ABSTRACT
Contemporary political farce revolves around those attempting either to uphold or reject institutional and/or governmental policies and practices. The chapter introduces readers to the Italian ‘jester’, Dario Fo. Fo, and also his wife Franca Rame, made repeated use of farce as a way to attack fascism, capitalism, and institutional corruption. Fo’s work also paved the way for contemporary British, American, Irish, and German playwrights, whose plays reflect the politics of their times, and are written as direct responses to the conflicts and issues of the day, on both a micro and a macro level. In addition to exploring farce in government, the chapter examines how farce has been used to highlight radical agendas.
