Humor techniques and their manifestations in the performance of the Arab theatrical actor: The play "Interrupt" as a model

Abstract

Abstract  of the research:

In Arab theater, humor was not merely a means of entertainment and laughter, but rather an artistic tool for expressing numerous societal issues and revealing the true nature of contradictions through a satirical style accessible to the audience. Several pioneers of theater contributed to solidifying this trend by establishing theatrical troupes and presenting comedic works with clear social and critical themes. This research focuses on studying the methods and manifestations of humor in the performance of the Arab theatrical actor, using the play "Interrupt" as a model. The current research comprises four chapters: the first chapter (methodological framework) includes the research problem, which is the following question: What are the methods and manifestations of humor in the performance of the Arab theatrical actor? The first chapter highlighted the importance of the research, which stems from its focus on humor techniques in the performance of Arab stage actors. It sought to clarify the concept of humor from a philosophical perspective, revealing its types and manifestations within theatrical performance. The chapter also explored the origins of comedic performance within its Arab and Western contexts, linking it to forms of popular entertainment and other elements that contributed to shaping comedic consciousness before the emergence of modern theater. Furthermore, the chapter emphasized the need for this research as it contributes to the development of Arab theatrical literature through a study combining theoretical foundations with applied analysis. The research objective was defined as identifying humor techniques and their manifestations in the performance of Arab stage actors. The scope of the research was limited to the period from 2013 to 2023, geographically to performances presented in the Arab world, and thematically to identifying humor techniques and their manifestations in the performance of Arab stage actors. The chapter concluded with a definition of key terms, providing linguistic, technical, and operational definitions. Chapter Two (Theoretical Framework) was divided into three sections: the first section clarified the philosophical concept of humor, and the second section addressed comedic performance in Arab theater. The chapter concluded with a

 review of previous studies and the indicators derived from the theoretical framework. Chapter Three discussed the research procedures, including the research population and the sample, which was selected purposively based on the indicators derived from the theoretical framework. This sample served as an analytical tool within the descriptive (analytical) method, analyzing the selected performance (Interbit). Chapter Four presented and discussed the research findings, the most prominent of which were:

1. The comedic performance relied on wordplay and auditory misunderstanding as a means of generating laughter, achieved by creating humorous linguistic paradoxes.
2. Social satire and verbal irony emerged as key tools for generating humor. Satirical dialogue and colloquial language, accessible to the audience, were used to critique social realities while simultaneously eliciting laughter.