Line #33 Main/SoapboxSquare


1	A public square or park where all sorts of people (possibly including the SoapboxSadie) can be found WavingSignsAround and making impassioned speeches about various subjects; usually political, but sometimes rather more bizarre. Crowds will gather to variously cheer or jeer. Generally, the quality of the speeches made won't be very high, and will be on such topics as outlandish conspiracy theories, [[NostalgiaFilter how things were better back in the old days]] and the verbal equivalent of the StronglyWordedLetter. In short, at a Soapbox Square you will see very few [[QuintessentialBritishGentleman well spoken gentleman]] but a heaping helping of [[TalkativeLoon babbling loons]].
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3	May involve a LiteralSoapboxSpeech if an improvised platform is used.
4	----
5	!!Examples:
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7	[[AC:{{Film}}s -- Live-Action]]
8	* In ''Film/MontyPythonsLifeOfBrian'', Brian hides out from the authorities in a plaza filled with speechifying mystics and prophets and starts spouting nonsense in order to blend in. Problem is the crowd thinks he's the First Coming.
9	* ''Film/TheWonderfulIceCreamSuit'': Villanazul is introduced in a public square, trying in vain to capture people's attention so he can deliver a RousingSpeech to inspire them. He returns to the site when he gets his hour with the suit, where he's all ears and speaks of his vision for the people.
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11	[[AC:{{Literature}}]]
12	* Blueberry Park in Creator/DanielPinkwater's story ''The Literature/SnarkoutBoys and the Avocado of Death'', where three speakers go on simultaneously about the virtues of vegetarianism, getting the British out of Kenya, and DemonicPossession. The protagonist then decides to make a speech himself and brave the hecklers.
13	* In the {{Literature/Discworld}} novel ''Literature/{{Jingo}}'', Sator Square is described as generally holding several ranters, haranguers, and self-absorbed mumblers at any given time, all of which declaim at the top of their voices. The crowds generally cheer them no matter what they're actually saying, to egg them on. However, on this particular occasion, Commander Vimes notices with some disquiet that [[OOCIsSeriousBusiness this time they're not]]: They're actually ''paying attention'', and nodding thoughtfully in agreement, while someone agitates for an all-out war with a neighbouring country. Fortunately, he deescalates the situation by repeatedly snarking at the speaker's claims until he realizes who's heckling him.
14	* In Creator/JohnBrunner's novel ''Literature/TheSquaresOfTheCity'', the government of [[BananaRepublic the fictional Latin American country of Aguazul]] allows the Plaza del Sur in the country's planned capital city of Ciudad de Vados to serve as a forum for public speakers, both those who favor the government and those who favor the opposition (more as a safety valve than out of any actual belief in free speech). This is explicitly compared to Speakers' Corner in Hyde Park, London, by a character in the book.
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16	[[AC:Live-Action TV]]
17	* ''Series/TheExpanse'': In "[[Recap/TheExpanseS01E01Dulcinea Dulcinea]]", the {{Epic Tracking\|Shot}} EstablishingShot for Ceres station features a voice-over on the plight of the Belt that's eventually revealed to be an OPA agitator speaking in a marketplace in the slum at the very bottom of the colony.
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19	[[AC:{{Theatre}}]]
20	* In ''Let 'Em Eat Cake'', the sequel to ''Theatre/OfTheeISing'', Union Square in Manhattan plays host to a surprisingly well-mannered group of protesters, whose messages include "Schultz's Restaurant Is Unfair to Union Labor," "Union Labor Is Unfair to Schultz's Restaurant" and one addressing the workers of China in Yiddish. They are perturbed when the agitator Kruger energetically takes the stand with his anti-everything platform. Mary also happens to be selling her blue shirts there, and this is how they become the uniform of the revolution.
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22	[[AC:Tabletop Games]]
23	* ''TabletopGame/{{Planescape}}'': Sigil, the main city of this TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons setting, has The Hall of Speakers. Anyone may come, check-in, and speak whatever they want when the podium isn't occupied by usual factions' bickering or (very rarely) some sane attempt at law-making. Just don't be surprised if a boring speech summons [[ProducePelting a rain of rotten tomatoes]] from [[{{Hell}} the Abyss]].
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25	[[AC:VideoGames]]
26	* ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion'': The "Knights of the Nine" expansion adds a [[MagicalHomelessPerson mysterious Prophet]] who spends his days in the gardens of Anvil, preaching about the incipient return of [[DemonOfHumanOrigin Umaril the Unfeathered]] to everyone who will listen.
27	* ''VideoGame/FableI'': The [[AdventureGuild Heroes' Guild]] has a stone Boasting Platform in the green outside the front door for amateur speechifying. A few characters make plot-significant announcements there, and if the Hero accepts a ChallengeRun on a quest, a CutsceneDrop puts him on the Platform, bragging to a crowd.
28	* ''Franchise/MassEffect'':
29	** In ''VideoGame/MassEffect2'', in the Emporium on Omega there is a Batarian religious fanatic going on long rants about the evils of humanity. The humorous part is that his entire audience is a group of curious humans.
30	--->'''Mad Prophet:''' You, sir! You are a blight!
31	** In ''VideoGame/MassEffect3'' and its ''Omega'' DLC, he's still there, even when half the station's on fire... but he's got a bigger audience. Which is ''still'' majority human.
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33	%%[[AC:WebAnimation]]
34	%%* ''WebAnimation/BrokenSaints'' features one. -- Zero-context example.
35	%%
36	[[AC:WesternAnimation]]
37	* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'', a lot of big speeches seem to be made in the park near the statue of Jebediah Springfield.
38	* One pops up in ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' when the economy crashes. Named characters who speak there include Eric Cartman, Randy Marsh, and Kyle Broflovski.
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40	[[AC:RealLife]]
41	* Speakers' Corner in Hyde Park, London; also known as The Geopolitical Centre of the Planet.
42	* In ancient Rome, speakers could do this at the Forum.
43	* Some universities have a special area near the quad where campus speech codes are not enforced. Naturally, [[HilarityEnsues this brings the weirdos out of the woodwork.]]
44	* Washington Square Park in Chicago was nicknamed "Bughouse Square" in the 1890's through the 60's, where it was home to soapbox debates. Socialists and union organizers were particularly common. The tradition petered out, but soapbox debates are held at an annual commemorative event today.

Context Main / SoapboxSquare