Political Satire

It is interesting to discern whether the comedicconventions of western political satire have changedmuch over the centuries. If not, then the humanresponse to the lampooning of authority figures wouldappear to be both universal and timeless. There isnot a great deal of literature on the subject. Thisbook explores the concept and it comes up with somesurprising results.Aristophanes is considered to be one of the bestpolitical satirists and his comedic conventions forma template against which their utilization by otherplaywrights is traced. By the use of contrast andcomparison it is possible to conclude that similarresponses to political satire do resonate throughoutthe ages.Aristophanes to Fo focuses on four modernplaywrights, Bertolt Brecht, Dario Fo, JoanLittlewood and Bette Guy, to reveal how comedicconventions of the past are irrevocably drawn intothe present.This is a work that will interest writers,directors, performers and teachers who work not onlyin theatre but in other performance media. Anunderstanding of how the historical conventions ofAristophanes remain relevant and worthy ofimaginative continuance is a useful and important guide.