Theatre and Variety Laughter as a Cultural and Aesthetic Phenomenon: Traditions, Functional Dimensions and Transformations in the Conditions of Modern Social Challenges

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to study how theatrical and stage comedy works as both art and a social tool, what they have in common and what makes them different, and how humour helps shape cultural identity, encourage critical thinking, and give emotional support in the context of Ukrainian theatre traditions and today’s social and cultural challenges. Research methodology. The study employs cultural and art criticism analysis, which makes it possible to examine humour as a phenomenon of theatrical and stage art within the context of national and global cultural processes. The comparative method is used to identify both the common and distinctive features of theatrical and stage humour, particularly their artistic and communicative strategies. The sociocultural approach enables an assessment of the impact of humour on social processes, especially under conditions of war and cultural resistance. Finally, structural-functional analysis allows for the disclosure of the multidimensional nature and functions of humour. Scientific novelty. The study offers a comprehensive analysis of humour as a form of realising the comic and as a phenomenon of laughter in theatrical and stage arts, emphasising its multidimensional functions. Particular attention is devoted to the Ukrainian tradition of theatrical and stage humour in the context of contemporary sociocultural transformations, including martial conditions and cultural resistance. The research also identifies and proposes the common and distinctive features of theatrical and stage laughter, along with their specific artistic and communicative strategies. Conclusions. Humour in theatrical and stage arts emerges as a form of realizing the comic. It not only provides the audience with moments of laughter but also creates a space for critical reflection on reality, combining critique with compassion, satire with empathy. Thus, theatrical and stage laughter appear as multifunctional expressions of the comic that integrate aesthetic, social, and therapeutic dimensions. In the current context of war and cultural resistance, humour acquires particular significance as a means of preserving identity and national spirit, while its adaptation to the digital environment broadens its scope of influence and underscores its role within the global cultural discourse.