RESOURCE
LAZZI
PRINCIPALS OF HUMOR, BITS, ROUTINES, AND PHYSICAL COMEDY
PRINCIPALS OF HUMOR, BITS, ROUTINES, AND PHYSICAL COMEDY
A character decides to share everything with the other character and it gets worse and worse.
GAME ONE: Walking across the stage, each player steps in to prevent the person from getting to the other side with some excuse. Version Of Keep Away?
Obviously it's not a literal physical shoving prevention although that can happen.
It's character and action and tactic driven.
Is there a construction site detour?
Charity Fundraiser?
Emergency phone call?
Old Friend?
Police Officer?
Mugging?
Old Lady Crossing?
GAME TWO: Chair Stacking or a simple task, but something prevents / DETOURS you from doing it.
Off balance movement style. Not drunk. You just have a body that won't cooperate. Not speaking wrong. Or Offensive. More Super Silly or Unpredictable movements. And we do need context and stakes, but can be practiced without or within a simple task. Slow and off balance. Each action detours you from your goal. Think ridiculous video or me playing with the substitute K class. Dropping phone. Can't get it. can't get to it. Every part of something is difficult. (Commedia?)
You are supposed to do some work, Chair Stacking - but you find all the excuses to not do it.
Struggle with chairs
Phone Call
Order Food
Take A Photo of the moment.
Anything to keep you from actually doing the work.
RAISING STAKES INCREDIBLY FOR A CHARACTER AND CHARACTER IS REACTING AS IT HAPPENS
Want to sit down but someone keeps taking it. a unique character trait is preventing them from grabbing it first.
One or more characters trying to get rid of a fly. It proves very difficult and the methods chosen to deal with the rambunctious and annoying fly are thought to be genius or innovative or effective but end up not.
This is a principal or lazzo structure that can be used on other entities or a thing that it is elusive and unpredictable.
A task is being done or a scenario is created where one little thing can bring down the whole thing.
It can be literal or physical like juggling or balancing and someone sneezes or trips or there is some droplet of water.
OR it can be metaphorical like thinly vailed lies or disguise. (A new character comes in and could easily point it out but the character has to continue the schtick or lie or whatever and hope for the best).
Find all the issues, crisis, problems and how it will effect things long term.
Finagling a connection to a thing or person in a very round-a-bout way.
Step by step intensifier of a simple action.
I can push you, and then the next intensifier is shove or maybe there is something in between.
ACTION REQUIRED: A Button Needs To Be Activated. HOW you push that button to activate it from 1-100 in intensity physically is the one up joke. The key to the humor is to not jump to high.
Sexy Dishwashing etc.
Give Value
Worth & Significance
History To An Object
OBJECT EXAMPLES: Book, Vase, Hat, USB Cord
The Doctor, seizing upon some trivial and well-known fact, pretends that he has made the discovery, which is of the utmost importance.
The most exciting PB&J Sandwich creation
You are supposed to do some work, but you are so bored, uninterested and want to be the subtle class clown. You feel like you want to get your pencil breaks. Now you have to entertain the class and yourself and irritate as many people doing simple tasks. SHARPEN YOUR PENCIL. but remember, all the steps of getting there is important. possibly MOUNTAIN OUT OF A MOLEHILL
Making noise with objects, grunts, stretches, moving, turning sharpener, rhythm of the sharpening, distracted, making awkwardness noises... etc.
You are trying to make as much distinctive disturbance without getting into too much trouble.
Struggle with chairs
Phone Call
Order Food
Take A Photo of the moment.
Anything to keep you from actually doing the work.
Saying goodbye to your favorite toy. ex. TEDDY BEAR - Why? It's broken. You are giving it away. You are too old for it. You lost interest. You are forced to give it away. You lost it. Play into the emotion. Better if it is strong and sustained with variances. Dramatic conventions added. Music as well.
Person In Clown Costume Speaks Like A Lawyer / Professor
The Tiny Guy Can Lift The Huge Dumbell weight.
The Baby With The New York Gangster Voice
So crazy and outrageous of lies you almost have to believe it!
First character begins to speak to second but cannot remember the second character's name. ("Lee..." "Leandro." "Leo..." "Leandro." "La..." "Leandro." "Leandro, right.")
ALSO using other names or ways to refer to the person since you don't know their name.
Person In Clown Costume Speaks Like A Lawyer / Professor
The Tiny Guy Can Lift The Huge Dumbell weight.
The Baby With The New York Gangster Voice
EXAMPLE: Startled, Arlecchino, holding a full glass of wine, executes a complete backward somersault without spilling the wine.
Arlecchino begins to laugh hysterically. Slowly, his laughing turns to weeping and tears.
Prince's Bride Scene With "Poison".
One knows which goblet has poison, the other does not. Decipher which one has it.
Behind a thin pillar
Behind a see-through bush
As a statue
As an object (rug, chair, painting)
As a mannequin
In the stuffed animal pile
First character begins to speak to second but cannot remember the second character's name. ("Lee..." "Leandro." "Leo..." "Leandro." "La..." "Leandro." "Leandro, right.")
ALSO using other names or ways to refer to the person since you don't know their name.
First character begins to speak to second but cannot remember the second character's name. ("Lee..." "Leandro." "Leo..." "Leandro." "La..." "Leandro." "Leandro, right.")
ALSO using other names or ways to refer to the person since you don't know their name - aka "Precious Tea Pot"
cohersing or tricking someone to fall asleep on someone's hand that's supporting them sleeping standing up.
Someone goes on and one with flowery language and or great detail of something. The response is blunt and possibly crass or matter of fact reducing it down to it's basic essence taking the wind out of the sails.
Details, Actions, Details, Flowery Language, Actions, Possibly Excuses --- You mopped.