4 posts
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Post by Anna on Nov 3, 2019 10:20:20 GMT
I'm a drama student with a project on slapstick comedy in theatre.
For my study I need to identify as many plays as possible that feature some of the messy slapstick gags such as pie in the face, throwing food or getting soaked by water or spray.
I'm studying how such scenes are employed within theatre comedy.
I know it features a lot in panto which is a genre to itself but my focus is slapstick or comedy and perhaps straight plays which have such comic moments.
I'm struggling to find out which plays have such scenes so any help would be great!
Thanks
Anna
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4,806 posts
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Post by Mark on Nov 3, 2019 11:35:23 GMT
Drowsy Chaperone has a great spit-take scene
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Post by couldileaveyou on Nov 3, 2019 11:52:59 GMT
The whole "... goes wrong" franchise is built around slapstick, and so is its grandfather "Noises Off"
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Post by properjob on Nov 3, 2019 11:58:36 GMT
One man two guvnors has plenty of slapstick stuff in it
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Post by Deleted on Nov 3, 2019 13:06:38 GMT
One Man Two Guvnors has the Fire Extinguisher scene at the end of the first act as said above. Singin' in The Rain has the pie in the face scene. King John at the Swan Theatre in Stratford currently has a food fight. But outside of Panto I cannot think of too many plays which involve people getting messy or wet. Anna - If you want to know about Panto slapstick or how to do it properly. I'd suggest you post on www.its-behind-you.com/ forum which is a site dedicated to panto and a lot of performers and fans post on there who will have good knowledge of this. I can also suggest the names of a couple of panto performers who I correspond with on twitter who do great slapstick scenes and may be able to help you. |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 3, 2019 13:52:07 GMT
What was that one at the Garrick a couple of years ago with Ken Branagh and Rob Brydon? I don't normally enjoy slapstick and farce, but that was really funny. I'm sure I remember some slapstick bits with trousers falling down and mistaken identity and people in cupboards and stuff.
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Post by TallPaul on Nov 3, 2019 14:00:19 GMT
What was that one at the Garrick a couple of years ago with Ken Branagh and Rob Brydon? The Painkiller? There's also Dead Funny by Terry Johnson. I suspect the Vaudeville stage crew no longer enjoy eating trifle! |
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Post by talkingheads on Nov 3, 2019 14:56:01 GMT
For my money you can't do much better than Bruce Forsyth and Norman Wisdom live at the London Palladium. Just marvel at the comic timing, nothing short of a masterclass. One of the oldest 'slosh routines' but when it's done this well it is timeless.
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4 posts
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Post by Anna on Nov 7, 2019 16:05:45 GMT
Hi all,
Thanks for all the feedback which is really great.
Also found some great pie in the face scenes in Ayckbourn's Comic Potential and an American play Southern Fried Funeral.
Do let me know if other plays spring to mind!
Anna
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Post by cherokee on Nov 7, 2019 16:18:06 GMT
'The Man in the White Suit" - currently on at the Wyndham's - features a lot of slapstick. It's all very poorly done, so if you want to see an example of badly executed physical comedy, get yourself a ticket!
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Post by crowblack on Nov 7, 2019 16:25:31 GMT
Hi - does the Lieutenant of Inishmore count? Very dark but the gory violence and use of props feels quite slapsticky.
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Post by ncbears on Nov 7, 2019 18:12:14 GMT
Lend Me A Tenor has spittakes, door slams, etc. I don't think there's any pie in the face though. Ludwig's other play - Leading Ladies - has less of the slapstick elements.
A second for One Man Two Guv'nors - especially Act Two and especially for the "audience member" who gets hit by fire extinguisher (um, that's not a spoiler after this time, is it?)
What the Butler Saw has lots of slamming doors
Depending on the production, there would be slapstick elements in "Mack and Mabel" as well as "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way To The Forum"
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Post by Jan on Nov 7, 2019 18:26:41 GMT
King John at the Swan Theatre in Stratford currently has a food fight. O tempora o mores ! One Man Two Guvnors is the only one from the legitimate theatre I can think of where slapstick was in any way amusing. I wonder why ? It's not because it's not funny - look at Towed in a Hole (Laurel and Hardy) - genius. |
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Post by talkingheads on Nov 8, 2019 18:07:16 GMT
The whole "... goes wrong" franchise is built around slapstick, and so is its grandfather "Noises Off" Yeah the Goes Wrong is perhaps the ultimate in modern theatrical slapstick. From tumbles to fights to the flashing of knickers and the general embarrassment of all the central characters, true farce in action. |
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Post by Anna on Nov 9, 2019 0:29:13 GMT
Hi,
Thanks all for the further feedback. We'll do a play as part of my course where I have to take a pie in the face and get soaked and I'm pretty nervous about this... how to make it authentic as well as comic and to do all of this while getting messed up in character.
Hoping to get inspiration and ideas on how to tackle from other such plays. Thanks again for the input.
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Post by peggs on Nov 12, 2019 20:38:45 GMT
The things you know @theatremonkey
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Post by Deleted on Nov 14, 2019 0:11:29 GMT
You should film your pie and soaking Anna and post it on YouTube. People actually like watching slapstick like that on there.
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Post by Anna on Nov 14, 2019 12:07:11 GMT
Ha, ha!! Nice idea, I hope people will like it after everything I have to go through...
In rehearsal we've used real cream so I'm asking the question about this so called splosh stuff theatremonkey mentioned?
Still the big issue is being authentically shocked, not tensing up just before giving the game away...
Somehow I have to put it out of my mind! This is why its great to see how its been done in other plays.
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Post by Mr Snow on Nov 15, 2019 8:39:46 GMT
Slapstick must have at least half its roots in Comedia del arte. So the above is British theatre selling coal to Naples. Sadly it opened the day after we left.
(Ps spoiler alert don't watch the above if you are planning a first visit to see The play that goes wrong soon)
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Post by Deleted on Nov 15, 2019 11:07:16 GMT
The panto slosh/splosh is how theatremonkey describes it. The stuff used for charity gungings is different.
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5,159 posts
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Post by TallPaul on Nov 15, 2019 14:19:36 GMT
how to make it authentic as well as comic I don't know if this will help, but it's worth watching...again and again... I haven't read it, but maybe David Jason writes about the scene in Only Fool and Stories. |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 15, 2019 19:11:57 GMT
how to make it authentic as well as comic I don't know if this will help, but it's worth watching...again and again... I haven't read it, but maybe David Jason writes about the scene in Only Fool and Stories. David Jason was a master of slapstick having learnt it during his early days in the theatre in the 1960's. He also used it to great skill when he was a side kick in some of Ronnie Barker's early solo work a few years later. |
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Post by nick on Nov 15, 2019 19:22:38 GMT
have to take a pie in the face and get soaked and I'm pretty nervous about this... how to make it authentic as well as comic and to do all of this while getting messed up in character. The main thing is that you NEVER throw a custard pie. It is "planted" on the person's face. Unless you have a gun from Bugsy Malone |
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