In refutation, I've found my favorite (so far) joke in the Bard: Act III, Scene 2 of Hamlet, the bit about Guildenstern, Hamlet, and the pipe. Gertrude has sent Tweedlecrantz and Guildendee to check on why Hamlet Jr. is acting so crazay. Our goth protagonist asks Guildenstern to try playing a recorder.
HAMLET
GUILDENSTERN
HAMLET
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(13) Tue Aug 02 2005 23:06 (Sumana) The Right To Bear Fardels:
During a recent summit The Poor Man made some nonsensical remark denying that there's any humor in C.S. Lewis or Shakespeare. One of those half-drunk "contrarian = sophisticated" bits of bollocks.
GUILDENSTERN
In the four-hour Kenneth Branagh version this little rant is especially breathtaking.
I know no touch of it, my lord.
It is as easy as lying. Govern these ventages with your
fingers and thumbs, give it breath with your mouth, and it will
discourse most eloquent music. Look you, these are the stops.
But these cannot I command to any utt'rance of harmony. I
have not the skill.
Why, look you now, how unworthy a thing you make of me! You
would play upon me; you would seem to know my stops; you would
pluck out the heart of my mystery; you would sound me from my
lowest note to the top of my compass; and there is much music,
excellent voice, in this little organ, yet cannot you make it
speak. 'Sblood, do you think I am easier to be play'd upon than a
pipe? Call me what instrument you will, though you can fret me,
you cannot play upon me.