Changes

Medieval comedy was often very different to what we might consider mass comedy. Things changed by the 16th century, originating in Italy, the character of <i> Pulcinella </i> had an impact in what we would consider the origins of Western slapstick comedy. This developed into what became known as Punch and Judy puppet shows, where the character of Punch would be joined by his wife Judy. Punch would be the character evoking sometimes shockingly odd or funny scenes on characters he encounters, provoking hilarious laughter from his audience. This type of humor made its way to Britain in the 17th century, during a time shortly after puritanical influence during the Cromwell period. Audiences were starved for humor and the Punch and Judy show helped change the mood for English audiences. <ref>For more on Punch and Judy and its history, see: Collier, J. P., & Cruikshank, G. (Eds.). (2006). <i>Punch and Judy: a short history with the original dialogue</i>. Mineola, N.Y: Dover Publications.</ref>

In the 19th century, pantomimes developed as a form of musical comedy that was usually not a coarse type of humor, as it was geared towards more family entertainment during this period. It perhaps became one of the first modern genres of comedy to develop that is still used today. Usually, pantomimes are performed as a sequence of character plays and comedy during the Christmas period as part of the wider entertainment that would occur during that time of year, traditionally after the harvest and in the depths of winter, when work would be minimal and celebrations building for the upcoming Christmas feasts. Vaudeville was another genre that emerged in the late 19th century as a type of stories told in a musical fashion with stories leading to comedic situations. Vaudeville developed in France but became very popular in North America, particularly Canada and the United States, from around the 1880s-1930s.<ref>For more on 19th century humor and its development on the stage, see: Wertheim, A. F. (2014). <i>Becoming a Comedian</i>. New York: Palgrave Macmillan. </ref>