...it's like TV Tropes, but LINKED DATA!
Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre)
- 134 statements
- 25 feature instances
- 8 referencing feature instances
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) | type |
TVTItem | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) | label |
Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) | page |
BlackComedy1965 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) | comment |
A 1965 one-act play penned by British playwright Peter Shaffer, Black Comedy includes some elements of Black Comedy, but is really a Farce — the title is a Punny Name referring to the play's lighting gimmick of "Chinese Darkness": whenever it is light onstage, the actors will be in "darkness", and vice versa. This of course requires the actors to pretend to stumble around blindly while they can in fact see perfectly well (although some directors have used blindfolded rehearsals to get around this).In 1960s London, Unsuccessful sculptor Brindsley Miller and his debutante fiancée Carol Melkett are preparing to host Carol's "Monster father" Colonel Melkett and art-collecting Eccentric Millionaire Georg Bamberger for dinner in Brindsley's Kensington flat. They've even spruced up for the occasion with some rather expensive antique furniture "borrowed" from holidaying next-door neighbour Harold Gorringe, a Yorkshire-born antiques dealer. But these carefully laid plans are rudely interrupted by a blown fuse. With an electrician on the way, Brindsley attempts to salvage the evening, but the arrival of uninvited guests (Teetotal elderly upstairs neighbour Miss Furnival as well as Brindsley's vivacious Old Flame Clea) and Harold's unexpectedly early return force him to spin an elaborate web of lies in an attempt to keep his guests in the dark by concealing Harold's stolen furniture and Clea's presence. But as you've probably already guessed, there's really only one way the night can end.While far less well known than Shaffer's other works Amadeus and Equus, the play remains fairly popular as a script for amateur dramatics groups and the School Play, as well as enjoying revivals from time to time. Incidentally, the original 1965 run featured what would become an impressive All-Star Cast (not so much at the time as many of the actors were early in their careers), including Derek Jacobi as Brindsley, Maggie Smith as Clea and Albert Finney as Harold, alongside Louise Purnell as Carol, Doris Hare as Miss Furnival, and Graham Crowden as the Colonel.If you're looking for the trope, see Black Comedy. | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) | fetched |
2024-04-06T12:47:24Z | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) | parsed |
2024-04-06T12:47:24Z | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) | processingComment |
Dropped link to BitchSlap: Not a Feature - ITEM | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) | isPartOf |
DBTropes | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_170128e9 | type |
Right Behind Me | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_170128e9 | comment |
Right Behind Me: Brindsley, on two occasions, thanks to the blackout. First, he loudly describes Colonel Melkett, to Carol, as "your monster father", oblivious to the fact he is in the room. Later, he laughs at Carol insulting Clea while the latter is sitting right next to him. | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_170128e9 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_170128e9 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_170128e9 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_1d3bc993 | type |
Mistaken for Special Guest | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_1d3bc993 | comment |
Mistaken for Special Guest: Schuppanzigh, the electrician sent to repair Brindsley's blown fuse, just so happens to be a highly-educated German expatriate with a special interest in art. Given that Bamberger is German, everyone mistakes him for the art collector until he remarks that he would happily buy Brindsley's sculpture for 500 guineas — if he had that kind of money. | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_1d3bc993 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_1d3bc993 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_1d3bc993 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_237404cc | type |
Ironic Echo | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_237404cc | comment |
Ironic Echo: Early in the play, Brindsley kisses Carol and comments "No-one in the world kisses like you." While he instigated the kiss to stop Carol asking awkward questions about Clea, it still seems quite sweet to some extent, and suggests he might genuinely care about her. The next time he says it is to Clea after his pleas for her to leave devolve into a passionate make-out session - while it's techincally true in both cases, the latter usage cements his characterisation as a lying scumbag. | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_237404cc | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_237404cc | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_237404cc | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_4063acfd | type |
Woman Scorned | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_4063acfd | comment |
Woman Scorned: As soon as Carol accidentally lets slip to Clea that she and Brindsley are engaged, she swiftly proceeds to humiliate him and exposes his lies about their relationship. Although, it's somewhat understandable given that "Brin" very much appeared to be trying to keep both relationships going at the same time. | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_4063acfd | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_4063acfd | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_4063acfd | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_447b77a5 | type |
"Fawlty Towers" Plot | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_447b77a5 | comment |
