- 170 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
Acting Comedy
About this book
Despite being roundly cited as much harder to perform than its dramatic counterpart, comic acting is traditionally seen as a performance genre that can't be taught. At best it is often described as a skill that can only be learned "on the job" through years of practice, or given to a performer through natural talent.
Acting Comedy is an effort to examine this idea more rigorously by looking at different aspects of the comic actor's craft. Each chapter is written by an expert in a particular form—from actors and directors to teachers and standup comedians. Topics covered include:
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- how performers work with audiences
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- how comic texts can be enhanced through word and musical rhythm analysis
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- how physical movements can generate comic moments and build character.
This book is an invaluable resource for any performer focusing on the minute details of comic acting, even down to exactly how one delivers a joke on stage. Christopher Olsen's unique collection of comic voices will prove essential reading for students and professionals alike.
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Information
Table of contents
- Cover
- Title
- Copyright
- Dedication
- CONTENTS
- List of figures
- List of contributors
- Introduction
- 1 ‘Through wall’s chink’: or, audience interplay in comic acting
- 2 Straight line/wavy line
- 3 Using punctuation to facilitate comedy in the plays of George Bernard Shaw and beyond
- 4 Comedy through commedia
- 5 Physicalizing farce
- 6 Comic gesture using “viewpoints”
- 7 Playing with language: wit and wordplay
- 8 Comedy structure and acting choices
- 9 The secret of great comedy
- 10 Unexpected: 5½ rules to better improvisation
- Index