Why is that so funny? : a practical guide to how comedy works

Comedy is recognised as one of the most problematic areas of performance. For that reason, it is rarely written about in any systematic way. John Wright was original founder of Trestle Theatre before establishing his current company, the acclaimed Told By An Idiot (recent success: Playing the Victim). He therefore brings a wide range of experience of physical comedy to this, his first book, a unique exploration of comedy and of comedic techniques. The first part of the book is about the various kinds of laughter that can be provoked by performance. The meat of the book consists of games and exercises devised to demonstrate and investigate the whole range of comic possibilities open to a performer. The result is a deeply but satisfyingly provocative book, in which every assertion in this most subjective of fields is put to the practical test. Everyone interested in how comedy works will be thoroughly stimulated by this book, but teachers and performers will find it invaluable.