"Fawlty Towers" Plot: A textbook example, kicked off by Harold's unexpected return forcing Brindsley to literally and figuratively keep his guests "in the dark" in order to hide the furniture, which devolves into Carol coming up with a cock-and-bull story about a gas leak, Brindsley frantically blowing out matches whenever someone lights them, and Clea's sudden appearance complicating things even further. | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_447b77a5 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_447b77a5 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_447b77a5 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_4de1a4f7 | type |
Improvised Weapon | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_4de1a4f7 | comment |
Improvised Weapon: The abstract sculpture Brindsley is hoping to sell to Bamberger has two large, detachable prongs- perfect for a livid Colonel and Harold to menace Brindsley with in the final moments of the play. | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_4de1a4f7 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_4de1a4f7 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_4de1a4f7 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_54bbe8ae | type |
Blind Mistake | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_54bbe8ae | comment |
Blind Mistake: Since the characters are in "darkness" most of the time, this ends up being the source of most of the play's humor: characters don't notice others have arrived, pick up the wrong objects, or just fall over. | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_54bbe8ae | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_54bbe8ae | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_54bbe8ae | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_569a95e9 | type |
The Teetotaler | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_569a95e9 | comment |
The Teetotaler: Played for Laughs. Miss Furnival's father, a Baptist minister, discouraged her from drinking alcohol, a habit she has kept ever since... So of course, she is given a glass of whiskey by accident, really likes it, spends the rest of the evening swigging from a bottle of scotch, and ends up very drunk. | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_569a95e9 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_569a95e9 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_569a95e9 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_643659d4 | type |
Spit Take | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_643659d4 | comment |
Spit Take: The Colonel does one all over Brindsley, who's frantically trying to covertly return Harold's furniture, when he's accidentally handed a bitter lemon instead of his Scotch. | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_643659d4 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_643659d4 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_643659d4 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_71a429d2 | type |
Power Outage Plot | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_71a429d2 | comment |
Power Outage Plot: Hence the title, most of the play takes place "in the dark" after a fuse blows, humour being derived from a never-ending stream of Blind Mistakes. | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_71a429d2 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_71a429d2 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_71a429d2 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_75d6bf40 | type |
Belligerent Sexual Tension | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_75d6bf40 | comment |
Belligerent Sexual Tension: Brindsley and Clea's relationship is characterised by this - after the latter's through Relationship Sabotage of Brindsley's engagement, the two get into a fierce arguement which devolves into teasing before the two reconcile. | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_75d6bf40 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_75d6bf40 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_75d6bf40 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_7a0374eb | type |
Impoverished Patrician | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_7a0374eb | comment |
Impoverished Patrician: Considering that Brindsley is dating the upper-class Carol, shares a building with the wealthy Harold, and chose a career as an artist in the first place suggests he comes from a privileged background, even if he's currently broke. | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_7a0374eb | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_7a0374eb | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_7a0374eb | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_823c6e3e | type |
Large Ham | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_823c6e3e | comment |
Large Ham: Approximately half of the Colonel's lines seem to be bellowing at Brindsley. | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_823c6e3e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_823c6e3e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_823c6e3e | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_82b4f38e | type |
Unsympathetic Comedy Protagonist | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_82b4f38e | comment |
Unsympathetic Comedy Protagonist: Brindsley is a pretentious snob who bosses his fiancée around, is implied to be two-timing with Clea (or at the very least wants to be), insults the telephone operator (but not directly, of course) and produces ridiculous art. Watching his life fall apart is very satisfying, and there's a reason he's on the receiving end of all of the play's Slapstick. | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_82b4f38e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_82b4f38e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_82b4f38e | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_884c48a6 | type |
Non-Answer | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_884c48a6 | comment |
Non-Answer: Brindsley's response to Carol querying why he keeps a photo of Clea in a sultry outfit in his bedroom drawer? | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_884c48a6 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_884c48a6 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_884c48a6 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_8eac3f0e | type |
People Fall Off Chairs | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_8eac3f0e | comment |
