Acting Comedy

New
Hardcover
2015
$143.11
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:
- how performers work with audiences
- how comic texts can be enhanced through word and musical rhythm analysis
- 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.

Synopsis

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:

how performers work with audiences
how comic texts can be enhanced through word and musical rhythm analysis
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.

$143.11

Quantity

5 in stock

More Information

Format: Hardcover
Pages: 180
Edition: 1
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 11 Sep 2015
ISBN 10: 1138891401
ISBN 13: 9781138891401

Media Reviews

Highly recommended - a healthy smorgasbord of essays on ways to approach the challenges of comedic acting. The contributors are thoroughly seasoned practitioners and instructors, with comic experiences ranging from stand-up comedy, writing, juggling and street performance to traditional acting. This interesting collection will be valuable for the classroom and for individual actors.

- E. C. Skiles, Choice

Author Bio

Christopher Olsen began as an actor in the Off-Off Broadway theatre scene in New York City in the 1970s and 1980s and later received his PhD in Theatre History and Criticism from the University of Maryland. He continues to work as a Drama professor at the University of Puerto Rico.