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282 FARCE AND SLAPSTICK latter picks himself up and throws a rock at him. If the man dodges and it hits someone else, it is even funnier. In comedy you laugh most at what is least expected. If you are led to expect one thing and get all ready to laugh at that and something else happens you reach the climax of surprise. We see John kicked down the steps by Maud's father. We laugh. John gets up and throws a rock at the old man. We laugh again. But if John throws the rock at the old man and he dodges and the stone hits a third person, perhaps the elderly rival for ]SIaud's hand, it is still more funny. Then if the rival falls against the father and both fall down the steps, upsetting John, you come close to reaching the heights of slapstick. 7. But no matter how rapid the developments, they should be prop- erly spaced. This is more a matter of direction than of writing, but a little may -be done ,by the author to suggest the delay and coax the director. If John is rushed out of the house and kicked down the steps it will come too quickly. Bring John out of the house. Wait a, second and a half before he is kicked down the steps. Then wait half a second before he throws the stone. Let the spectator see that he is going to throw the stone, and then let him see the stone tlirown. Give the spectator time to sense what is coming and he will laugh all the harder. IMany directors will not wait, in slapstick. It seems almost unbelievable that they should know so little of their art, but they seem to think that in slapstick the more rapidly they work the funnier the business is. 8. As a factor in comedy anticipation is just as important in the scene as in the plot. You begin to laugh at the kink in the plot when you first suspect it is coming. You laugh the harder if something else comes instead. In the single scene you laugh when John is placed for the kick. You laugh more when the father swings. Then you laugh even more if Father misses and himself falls down, but you must tease your spectator even in fast moving slapstick. 9. This does not mean that you can take a couple of minutes to play a scene, but just as you must have an interval between your crises so must you space your business that each point may register. You do not write: 14. Piocca —Father kicks Jack out of house and down steps—Jack throws a rock at Father—Father falls—Jack runs. This conveys the essentials, but it will not be as funny as a scene written and played in this manner: 14. Piazza —Father brings Jack out—places him at head of steps—■ kicks Jack down steps—Jack gets up—picks up a rock—aims at Father—Father yells—tries to dodge—Jack threatens—throws rock—hits Father—Father drops—Jack out. Here there is no more essential .business, but the two slight delays in placing Jack at the head of the stairs and the aiming with the rock will warn the spectator to get ready to laugh and he will laugh when