▁Joe ▁Or ton ▁and ▁Alan ▁Ay ck b ourn ▁ ▁J ester ▁ ▁L aug hing ▁comedy , ▁as ▁pract iced ▁by ▁Oliver ▁G olds m ith ▁and ▁Richard ▁Br ins ley ▁Sher idan ▁ ▁Rest oration ▁comedy , ▁as ▁pract iced ▁by ▁George ▁E ther ege , ▁A ph ra ▁Be hn ▁and ▁John ▁Van b rug h ▁ ▁Sent iment al ▁comedy , ▁as ▁pract iced ▁by ▁Col ley ▁C ib ber ▁and ▁Richard ▁Ste ele ▁ ▁Shakespeare an ▁comedy , ▁as ▁pract iced ▁by ▁William ▁Shakespeare ▁ ▁Stand - up ▁comedy ▁ ▁D ada ist ▁and ▁Sur real ist ▁performance , ▁usually ▁in ▁cab aret ▁form ▁ ▁Theatre ▁of ▁the ▁Ab sur d , ▁used ▁by ▁some ▁critics ▁to ▁describe ▁Samuel ▁Beck ett , ▁Harold ▁P inter , ▁Jean ▁Gen et ▁and ▁Eug ène ▁I ones co ▁ ▁Sk etch ▁comedy ▁ ▁Pl ays ▁▁ ▁Com ic ▁theatre ▁ ▁Musical ▁comedy ▁and ▁palace ▁ ▁Opera ▁▁ ▁Com ic ▁opera ▁ ▁Im pro vis ational ▁comedy ▁▁ ▁Im pro vis ational ▁theatre ▁ ▁Bou ff on ▁comedy ▁ ▁C low ns ▁ ▁J okes ▁▁ ▁One - lin er ▁jo ke ▁ ▁Bl onde ▁j okes ▁ ▁Sh ag gy - dog ▁story ▁ ▁P addy ▁Irish man ▁jo ke ▁ ▁Polish ▁j okes ▁ ▁Light ▁bul b ▁j okes ▁ ▁Stand - up ▁comedy ▁ ▁Stand - up ▁comedy ▁is ▁a ▁mode ▁of ▁com ic ▁performance ▁in ▁which ▁the ▁perform er ▁addresses ▁the ▁audience ▁directly , ▁usually ▁speaking ▁in ▁their