 min

Transcript -- Aristophanes’ Athens

The Birth of Comedy - for iPod/iPhone

08/15/13 • -1 min

Transcript -- What do Aristophanes’ plays tell us about life in ancient Athens? James Robson, Senior Lecturer in Classical Studies at The Open University, and his guests discuss the use of literary sources.

08/15/13 • -1 min

Performing Aristophanes

The Birth of Comedy - for iPod/iPhone

08/15/13 • 13 min

What are the challenges in performing Aristophanes for a modern audience? James Robson, Senior Lecturer in Classical Studies at The Open University, and his guests discuss the problems of making classics relevant today.

08/15/13 • 13 min

Transcript -- Performing Aristophanes

The Birth of Comedy - for iPod/iPhone

08/15/13 • -1 min

Transcript -- What are the challenges in performing Aristophanes for a modern audience? James Robson, Senior Lecturer in Classical Studies at The Open University, and his guests discuss the problems of making classics relevant today.

08/15/13 • -1 min

FAQ

How many episodes does The Birth of Comedy - for iPod/iPhone have?

The Birth of Comedy - for iPod/iPhone currently has 12 episodes available.

What topics does The Birth of Comedy - for iPod/iPhone cover?

The podcast is about Peace, History, Courses, Podcasts and Education.

What is the most popular episode on The Birth of Comedy - for iPod/iPhone?

The episode title 'Creating a Spectacle: Theatre in Ancient Athens' is the most popular.

What is the average episode length on The Birth of Comedy - for iPod/iPhone?

The average episode length on The Birth of Comedy - for iPod/iPhone is 12 minutes.

When was the first episode of The Birth of Comedy - for iPod/iPhone?

The first episode of The Birth of Comedy - for iPod/iPhone was released on Aug 15, 2013.

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