While The Drowsy
Chaperone can be seen as having elements of a parody, it is more properly
considered a pastiche. The 1928 musical
presented within the show imitates a typical frivolous 1920s musical like a
parody (hence, we sometimes describe it as a parody), but the overall tone of
the show is one of irreverent affection.
Parody and pastiche are very similar, as both are devices
that imitate another work or style, and they are both commonly used in
postmodern culture—including literature, fashion, film, design, and music. Given their similarities, the distinction
between the two can be blurry.
A parody imitates a work or genre in order to mock or
ridicule the original, highlighting or exaggerating an element in order to poke
fun at it. There’s often the element of
irony in a parody, pointing out mistakes or flaws for comic effect.
A pastiche, on the other hand, imitates to celebrate the
original work. It is a creative way of
paying respect to great works of the past.
Humor in pastiche is affectionate in tone. A pastiche references multiple sources, and
may be a mixture that quotes several works, such as a medley of songs.
Since a parody can also refer to multiple sources, and can
have other elements of a pastiche, the main difference between the two lies in
the intention of the imitation. In a
pastiche, the imitation is meant as the sincerest form of flattery; it is done
in homage to the source material. In a
parody, the imitation is used as a form of mockery.
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| A scene from the hilarious parody, Young Frankenstein. |
A popular and well-known parody, the Mel Brooks film Young Frankenstein (1974) is a parody of
classic 1930s horror films. Hackneyed
conventions of these films—such as gothic-style castles and a hunchback
assistant—are used for comic effect.
Similarly, the Brooks film Blazing
Saddles (1974) parodies westerns from the Golden Age of Hollywood.
Other prominent examples of parodies can be found in
episodes from TV shows like South Park
and The Simpsons, which frequently
parody other shows and aspects of pop culture.
Saturday Night Live skits are
often parodies that feature impersonations of celebrities and important
political figures.
In contrast to these mocking examples, the TV show 30 Rock often references classic shows
like The Brady Bunch, Seinfeld, and even the musical Mamma Mia!
Other prominent examples of pastiche include the Quentin Tarantino
films Pulp Fiction (1994) and Kill Bill (2003), which pay homage to
1950s pulp novels and kung-fu movies.
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| The scrolling opening recap from Flash Gordon. |
A celebrated pastiche, Star
Wars references various sources, including 1930s science fiction serials
like Flash Gordon. The text scrolling across the screen at the
beginning of the film and the blasters are taken directly from Flash Gordon. Similarly, the Indiana Jones films pay homage to 1930s-era adventure serials—with their
ancient temples, buried treasure, sinister villains, and damsels in distress.
The two devices are combined in the Austin Powers series, which as a whole is a pastiche of the fads
and clichés of the psychedelic
Swinging Sixties, while it parodies 1960s spy films.
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| The Man in Chair. |
While The Drowsy
Chaperone can also be seen as combining both devices, the show’s narrator
Man in Chair, reveals his genuine affection for 1920s musicals through his
comments and interjections. He does not
trivialize the flimsy plots of these musicals or laugh at the stories that
often seem superficial and silly to a modern audience. It is clear that the purpose of the imitation
is to celebrate the nostalgic escapism of musicals.
