Slapstick is one of the most recognisable forms of comedy, and it is one of the first that we are introduced to as humans. While satire, verbal gags and other forms of comedy require some degree of understanding of language and society to be able to 'get' the joke, slapstick is considered instantly and universally funny by pretty much all.

Slapstick is exaggerated physical comedy. It usually involves some sort of prop to help pull off the joke, with common motifs being ladders or custard pies. Violence of some sort is also usually a big part of the act, for example characters in a sketch hitting each other either intentionally or by accident.

The term originated from an Italian object called a Bataccio. This produces a loud, slap-like sound when used but - notably - it does not have much force to it when you are struck. Therefore, two actors would be able to fight with these and make the scene look real and painful without actually hurting each other.

If you've ever seen a Punch and Judy show, you'll have seen a mini slap-stick. Punch can frequently be seen wielding one against other characters.

Slapstick is an important area of physical comedy and it is used to great effect across many different media. For example, you can play casino slots that have elements of slapstick built into the theme, or watch a film that uses slapstick to deliver humour in a scene.

Mr Bean is one of the biggest TV shows in the world, as evidenced by the fact the character has many times over more fans on Facebook than live in the whole of the UK. The lack of dialogue and instead a reliance on slapstick moments has allowed the show to become huge in places such as China and India.

The genre is big enough to have its own festival nowadays. Each year the Slapstick Festival takes over Bristol for all sort of celebration events. The 2021 event will mainly be online, but is already looking exciting. Whilst the exact programme is still being finalised, event highlights will include rare access to silent films starring Clara Bow and W.C. Fields; and live conversations with comedy legends Bernie Clifton and Graeme Garden plus contemporary masters Stewart Lee, Henning Wehn and Rob Brydon.

Slackstick is everywhere. There are many aspects of modern comedy that still draw on slapstick to get a laugh from their viewers. It is a big part of cartoons, be it in children's cartoons or in those intended for an older audience, like any of the animated sitcoms.

The form is certainly here to stay. Netflix has just announced Man Vs Bee, a series starring Rowan Atkinson, the actor who also plays Mr Bean. The plot is described as follows: "A man finds himself at war with a bee while house-sitting a luxurious mansion. Who will win, and what irreparable damage will be done in the process?". That word "damage" gives us a good clue that there'll be lots of slapstick in this ten-part series!

So, in conclusion, slapstick is one of the most important areas of comedy. It has been around for centuries, and will be a style of comedy that we continue to develop in the future too.