Journal for March 5, 2021

 Senior Drama:  How do you think "The Love Connection" went?  What mark would you give yourself on the project?  (Choose a letter grade.)  Explain why you give yourself that mark.  What did you contribute?  Which people in the class contributed a lot?  (You can say more than one person, but say what you think they did and how they contributed.)

Do you think art can change the world?  Explain.

Drama 9:  What is your lazzi going to be?  How are you going to make it funny?

Think of someone you think is funny.  (I looked up a list of the funniest comic actors and at the top of the list was Jim Carrey and I'm sure you can think of comic bits that he has used (like as Ace Ventura, he said "smokin'" and "alrighty then" in a very intense way).  He takes acting and comedy very seriously (if you ever see him interviewed, you will see what I mean) and so, although his performances seem very natural, he is putting a lot of effort into being funny.)  What is the lazzi of the funny person you've thought of?  I like the Marx brothers.  Groucho Marx had a funny way of walking and carried a cigar and wore very dark eyebrows, which he raised and lowered vigorously.   He also had a thick moustache and glasses.

His brother, Chico, had a funny bit when he played the piano.  He would play single notes like he was shooting a handgun.  Harpo, the third brother, pretended to be mute and carried a horn which he blew instead of speaking.  

If you are trying to develop a lazzi, think of an ordinary activity -- like brushing your hair or unlocking a door.  What could go wrong?  Perhaps the brush gets stuck in your hair, or the key won't fit in the lock.  What might you do?  Then, that logical step doesn't work.  What might happen next?  Think of five things that could make the situation worse and worse, and more and more ridiculous.  That is a way to develop a lazzi.  

Try this -- settle down for a nice cup of tea with your friend.  Sip it.  "Oh, it's too hot!"  Blow on it.  You accidentally blow tea onto your friend who is sitting across from you.  You grab a napkin to try to wipe the tea off your friend, but the napkin causes you to spill hot tea on your friend, who jumps up in pain.  You fan your friend with the tablecloth, but in so doing, the tablecloth catches on fire from the candle on the table.  You throw the tablecloth down and stomp on it, but your friend is underneath!  You both collapse in exhaustion, but now . . . the tea is too cold.  There is a fun comic bit.  Or it can be as simple as a funny laugh!