Bouffon

Bouffon (English originally from French: "farceur", "comique", jester") is a modern French theater term that was re-coined in the early 1960s by Jacques Lecoq at his L'École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq in Paris to describe a specific style of performance work that has a main focus in the art of mockery.^[1] The word gave rise to the English word buffoon.

Etymology and early history

The word bouffon comes from a Latin verb: buffare, to puff (i.e., to fill the cheeks with air); the word "Buffo" was used in the Roman theatre by those who appeared on the stage with their cheeks blown up; when they received blows that they would make a great noise causing the audience to laugh.^[2] The usage of the word bouffon comes from French and has entered English theatrical language through the work of Jacques Lecoq and his pedagogic inquiry into performance approaches of comedy, leading him to create dynamic classroom exercises that explored elements of burlesque, commedia dell'arte, farce, gallows humor, parody, satire, slapstick, etc. that collectively influenced the development of modern bouffon performance work.

Philippe Gaulier a contemporary of LeCoq explains bouffon in his book The Tormentor.

See also

• Jester
• Opéra bouffon
• Opera buffa

References

1. Ramanathan, Lavanya (1 June 2011). "Clowning with the audience". The Washington Post.
2. p.780 Encyclopaedia Britannica; or A Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and Miscellaneous Literature, Volume 4 Archibald Constable and Company, 1823