People Fall Off Chairs: As Brindsley attempts to covertly replace Harold's stolen antique furniture with his own rather threadbare effects, he exchanges the Colonel's chair for a rocking chair. Guess what happens when Col. Melkett sits down heavily on it? | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_8eac3f0e | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_8eac3f0e | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_8eac3f0e | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_997ce6ad | type |
Boyfriend-Blocking Dad | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_997ce6ad | comment |
Boyfriend-Blocking Dad: Colonel Melkett is very distrustful of Brindsley, and offers him a few pointers on how to treat his daughter - the only think keeping him from trying to end their relationship for most of the play is Carol's status as his Daddy's Girl. Evidently, his instincts are absolutely right. | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_997ce6ad | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_997ce6ad | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_997ce6ad | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_a2b38d3b | type |
Eye Scream | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_a2b38d3b | comment |
Eye Scream: After Brindsley appears to reconcile with Clea right in front of a very annoyed Carol, she removes her engagement ring and attempts to hurl it at him- but she hits her father in the eye instead. | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_a2b38d3b | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_a2b38d3b | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_a2b38d3b | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_bc74ef27 | type |
Berserk Button | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_bc74ef27 | comment |
Berserk Button: Do not mess with Harold's precious collection of antiques. By the end of the play, after he finds his flat in disarray and his Buddah smashed, he joins the Colonel in preparing to deliver a No-Holds-Barred Beatdown to Brindsley. | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_bc74ef27 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_bc74ef27 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_bc74ef27 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_bc97f0c6 | type |
Jealous Romantic Witness | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_bc97f0c6 | comment |
Jealous Romantic Witness: Carol and the Colonel are frozen in incredulity and anger as Brindsley gets into an argument with Clea (who had just thoroughly torpedoed his engagement) which devolves into light-hearted teasing and the two seeming to get back together right in front of the livid onlookers. | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_bc97f0c6 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_bc97f0c6 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_bc97f0c6 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_bd0230fb | type |
Ambiguously Bi | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_bd0230fb | comment |
Ambiguously Bi: There are many unsubtle hints that Brindsley might have been in a sexual relationship with Harold, most notably the latter's response when he tells the recently arrived Clea (who is currenty concealed by the "darkness") to go wait in the bedroom within earshot of Harold: | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_bd0230fb | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_bd0230fb | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_bd0230fb | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_dcd423d2 | type |
Affectionate Nickname | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_dcd423d2 | comment |
Affectionate Nickname: "Dumpling" is the Colonel's for Carol — and if the actress playing her is especially thin, as per the stage directions, it doubles as an Ironic Name. | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_dcd423d2 | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_dcd423d2 | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_dcd423d2 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_e085feeb | type |
Broken Record | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_e085feeb | comment |
Broken Record: Brindsley's repeated, frantic muttering of "Well, well, well..." after he accidently insults the Colonel to his face. | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_e085feeb | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_e085feeb | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_e085feeb | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_f688816f | type |
Priceless Ming Vase | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_f688816f | comment |
Priceless Ming Vase: Harold's fantastically expensive porcelain Buddah. The only reason it doesn't survive until the end of the play is because Brindsley wrapped it up in Harold's coat to hide it, and forgot it was there when handing him the garment back. Its destruction is the Last Straw for an already enraged Harold. | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_f688816f | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_f688816f | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_f688816f | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_name | type |
ItemName | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_name | comment |
||
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_name | featureApplicability |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_name | featureConfidence |
1.0 | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) | hasFeature |
Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_name | |
| Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) / int_name | itemName |
Black Comedy (1965) (Theatre) |
The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.
Copyright of DBTropes.org wrapper 2009-2013 DFKI Knowledge Management. Imprint. - Thanks to Bakken&Baeck for hosting. Contact.
Copyright of data TVTropes.org contributors under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.
Copyright of data TVTropes.org contributors under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License.