Backstage: Exploring the difference between comedy and tragedy
June 26, 2017 Evalyn Hansen	Leave a comment
Actor G. Valmont Thomas plays Sir John Falstaff in Oregon Shakespeare Festival's "Henry IV, Part One" and in "Henry IV, Part Two." Thomas also played Falstaff in OSF's 2006 production of "The Merry Wives of Windsor." This is the second of a two-part column. The first was published on June 12, 2017.
G. Val ThomasFestival's "Henry IV, Part One" and in "Henry IV, Part Two." Thomas also played Falstaff in OSF's 2006 production of "The Merry Wives of Windsor." This is the second of a two-part column. The first was published on June 12, 2017.
EH: What makes great comedy?
GVT: Comedy should illuminate something about the human condition — in a joyously hilarious way. Nowadays humor has gotten very cruel, actually mean. Some stand-up comedians just vent. If you look at the writing on TV situation comedies that are really popular, there are a lot of mean things said between characters. We are supposed to treat them like they are funny. Some of them are; but most often, they're not.
EH: Do you prepare for comedy and tragedy differently?
GVT: In comedy, you need less restraint. You have to explore a lot of different ways of doing things to find out what is going to work with the group of people on stage. In tragedy, we're all going in the same direction. The thing about comedy is that nobody is going in the same direction. The diversity of objectives on stage is clashing. That's what's funny — people careening off of one another. Continue reading Backstage: Exploring the difference between comedy and tragedy →
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The four questions actors deal with
Actor G. Valmont Thomas brilliantly portrays Sir John Falstaff in "Henry IV, Part One," now playing at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. He will also play Falstaff in "Henry IV, Part Two." This is Thomas' 14th season with OSF. A native of the Pacific Northwest, Thomas took time out from his acting career to earn an MFA in Directing for the Theater from Pennsylvania State University. We met at Boulevard Coffee in Ashland. This is the first of a two-part interview. The second will be published on June 26.
EH: Why do people make their life in theater?
GVT: It's different for everybody, but most theater artists have an altruistic streak. I don't find what we do that much different from psychology, psychiatry or religion, because we are dealing with these four questions: "Who am I? What the heck am I doing here? What am I supposed to do when I'm here?" and "How do I know when I'm doing it right?" Those are the things that we deal with everyday. I believe that I'm helping the world deal with itself. A lot of theater people feel that they can help heal. We feel that we are the agents of healing. And right now, it's very prevalent among us. Continue reading The four questions actors deal with →