The fourth wall is the imaginary "wall" at the front of the stage in a traditional three-walled box set in a proscenium theatre, through which the audience sees the action in the world of the play. The idea of the fourth wall was made explicit by Denis Diderot and spread in nineteenth-century theatre with the advent of theatrical realism, which extended the idea to the imaginary boundary between any fictional work and its audience.

Convention of modern theatre

The presence of the fourth wall is an established convention of modern realistic theatre, which has led some artists to draw direct attention to it for dramatic or comedic effect when this boundary is "broken", for example by an actor onstage speaking to the audience directly.

The acceptance of the transparency of the fourth wall is part of the suspension of disbelief between a fictional work and an audience, allowing them to enjoy the fiction as if they were observing real events. Although the critic Vincent Canby described it in 1987 as "that invisible screen that forever separates the audience from the stage," postmodern art forms frequently either do away with it entirely, or make use of various framing devices to manipulate it in order to emphasize or de-emphasize certain aspects of the production, according to the artistic desires of the work's creator.

Speaking directly to, or otherwise acknowledging, the audience through the camera, in a film, play or television program, is referred to as "breaking the fourth wall."

Fifth wall

The term "fifth wall" has been used as an extension of the fourth wall concept to refer to the "invisible wall between critics or readers and theatre practitioners." This conception led to a series of workshops at the Globe Theatre in 2004 designed to help break the fifth wall. The term has also been used to refer to "that semi-porous membrane that stands between individual audience members during a shared experience." In media, the television set has been described metaphorically as a fifth wall because of how it allows a person to see beyond the traditional four walls of a room. A different usage of the term has described the fifth wall as the screen on which images are projected in shadow theatre.

References

External links

List of films that break the fourth wall (The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopædia)

Category:Metafictional techniques Category:Parts of a theatre Category:Theatre

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Coordinates	55°45′06″N37°37′04″N
birth date	July 04, 1968
birth place	Troon, Ayrshire, Scotland
occupation	Actress, impressionist, author
spouse	Gerard Hall
website	}}

Ronni Ancona (born 4 July 1968, Troon, Ayrshire) is a Scottish actress, impressionist and author. Ancona won the Best TV Comedy Actress award at the 2003 British Comedy Awards for her work in ''Big Impression''.

Career

Ancona made a one-off appearance on ''Blue Peter'' in 1986 while she was still at school, but only became a household name as a result of appearing in the BBC's ''Big Impression'' alongside Alistair McGowan.

Her comedy career started on the comedy circuit and she won the ''Time Out Hackney Empire New Act of the Year'' in 1993. She worked extensively in radio and television before becoming a household name in the BAFTA award winning ''The Big Impression'' for which she won a ''British Comedy Award'' and ''Variety Club Award''.

As part of BBC's ''Big Read'' she promoted ''The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe''.

Before ''Big Impression'', Ancona had featured in films and TV shows, such as Fist of Fun, for many years, as well as performing stand-up comedy. She also appeared in the first series of ''The Sketch Show''.

In 2005 she played Barbara, opposite Bill Nighy, Miranda Richardson and Emily Blunt in Stephen Poliakoff's ''Gideon's Daughter'' on BBC One.

She was Beline in Molière's ''The Hypochondriac'' at the Almeida Theatre.

She has appeared four times on the BBC celebrity panel show ''QI''. She won episode four of series four ('Dictionaries') in October 2006, won again in the first episode of series six in November 2008 ('Family'), and also won on the women's team with Sandi Toksvig in January 2010. In November 2006 she was a guest presenter of ''Have I Got News For You''. She has also appeared on the Channel 4 comedy show ''TV Heaven, Telly Hell'' discussing her preferences in television shows.

In December 2006 she revealed herself as a fan of ''Strictly Come Dancing'' and appeared on ''Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two''.

In 2007, following a successfully received pilot, the BBC commissioned a new comedy sketch series titled ''Ronni Ancona & Co'' consisting of her own material and co-starring Phil Cornwell, Jan Ravens and John Sessions. The show initially aired on 25 May 2007 and had three episodes.

In 2008 Ancona appeared in the film ''Penelope'' as Wanda.

Ancona appeared as the mother of Katie and Emily Fitch in the third and fourth series of ''Skins''.

In 2009 Ancona appeared in Hope Springs on BBC 1. She was one of eight main cast members.

