For the outside observer, comedy seems like a chaotic and rambunctious art form. Rambunctious, yes. Chaotic, no. There are meticulous rules to comedy, much more so than drama, that are in place so that our audiences believe in the chaos that the characters are living through.
The first rule is “Yes, and…” For those readers not familiar with improv (a genre of performing where players make up a scene as they go along), this means that when your partner adds something to a scene you agree with them and add something new. This rule is critical because it communicates to all players that collaboration is essential to good improv. No one is more important than the other. This rule is followed by play the truth of the scene, play at the top of your intelligence, and, one of my personal favorites, keep the stakes high. This structure gives comedians a framework in which to create their best work.
While Comedy of Errors is far from traditional improv, the tools needed to create a strong production are the same. The second day of our workshop with Brianna Sloane was focused on mastering the rules of comedy. Exploring pace, rhythm, tempo, and direct and indirect movement, the cast of Comedy of Errors grew their comedic chops. Perhaps the most important lesson came when Ms. Sloane introduced us to takes. We all know what a take is, even if we haven’t called it by that name before. Below, you will find a brilliant one by actor George Clooney.
Takes provide actors with an opportunity to communicate to the audience and/or other characters their very strong feelings about what is happening. Under Ms. Sloane’s guidance we practiced our double takes, our triple takes, our slow-burns, our eye rolls. We did fast takes and slow takes. We did combination double eye roll, slow takes. There is not a kind of take that we didn’t experiment with. Our favorite, hands-down, was when we went outside, filled up our paper water cups, and did spit-takes. (For an excellent example of our own Harrison Winrow, who plays Antipholus of Ephesus, performing a spit-take, consult the @willistonarts Instagram!) At the end of our work we were a little wet, but ready to start bringing the absolutely chaotic Comedy of Errors off the page!
