7.04.2005
How to make someone laugh
Here is a proactive blog. I'm contemplating my next speech to the cast.
We all have had a long weekend. Some had five days, most had four days off. I enjoyed my time off immensely!
I'm not sure how to proceed from here. I know that the cast will continue rehearsing to become more comfortable with the script and the actions, but there needs to be something more.
It's a touchy area because I feel I've already pushed them pretty hard to begin. But faint heart never won fair ladypegs, as Carol would say. But here is what they've already have going.
1. English accent.
2. Blocking (where the actors move onstage). The tricky thing about blocking is it must be motivated not just movig for the sake of moving.
3. Characterization -- This is the way a character moves, the way a character talks, the little quirks that makes everyone unique. In a comedy, these are usually exaggerated to the point of being funny. Each of these actors has some sort of character. Some are working and some need work. Some I'm not worried about, some I will be asking to separate rehearsals.
3. LINES!! For some reason this is the toughest part of community theatre, but something that is done in 99.9 percent of productions. I too have problems memorizing, but at least I know it. I work hard at it, but when I try to put all three together, I usually go blank.
Now, on top of all this, I want to add more comedy. This show needs to be funny all the time. The actors need to be trying all the time to be funny in a character/motivated kind of way.
There are some things the cast can do right now to make it funnier.
1. Increase the stakes exponentially. For these people, these are high stakes. For example:
*Brindsley -- This is his whole life flashing before his eyes. If he fails this night, he will probably view himself as a failure for the rest of his life. For Brindsley, It's NOW or NEVER!
*Carol -- She's young enough and dumb enough to believe that this is all there is. If this night fails -- in other words, her father does not approve of the marriage, then for her, life is over.
* Miss Furnival -- Scared to death. She is afraid of the dark and afraid of never having enough power to overcome her fears. That is why she drinks. She is driven because of her fear.
*Colonel -- He is losing his daughter. It's a sad night. He hates this, but he realizes that this is what she wants. However he is convinced that Brindsley is all wrong for her. He must prove it to her tonight or else lose his daughter to a coward.
*Harold -- Tonight, Harold's heart will be broken in several pieces. He will learn that his camp ways are not good enough for him. Something that has worked for so long will abandon him. He will be severely hurt to the point where he must hurt back.
*Shuppanzigh -- Is the smartest electricity repair guy in all of the world. Must maintain his customer service skills or risk losing his job. He must make them feel good, or else it's back to communist Germany for him.
*Clea -- She must have Brindsley. Sex with him is the best. She must return to the safety of the relationship or else risk going it all alone and that's not something she is willing to do. Therefore she must expose Brindsley for the fake he tries to be.
2. What if Carol had a funny way of getting through the dark? What if Miss Furnival had a silly way of going through the dark?
3. Add stuff to Scene six.
4. Miss Furnival needs to be more scared. Frightened to death. Holding on to things and not wanting to let go.
5. More bits!!! Must have more bits.
6. Brindsley should change speeds during the course of the play in navigating the dark. Most of the other characters should remain fairly static.
Telling the cast about these funny bits could put too much pressure on them and make them feel like we are never going to get it all done before opening night on July 22. But we have to make the show funnier!!
The show has to be hilarious on a lot of levels.
So I must craft a speech that is at the same time aware of the work ahead, but full of confidence and optimism.
That ain't going to be easy.
We all have had a long weekend. Some had five days, most had four days off. I enjoyed my time off immensely!
I'm not sure how to proceed from here. I know that the cast will continue rehearsing to become more comfortable with the script and the actions, but there needs to be something more.
It's a touchy area because I feel I've already pushed them pretty hard to begin. But faint heart never won fair ladypegs, as Carol would say. But here is what they've already have going.
1. English accent.
2. Blocking (where the actors move onstage). The tricky thing about blocking is it must be motivated not just movig for the sake of moving.
3. Characterization -- This is the way a character moves, the way a character talks, the little quirks that makes everyone unique. In a comedy, these are usually exaggerated to the point of being funny. Each of these actors has some sort of character. Some are working and some need work. Some I'm not worried about, some I will be asking to separate rehearsals.
3. LINES!! For some reason this is the toughest part of community theatre, but something that is done in 99.9 percent of productions. I too have problems memorizing, but at least I know it. I work hard at it, but when I try to put all three together, I usually go blank.
Now, on top of all this, I want to add more comedy. This show needs to be funny all the time. The actors need to be trying all the time to be funny in a character/motivated kind of way.
There are some things the cast can do right now to make it funnier.
1. Increase the stakes exponentially. For these people, these are high stakes. For example:
*Brindsley -- This is his whole life flashing before his eyes. If he fails this night, he will probably view himself as a failure for the rest of his life. For Brindsley, It's NOW or NEVER!
*Carol -- She's young enough and dumb enough to believe that this is all there is. If this night fails -- in other words, her father does not approve of the marriage, then for her, life is over.
* Miss Furnival -- Scared to death. She is afraid of the dark and afraid of never having enough power to overcome her fears. That is why she drinks. She is driven because of her fear.
*Colonel -- He is losing his daughter. It's a sad night. He hates this, but he realizes that this is what she wants. However he is convinced that Brindsley is all wrong for her. He must prove it to her tonight or else lose his daughter to a coward.
*Harold -- Tonight, Harold's heart will be broken in several pieces. He will learn that his camp ways are not good enough for him. Something that has worked for so long will abandon him. He will be severely hurt to the point where he must hurt back.
*Shuppanzigh -- Is the smartest electricity repair guy in all of the world. Must maintain his customer service skills or risk losing his job. He must make them feel good, or else it's back to communist Germany for him.
*Clea -- She must have Brindsley. Sex with him is the best. She must return to the safety of the relationship or else risk going it all alone and that's not something she is willing to do. Therefore she must expose Brindsley for the fake he tries to be.
2. What if Carol had a funny way of getting through the dark? What if Miss Furnival had a silly way of going through the dark?
3. Add stuff to Scene six.
4. Miss Furnival needs to be more scared. Frightened to death. Holding on to things and not wanting to let go.
5. More bits!!! Must have more bits.
6. Brindsley should change speeds during the course of the play in navigating the dark. Most of the other characters should remain fairly static.
Telling the cast about these funny bits could put too much pressure on them and make them feel like we are never going to get it all done before opening night on July 22. But we have to make the show funnier!!
The show has to be hilarious on a lot of levels.
So I must craft a speech that is at the same time aware of the work ahead, but full of confidence and optimism.
That ain't going to be easy.