On 24 July 2009, Ancona appeared on ''The One Show'', and she appeared on it again, with Alistair McGowan, on 16 October 2009.

In April 2010, Ancona appeared on ''A Comedy Roast'', celebrating Sharon Osbourne's life.

In 2009 her first book ''A Matter Of Life And Death: How To Wean A Man Off Football'' was published by Faber & Faber.

Appearances

Television

! Title	! Channel	! Year
''Loose Women (Series 16)	ITV 1	2011
''Midsomer Murders'' (Series 13, Episode 8)	ITV 1	2011
''QI'' (Series H, Episode 15)	BBC	2011
	Channel 4 / E4	2009/2010
''Bremner, Bird & Fortune''	Channel 4	2009
	BBC	2009
''QI'' (Series F, Episode 1)	BBC	2008
''Ronni Ancona & Co.''	BBC	2007
''Agatha Christie's Marple''	ITV Nicholas Winding Refn	2007
''Hotel Babylon''	BBC	2007
''QI'' (Series D, Episode 4)	BBCFour	2006
	BBC	2006
''Gideon's Daughter''	BBC Stephen Poliakoff	2005
''Sven and Nancy's Big Impression''	BBC
''Posh and Becks' Big Impression'' (Christmas Special)	BBC
''The Big Impression'' (4 series, 3 specials)	BBC	1999–2005 (BAFTA, ''British Comedy Award'', ''Royal Variety Club Award'')
''The Key''	Key Films Ltd / BBC	2003
''The Big Impression Christmas Special''	BBC
''The Sketch Show''	Baby Cow / Avalon	2001 (BAFTA)
''Dr Terrible's House of Horrible''	BBC / Baby Cow Productions	2001
''Holby City''	BBC	2000
''Mark Lamarr Leaving 20th Century''	BBC	1999
''Comedy Nation''	BBC	1998
''Space Cadets''	Channel 4	1997
''Pulp Video''	BBC Scotland	1995
''Rory Bremner, Who Else?''	Vera / Channel 4	1993
''Fist of Fun''	BBC	1995–1996
''Scratchy and Co.''	Carlton	1995
''The Geeks''	ITV
''The Imaginatively Titled Punt and Dennis Show''	BBC	1994
''Ben Elton: The Man from Auntie''	BBC	1994
''The Full Monty''	Granada
''Standing Room Only''	BBC	1991
''The Comedy Store''	BBC
''Live at Jongleurs''	ITV
''The Staggering Stories of Ferdinand de Bargos''	BBC2	1989

Film

! Title	! Year	! Notes
	2008	Dir: Mark Polansky
''A Cock and Bull Story''	2005	Dir: Michael Winterbottom
''Stella Street- The Movie''	2004	Absolutely Productions
''The Calcium Kid''	2004	Calcium Films Ltd
''The Debt Collector''	1999	Channel 4 Films

Radio

! Title	! Channel
''LIFE, DEATH & SEX WITH MIKE & SUE''	Radio 4
''The Alan Davies Show''	Radio 4
''Weekending''	Radio 4

Theatre

! Title	! Venue
''The Hypocondriac''	Almeida Theatre
''Singin In The Rain''	Sadlers Wells, London
''Miss Conceptions''	Edinburgh Festival
''Mixed Doubles''	Rowntree Theatre, York

Personal life

Ancona was born in Troon, Ayrshire, Scotland and is of Italian and Jewish descent. In the programme "Comedy Map of Britain", she returned to her old school in Troon and talked about her earliest comedy performing experience as part of an improvisation group called "Pots People". She had a seven-year relationship with Alistair McGowan which ended shortly before they started working together professionally. Ancona is married with two daughters and lives in west London.

References

External links

Category:1968 births Category:British impressionists (entertainers) Category:Scottish people of Italian descent Category:Living people Category:Alumni of the Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design Category:Scottish Jews Category:Sephardi Jews Category:People from Troon

Coordinates	55°45′06″N37°37′04″N
name	Alistair McGowan
birth date	November 24, 1964
birth place	Evesham, Worcestershire, England
active	1980s-present
genre	Impressions, sketch comedy
notable work	''The Big Impression'' }}

