Mr. Bean’s Guide to Comedy!

Summary of the documentary “Laughing Matters”

Mr. Bean is a legendary comedy sitcom, and here are a few notes from Mr. Bean’s (Sir Rowan Atkinson’s) documentary “Laughing Matters”.

Contents

· Physical Comedy ∘ Tools of the Physical Comedian ∘ Appearance ∘ Actions ∘ Methods to use these Actions and Tools ∘ Slapstick ∘ Camera tricks ∘ Fear ∘ Imitation ∘ Attitude ∘ Conclusion: The rule of thumb

Physical Comedy

Big laughs depend on physical rather than verbal humor. ~Rowan Atkinson

Tools of the Physical Comedian

Appearance

For any physical comedian, the body is the primary means of expression.

The comedian may be fortunate to have a body that people laugh at, whether it is short and fat or tall and thin, but it is not required.

Comedy can be created from the full range of human emotions, including horror, pain, sorrow, bewilderment, hope, joy, and smugness.

Even when the comedian appears to be dressed normally, it is uncommon for his clothes to fit perfectly.

Actions

Of course, just looking funny isn’t enough. The visual comedian has an obligation to do funny things. So, where’s the joke?

Principle #1: An object can become amusing by acting unexpectedly.

Principle #2: An object can become amusing by being placed in an unexpected location.

Principle #3: When an object is a wrong size, it can become amusing.

Although, if a person acts like a dog eating a tiny banana in a cupboard, all three principles are at work. However, this isn’t necessarily three times as amusing.

Methods to use these Actions and Tools

Slapstick

Slapstick is the oldest and most enduring form of physical comedy. We now find real-life slapstick to be the most amusing. The use of exaggeration is the simplest way to turn pain into comedy. The comedian’s reaction may be exaggerated. On the other end, understatement is the inverse of an overstatement.

The physical comedian appears to be doomed to be a victim of his own comedy. Not only is he subjected to violence, but he is also constantly at the mercy of magic. Many visual jokes, for example, are based on people suddenly appearing or disappearing. Slapstick relies heavily on unexpected appearances and disappearances. If someone trips and falls, it is funnier if he disappears in the process.

Camera tricks

To achieve disappearances and transformations, camera tricks are used. Here, The mind behind the camera is more important than the performer in front of him for these effects.

The most common camera trick is to accelerate the action. This makes any movement appear mechanical, and thus comic.

Fear

Fear is one of the components too. Things that make us laugh are often related to things that make us afraid. For example, haunted places are full of sudden appearances. The only differences are what goes above the basics, like the music, sound design, and color.

Imitation

There’s also the fact that the comedian is imitating the mannerisms of a well-known character. This is a crucial and common method used in comedy.

Attitude

Principle #1 The dim attitude and lack of awareness make a comedy act, funny.

Principle#2 The aggressive attitude and the lack of consideration for others make a character funny.

Principle#3 Doing something socially embarrassing can make an action comic.

Principle#4 A good comic act, always has the comedian surviving till the end.

“In comedy, nothing transcends character,” Charlie Chaplin

To explain this further, Sir Rowan Atkinson says,

“And for the physical comedian, this means his ability to communicate through his body language.

It’s about doing something quite normal in a funny way. The skill lies in the accuracy of human observation and the precision of the execution.”

Conclusion: The rule of thumb

“Whatever you say about comedy, the opposite is also true. So if you like, you can ignore everything.” Sir Rowan Atkinson

I hope you gained some knowledge from these notes! Thank you for reading!

Sincerely,

Writer D.