farce
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farce
A short, coarse, and funny play with simple, often exaggerated characters and comic situations. Synonyms are Schwank (comic farce) or Farce (farce).
Im Stadttheater wurde gestern eine Posse aus dem 19. Jahrhundert aufgeführt.
A 19th-century farce was performed at the city theater yesterday.
farce
An absurd, embarrassing, or ridiculous incident in real life that resembles a comic play.
Der Streit um den Parkplatz entwickelte sich zu einer regelrechten Posse.
The dispute over the parking space developed into a real farce.
The word 'Posse' (farce) belongs to an elevated or educated register. In everyday conversation, it is used rather rarely to describe a funny or absurd situation.
Die Debatte im Parlament wurde in den Nachrichten als politische Posse bezeichnet.
The debate in parliament was described in the news as a political farce.
You can recognize the figurative meaning by the fact that it is about an event in real life, often in politics or public life. If, on the other hand, it is about a performance on a stage, the play is meant.
Der Streit der Nachbarn um den Gartenzaun entwickelte sich zu einer peinlichen Posse.
The neighbors' dispute over the garden fence developed into an embarrassing farce.
When a real-life incident is meant, 'Posse' (farce) is often combined with adjectives such as 'peinlich' (embarrassing), 'absurd' (absurd), or 'lächerlich' (ridiculous). A common phrase is also that something 'sich zu einer Posse entwickelt' (develops into a farce).
Die ganze Angelegenheit war eine absurde Posse.
The whole affair was an absurd farce.
In the context of theater, 'Posse' (farce) is often used with verbs such as 'aufführen' (to perform), 'inszenieren' (to stage), or 'schreiben' (to write).
Die Theatergruppe wird nächsten Monat eine alte Posse aufführen.
The theater group will perform an old farce next month.
farce
Both words can describe a real-life event that seems ridiculous. „Farce“ mainly characterizes an event that is poorly organized, absurd, or impossible to take seriously. „Posse“ places more emphasis on the comic, embarrassing incident and its almost theatrical course of events.
Dass die beiden Redner über dasselbe Mikrofon stritten, war eine peinliche Posse.
The two speakers arguing over the same microphone was an embarrassing farce.
Die schlecht vorbereitete Versammlung wurde wegen der vielen Pannen zu einer Farce.
Because of all the mishaps, the poorly prepared meeting turned into a farce.