Alistair McGowan (born 24 November 1964) is a British impressionist, stand-up comic, actor, singer and writer best known to British audiences for ''The Big Impression'' (formerly ''Alistair McGowan's Big Impression''), which was, for four years, one of BBC1's top-rating comedy programmes - winning numerous awards, including a BAFTA in 2003. He has also worked extensively in theatre and appeared in the West End in ''Art'', ''Cabaret'', ''The Mikado'' and ''Little Shop of Horrors'' (for which he received an ''Laurence Olivier Award'' nomination.).) As an actor on television he played the lead role in BBC1's ''Mayo''. He wrote the play ''Timing'' (nominated as Best New Comedy at the whatsonstage.com awards) and the book ''A Matter of Life and Death'' or ''How to Wean Your Man off Football'' with former comedy partner Ronni Ancona. He also provided voices for ''Spitting Image''.

He made his début broadcast as a tennis commentator for BBC Sport at the 2011 Wimbledon Championships.

Personal life and education

McGowan was born in Evesham to Marion and George McGowan. Although aware his father was born in Calcutta, India, Alistair and his sister, Kay, were unaware of the fact that their father had an Anglo-Indian & Irish background until McGowan explored his ancestry on BBC One's ''Who Do You Think You Are?'' in the 26 October 2007 episode four years after his father's death. Alistair attended the Simon de Montfort Middle School in Evesham and took lead roles in school productions. He went on to attend Evesham High School,. He graduated from the University of Leeds with a BA English degree in 1986. He then went to the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, graduating in 1989.

McGowan is a supporter of football club Leeds United - even claiming that he decided to study at Leeds partly because of its proximity to Elland Road - and his obsession with football forms the basis of his 2009 book, ''A Matter of Life and Death'', a part-memoir and part-comedy self-help manual, which he co-wrote with Ronni Ancona (during the book tour, they revealed they had once lived together).

Career

McGowan found work as a stand-up comedian, and did some of the voices for the ITV television series ''Spitting Image''. His sporting impressions were showcased on the BBC 2 football magazine programme ''Sick as a Parrot''. He also appeared as the recycling man in the BBC show ''Think about Science''.

Later he took over from Stephen Tompkinson playing Spock in the Tim Firth comedy drama, ''Preston Front''. In his early career, McGowan had minor roles in shows such as ''Children's Ward'', and in the pilot episode of ''Jonathan Creek''. He also starred in the first series of ''Dead Ringers''.

McGowan also appeared in the Scottish football sketch show Only an Excuse? from 1996 to 1998. He also hosted and starred in a sporting impressions show on Radio 5 live called ''The Game's up'' in the late 1990s.

The Big Impression

He is best known for his work with Jan Ravens and Ronni Ancona on ''The Big Impression'', formerly ''Alistair McGowan's Big Impression''. McGowan has a repertoire of well over one hundred impersonations many of which have been covered on Alistair McGowan's Big Impression.

The most popular and regular include David Beckham, Sven-Göran Eriksson, Gary Lineker, Nicky Campbell, Richard Madeley, Tony Blair, Prince Charles, Robert Kilroy-Silk, Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, Angus Deayton, Terry Wogan and the fictional characters Ross Geller (from ''Friends'') and Dot Cotton (from ''EastEnders'').

McGowan and Ronni Ancona are probably best known for their portrayal of Posh and Becks with McGowan exaggerating David Beckham's perceived lack of intelligence and Ancona exaggerating the role of "Posh Spice" (Victoria Beckham) with pouting lips. As the Beckhams' style of dress regularly changed - in particular David's changing haircuts - McGowan adapted his costumes and style accordingly. In later years he developed his portrayal of Beckham into a brainiac infuriated by Posh's lack of intelligence.

Return to acting and radio work (2005)

He made a return to dramatic acting in 2005, appearing in the BBC's adaptation of Charles Dickens's novel ''Bleak House''. In 2006 he starred in the detective series ''Mayo''. He also presented an episode of ''Have I Got News For You'' on 20 October 2006. He joined the Royal Shakespeare Company for the Christmas 2006 season playing Mr Page in ''Merry Wives: the Musical'' (a version of ''The Merry Wives of Windsor'') opposite Judi Dench, Simon Callow and Haydn Gwynne.

Despite his acting commitments, he has still continued a successful career of celebrity impersonator on the BBC Radio and also did re-voicing of video footages of 'The Sports Review of the Year' and ''Match of the Day'' which has turned him into a sideline sporting celebrity. Two releases of 'Alistair McGowan's Football Backchat' were best sellers in both comedy and sports video charts.

