Medieval comic theater genre - comedy. Fars is a strange child of two incompatible parents. If the comedy is his mother, then the father who gave him the name was the church text, in which the insert was called farce (translation - “filling”) - Epistola cum farsa or Epistola farsita, however, there were many of them in hymns and even just in prayers. If we continue the comparison, considering
family ties, the tragedy so beloved by the ancient Roman population is not too far located here. The farce in this case consisted in the fact that in the arena of poor tragedians predatory animals devoured under the cheerful cries of the audience. It is not for nothing that a proverb is recalled that any action can only be a tragedy for the first time, repeated twice is already a farce. It ceases to convince. So what is farce?
So, the term was fixed for a small dramatic sideshow in the 12th century. A farce is family problems, relations between a servant and a master, cheating, adventures of soldiers and students, any ridiculous cases from the life of farm laborers and merchants, as well as judges and officials.
The figurative rows are full of comic situations, achieved by fairly cheap means - with the help of brawls and hassles. The development of the plot involves a leap from one scene to another, there is no unity. The characters are not deeply revealed, the characters are basically puns and wit. Themes are varied and borrowed most often from the surrounding daily routine. Production facilities are the most primitive, since preparation for the performances is not provided. By the end of the 15th century, the number of farces is increasing, the genre is flourishing.
Fars is the heyday of French theater
The French theater, with all its rudiments, by the 12th century had acquired some purely farcical features. Building on witty plot moves. Characters - predecessor of Harlequin (Herlequin), alchemist, monk. Especially famous is the trilogy about Potilen, solicitor, dodger and rogue. Author unknown. Villon, de la Sal, and Blanche are suspected. Edifying and political farces were composed by Queen Margot (Navarre, the same one). Much later, farce was constantly shining through the comedies of the famous Moliere. For example, "Imaginary Sick" or "Scapen's Tricks." The critical time for the development of the theater is the 17th century. Farce leaves the French scene. In its place with triumph comes a full-fledged literary comedy.
Fars is the father of Italian comedy
Fars, in itself not a very independent dramatic action, had a huge impact on theatrical art of the whole world. In particular, Italy became a real home for the farce, but in the end received a talented child - comedy del arte, with the immortal masks of Colombina, Pantalone, Doctor and Harlequin.
Fars is the main genre on the stage of medieval Europe
The literature of other European countries has left us a legacy of samples of this genre. In Germany, there were Shrovetide games scourging human weaknesses. In the 12-15th centuries, the masterpieces (German singing poets), especially the Nuremberg ones, most often succeeded in composing farces. Like knights proud of their origin, the Meistersinger were real professionals and respected the art of poetry as a craft. And in Spain, Cervantes created. The most famous farces of his brilliant pen - "Two talkers" and "Theater of miracles."