Medieval Stand-Up Comedy Manuscript Discovered in England

A medieval stand-up comedy recording has been discovered in England, as reported by РИА Новости.

It was found accidentally by Professor James Wade while he was researching the Hige manuscript. According to the expert, the document was copied in the 1480s by a scribe who transcribed the now-lost memoir of an unknown singer who performed near the borders of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.

“A massive collection of medieval poetry, songs, and narratives has been lost. Manuscripts are usually relics of high art. But this text is different. It is extravagant and self-assured, which is valuable. Stand-up comedy is always risky, and these recordings are bold. They mock both the nobility and common people,” Wade noted.

The expert highlighted several points indicating that the singer's concert was recorded in the booklet. The three texts studied are humorous and meant for performance in front of an audience. For instance, the narrator asks for a drink to be passed to him. There are jokes that capture the attention of the local audience and reflect their awareness of life.

Wade suggested that the singer documented the performance because the story was difficult to remember. “She is an autodidact artist, poorly educated, creating original and ironic material. It is very rare to learn about someone who lived at that time,” the scholar shared about his impressions.