Serving the 2 masters (the most famous scene in the play)
- Watch the clip above and list all the physical comedy moments and interactions with props and other characters that you can find.
- Create a list of ‘ways that comedy can be created’ that is relevant to the scene. (Physical and other means)
- Use these categories Comedy of Personality / Comedy of Situation / Comedy of ‘gags’ to organise your ideas (in readiness for an essay).
DIRECTOR FOCUS
Q1 You are a director staging the ‘famous’ serving of two Masters scene (Act 2 Scene 12)
Discuss how you would direct the actor playing Truffaldino in his interactions with props and other characters in order to create physical comedy.
You must make specific reference to the social, cultural and/or historical context of “A Servant of Two Masters” in your answer.
Sentence starters;
- As a director I would create comedy by…
- My directorial intention at this moment will be to…
- As the director of this scene I want the audience to be amused by…
Try this question – identify the command and key words – make a plan for what you could talk about based on the clip above – (make reference to audience interaction – which is very clear in this production – and the physicality/acrobatic qualities and speech – delivery/pace.)
Examiner’s say the Indicative content for a Director focused question could include… [remember you wouldn’t be expected to cover it all!!]
- physical appearance, age, height, build, colouring, facial features of ALL characters
- vocal qualities, pitch, pace, tone, accent of ALL characters
- delivery of specific lines: interaction with others, eye contact, spatial relationships, physical contact
- use of space
- KEY relationships
- movement, gesture, gait, posture, energy, demeanour and facial expressions
- style/use of costume/make-up; of props and accessories
- specific performance ideas clearly calculated to reveal the specified interpretation in key scenes.
Social, cultural or historical context might include, for example:
- reference to stock characters
- why is it physical comedy and not verbal
- structure of play
- concepts of Commedia – lazzi, audience interaction