The clown in modern Anglo-Irish drama

Clowns are far more vital in modern Anglo-Irish than in English drama. Age-old clown types can be recognized, and slapstick techniques recur time and again. But the functions of these modern clowns differ markedly according to the dramatic intentions of the author. Low comic entertainment, affirmation, contrast and satire are major functions of the clown from Boucicault to O'Casey. Although supposedly typical of the contemporary period, the «tragicomic», symbolic role found in Beckett proves to be an exception in Anglo-Irish drama.