In 2007, McGowan starred as the dentist (and other, smaller characters) in the West End transfer of the Menier Chocolate Factory's revival of ''Little Shop of Horrors'', and filmed ''My Life in Ruins'', an American comedy film set in the ruins of ancient Greece.

In 2008, McGowan made his directing debut at Guildhall School of Music and Drama with Noël Coward's classic comedy Semi-Monde.

In January and February 2008, McGowan starred as the eponymous protagonist of ''The Mikado'' by Gilbert and Sullivan, in a revival by Carl Rosa Opera Company. On 21 April 2008 he took over the role of Emcee in ''Cabaret (musical)'' at the Lyric Theatre, London. In July of that year he appeared in a revival of ''They're Playing Our Song'' at the Menier Chocolate Factory.

In March 2009, McGowan starred as The Duke in the stage version of Shakespeare's Measure for Measure.

Alistair appeared as a host on one episode of the fifth series of ''Live At The Apollo'', which aired on 1 January 2010.

McGowan appeared in ''Skins'' in February 2011. He played Nick's coach in the fifth episode of the new series.

On 12 March 2011 he played the part of the Pirate King in Gilbert and Sullivan's ''The Pirates of Penzance'', at the Barbican Hall, London. and, later in the year, took over from Rupert Everett the part of Henry Higgins in ''Pygmalion'' at the Garrick Theatre, opposite Kara Tointon as Eliza Doolittle.

In April 2011 he takes to the stage at the Djanogly Theatre, Lakeside Arts Centre at the University of Nottingham in David Mamet's controversial drama ''Oleanna''.

In 2011 he co-starred in the CBBC series ''Leonardo'' as Piero di Cosimo de' Medici.

On 9 June 2011 he was unveiled as the newest addition to the BBC Wimbledon commentary team.

Environmental work

McGowan serves as an ambassador to WWF-UK, part of the global World Wide Fund for Nature, and campaigns on a number of environmental issues. In 2004 he launched 'the BIG recycle' national campaign urging public to reduce rubbish by recycling it.

On 2 August 2006, he appeared on BBC Radio 2 on Steve Wright's show to appeal to listeners to be more energy aware. More recently, he appeared on the James Whale Show on Talksport on 20 June 2007 on this issue.

McGowan is a patron of the urban tree-planting charity Trees for Cities.

On 13 January 2009, it was announced that McGowan in partnership with three other Greenpeace activists, including actress Emma Thompson, had bought land near Sipson, a village under threat from the proposed third runway for Heathrow Airport. It is hoped that the area of ground, half the size of a football pitch, will prevent the government from carrying through its plan to expand Heathrow. The field, bought for an undisclosed sum from a local land owner, will be split into small squares and sold across the globe. When interviewed Mr McGowan said: "BAA were so confident of getting the Government's go ahead, but we have cunningly bought the land they need to build their runway."

In 2009, he attended the Bromley Environmental Awards and was the celebrity guest at Bromley Civic Centre where the awards were presented to various schools in the borough.

In June 2011, it was announced that McGowan had become a Patron of the Friends of Brandwood End Cemetery, where over 30 members of his extended family are interred.

References

External links

Alistair McGowan News, Biography and CV - Official Web site

Alistair McGowan credits - BBC Comedy Guide

Alistair McGowan's Big Impression - BBC Comedy Guide

Category:1964 births Category:Alumni of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama Category:Alumni of the University of Leeds Category:Anglo-Indian people Category:English comedians Category:English film actors Category:English impressionists (entertainers) Category:English musical theatre actors Category:English people of Indian descent Category:English television actors Category:Living people Category:People from Evesham Category:Royal Shakespeare Company members Category:English environmentalists

Coordinates	55°45′06″N37°37′04″N
Name	Larry Sharpe
Names	"Pretty Boy" Larry SharpeLarry Weil
Weight
Birth date	June 26, 1951
Birth place	Paulsboro, New Jersey, United States
Billed	Paulsboro, New Jersey
Trainer	Mr. Fuji, Gorilla Monsoon, Nikolai Volkoff
Debut	July 4, 1974
Retired	August 1991
Website	www.monsterfactory.org }}

Larry Weil (b. June 26, 1951) is an American retired professional wrestler, manager and trainer better known under his ring name, "Pretty Boy" Larry Sharpe. He currently runs the Monster Factory professional wrestling school. He went to highschool in Paulsboro, New Jersey, and was the original trainer of Kevin Von Erich, and many other well known wrestlers.

