Sketch comedy facts for kids
Sketch comedy is a type of show with many short, funny scenes. These short scenes are called "sketches." They usually last between one and ten minutes. A group of funny actors or comedians performs them.
Sketch comedy became popular in vaudeville shows. Today, you can see sketches in variety shows, comedy talk shows, and even some sitcoms. Sometimes, actors make up the sketches on the spot. Other times, they practice them like a play.
People who make sketch comedy say a "sketch" is different from a "skit." A skit is usually just one joke. A sketch explores a funny idea, character, or situation.
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The History of Sketch Comedy
Sketch comedy started a long time ago in vaudeville and music hall shows. These were live performances where many short, funny acts were put together.
In Britain, sketch comedy moved from the stage to radio shows. Later, it became popular on television. Famous British sketch shows include Monty Python's Flying Circus and Not the Nine O'Clock News.
One of the first TV sketch comedy shows was Texaco Star Theater in 1948. In Mexico, the show Los Supergenios de la Mesa Cuadrada was very popular. It created famous characters like El Chavo del Ocho.
Recurring Characters in Sketches
At first, sketches in a show were often not connected. But later, groups started to link sketches with a main idea. They also used characters that appeared in many different sketches. These are called "recurring characters."
For example, Mr. Gumby from Monty Python's Flying Circus is a recurring character. The Family from The Carol Burnett Show also appeared many times. Some recurring characters from Saturday Night Live even got their own movies. These include The Blues Brothers and Wayne's World.
Some shows took this idea even further. The Red Green Show and The League of Gentlemen focused on people living in made-up towns. In Little Britain, the show was all about a group of recurring characters.
In North America, modern sketch comedy grew from improvisational comedy. This type of comedy became popular in the 1970s. Groups like The Second City in Chicago and Toronto were very important.
Today, famous American stage sketch comedy groups include The Second City and the Upright Citizens Brigade.
Sketch Comedy in Movies
Some movies are also made up of short, funny sketches. An early example from Britain is The Running Jumping & Standing Still Film (1959).
Other sketch films from the 1970s and 1980s include The Kentucky Fried Movie and The Meaning of Life. More recent sketch movies include Movie 43.
Sketch Comedy Festivals
Many sketch comedy groups perform at festivals. In Britain, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival is very popular.
Since 1999, many sketch comedy festivals have started in North America. Some well-known ones are:
- Chicago Sketch Fest
- SF Sketchfest
- Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival
See also
- British Comedy Awards
- List of sketch comedy groups
- List of sketch comedy television series
- Nininbaori
- List of recurring Saturday Night Live characters and sketches
- Saturday Night Live TV show sketches
- Brave New Workshop
