Provides: an overview from the Greeks to the 21st-century, with annotated timeline concise and accessible explanations of types, features and concepts, with activities for exploring the genre as a whole and for applying to the particular plays you are studying introductory activities to set the agenda for study and provide students with a wide-ranging literary context, including 18 substantial extracts from comedies and the Reduced Shakespeare Company's take on Shakespeare's comedies 10 production stills to introduce students to key aspects of dramatic comedy approaches to encourage students to appreciate the plays as dramatic texts substantial sections on key areas of comedy (Structure; Characterisation; Genre; Language; The Fool; Subversion, misrule and carnivalesque; Green worlds; Identity, disguise and cross-dressing; Women) with practical activities and short integrated extracts from critical material to stimulate and extend students' thinking more substantial extracts from critical material on Shakespearean comedy. On the DVD - Dr Eric Langley from Royal Holloway, on Shakespeare's comedies - Professors Adam Roberts and Dan Rebellato, from Royal Holloway, on theories of laughter and comedy, in relation to particular plays including: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Jerusalem, The Importance of Being Earnest and Abigail's Party - a PDF of the publication for printing - a colour PDF of production stills.