Wrestling

Larry Sharpe was a successful high school wrestler in his home state of New Jersey. He had a record 13-1-1 and went as high being ranked 4 in NCAA national rankings. In 1974 he was scouted by Red Berry and Gorilla Monsoon who trained him for a life in professional wrestling and later that year Larry made his pro wrestling debut in the WWWF.

Larry then toured Japan and various territories including Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico and the Mid Atlantic.

Sharpe then headed to Canada, where he won his first championship while working for Stampede Wrestling in Calgary, Alberta. Forming a tag team with Ripper Collins, he won the Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Championship on September 24, 1976. The team held the title for less than one month, dropping it to Ed and Jerry Morrow on October 15.

In June 1977 Sharpe returned to the WWWF where he formed a tag team with Dynamite Jack Evans (who was working in the WWWF in preliminary and mid card matches). The Hollywood Blondes (as they were known) had a successful run winning matches on television and at live events. They impressed Gorilla Monsoon (who owned part of the World Wrestling Council) who sent them down to Puerto Rico for their most successful run.

On December 17, 1977, they defeated Carlos Colón and Victor Jovica to win the WWC North American Tag Team Championship. The title was declared vacant on April 22 the following year because of a controversial match against Jovica and Chief Thunder Cloud. The teams met for a rematch on May 6, and the Hollywood Blondes regained the championship. Three weeks later, however, they lost the title to Colón and Thunder Cloud.

Sharpe's next stop was Hawaii where he quickly became the top contender for the NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Championship. In November 1978 when the previous champion, Don Muraco, won the NWA Pacific International Heavyweight Championship, was forced to vacate the Hawaiian championship, Sharpe was awarded the title, later losing it to Mando Guerrero on November 22.

After a brief stint in the Mid Atlantic, he returned to the WWF in 1979. He was given a small push by Vince McMahon Sr, but ended up leaving to wrestle independently and open his training school.

Monster Factory

The Monster Factory is a professional wrestling school in Gloucester City, New Jersey run by Larry Sharpe. He opened his wrestling school with "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers in 1983, and wrestled part-time until retiring in August 1991. The school's first famous pupil was Scott "Bam Bam" Bigelow, whose success brought a lot of attention to the school.

In February 2008, the school was threatened by a fire which had started at the building adjacent to the school, ANA Laboratories, and the building was evacuated by the school trainers. The fire was confined to the laboratory until its roof collapsed however, according to Camden County Chief Fire Marshal Paul Hartstein, only a firewall prevented the fire from reaching the school. The school had been in the middle of drills when the fire broke out although all the students were safely evacuated to the outside parking lot.

Some of the Monster Factory's graduates include:

{| | valign=top |

Balls Mahoney

Bam Bam Bigelow

Barry Hardy

Paul "Big Show" Wight

"The Thriller" Andd Bivians

Chris Candido

Chris Harris

Domino

D'Lo Brown

Giant Silva

Gillberg

The Godfather

| valign=top |

JT Storm

The Headbangers

Kevin Von Erich

King Kong Bundy

The Pitbulls

Raven

Rocco Rock

Ray Odyssey

Robert Pigeon

| valign=top |

Sheamus

Sonjay Dutt

Tank Toland

Tatanka

Tony Atlas

Tony Stetson

JT Southern

"Virgil" Mike Jones

Heartbreaker Bobby Slayer

The Jersey Cowboy

|}

Current trainers

Larry Sharpe

Danny Cage aka crap4face

Championships and accomplishments

National Wrestling Alliance

:*NWA Hawaii Heavyweight Championship (1 time)

Stampede Wrestling

:*Stampede Wrestling International Tag Team Championship – with Ripper Collins

World Wrestling Council

:*WWC North American Tag Team Championship (2 times) – with Jack Evans

References

External links

Larry Sharpe at Online World of Wrestling

The Lee Benaka Interviews: Larry Sharpe

Now It Can Be Told: Those Pro Wrestlers Are Just Having Fun by Peter Kerr

;;

Category:Living people Category:American professional wrestlers Category:Professional wrestling trainers Category:1951 births Category:Place of birth missing (living people)

ja:ラリー・シャープ