I'm in the process of reading "The Art of Comedy" by Paul Ryan. By "in process" I mean just passed the forward and introduction during lunch, and plan on attacking Chapter One tonight when insomnia hits. And I know I should probably read more than the first 8 pages before discussing it on here, but in the intro's "F.A.Q." section, a very profound question was asked:
"What makes something funny?"
It's profound because there is no correct or incorrect answer. Theologist and philosophers can debate and argue and study all they want; what I find funny I am sure at least one of you would find disgusting and possibly racist, and vice versa. So I ask you: to you, what makes something funny? Or, to put it maybe an easier way: What do you find funny?
I think a discussion like this will help us interact on stage, know which lines to cross/stay neatly behind, and what we can bond over to bring the best out of each other. The essence of comedy is truth; if I/we know what truly makes you/me laugh, that can only help our stage presentation.
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3 comments:
I have to admit I love the taboo. If it breaks a social norm or is likely to make an old lady shush me then I am in. Along the same lines I love comedy in the tragic. One of my favorite movie scenes is in Pulp fiction when they are trying to revive Uma Therman from a drug overdose. The tension kept me laughing for days.
As much as I hate to disagree with someone, Adam, I will here. The essence of comedy is the unexpected. A sudden reversal from the normal path. That's where the 3's came from. The idea there is to use the first two things to get the listener directed down a certain path. The third then unexpectedly changes direction, and....laughter. Ans so, setting up the path to the unexpected is the difficult part. I've been thinking more about the "and" of "yes and" and I'm thinking now, that just adding information isn't enough. It needs to be "yes story" Where you make a choice that brings the characters down a path that can lead to comedy. Some of these things are: Conflict, but not really arguements, but opposing viewpoints. One possibility could be caused by higher/lower status. Or, being in a tense situation where one person is worried and the other is calm. Or, they are stuck in the desert with no food. Or, Dracula finding the bloodmobile and the worker trying top get him to donate. Or, lots for stuff. So, arguement-not usually funny. Conflict-usually funny. Conflict creates easier unexpected moments, as the audience is following the path with you very closely, and so that jump will bring a laugh, where , two people sitting around talking does not get people moving in any direction and therefore harder to get laughs. Agreement in a scene can bring laughs too, because you can have agreement between the people, with the conflict caused by external forces. The key in my mind is make sure those first few lines are the most important of the scene, as they can set you on a course for comedy, rather than boredom. Read and reflect.
I tend to enjoy the absurd in a serious situation. For example, Mr. Bean and Lucy. I also enjoy the dry, sarcastic wit of cynical and/or intelligent people.
Both are unexpected and make people laugh or squirm with a feeling of discomfort because they want to laugh and aren't sure what to do with it.
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