Winners of the 2017 Edinburgh Spirit of the Fringe Award, Släpstick is an inventive mix of music and physical comedy that feels both nostalgic and new.

The nostalgia comes from its quirky vaudeville feel and clear homage to slapstick greats such as Charlie Chaplin, Marx Brothers, Harold Lloyd and Laurel and Hardy (who appear on film projection during one of the sketches). Like the silent-film era their comedy comes more from their physicality than from what they say. Their very look is comical, wearing ill-fitting clothes, and sporting unruly hair and heavily painted eye-brows.

The new comes from interactive use of multi-media to create on-stage interaction with film projections; the incredible range of instruments played, and the mix of languages spoken to turn familiar tunes into comedy gold. Who would have thought hearing, Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head sung in German could be so funny? For the younger audience members, Uptown Funk gets a German remix too, before one of the singers is spectacularly bashed on the head, cartoon-style by an enormous hammer.

The show opens with a fairground sketch, a theme picked up at various times during the show. As well as the crazy stage antics it allows for plenty of audience participation with what must be the longest hook-a-duck stick in the world. And just because you’ve picked a seat in the middle of an aisle, that’s no escape as the cast run along the rows to pick out people in the centre seats.

It’s all in good humour, and the youngsters especially are itching to get involved as balls fly up to the circle, a massive popcorn box is passed round to share, and a huge pillow-fight breaks out in the stalls.

The playful energy makes for complete escapism and a joyous antidote to the rush outside. It’s silly and fun, but also extremely clever. Between them the five performers have mastered more than 100 instruments. There are too many different instruments to count on stage. Some, like the body-wrapping sousaphone are unusual and others so unique, such as a hybrid violin and horn, they could have been created by the musicians just for this show.

There are instruments stuck together, so during a slapstick sketch the slide of a trombone is pulled off and used as a violin bow, and other has a flute stuck to it. Banjos are reversed to reveal mandolins, and one musician plays what can only be described as a musical egg.

The boundless energy of the cast is enviable. They are interacting with the crowd before the show starts, don’t fully leave the stage during the interval, and come to the front of house for selfies after the show.

Sitting with my six-year-old theatre buddy we clap, laugh and dance all the way through. ‘Bravo!’ he shouts to the stage, copying one of the comics. Bravo indeed.

Släpstick is at Home, Manchester from 13-22 December 2018. See website for full tour details.

Read our interview with Släpstick’s Jon Bittman.

The post Släpstick at Home, Manchester, Theatre Review appeared first on Quays Life.

Can you tell us about the show?

Släpstick is indeed a series of musical (as in “with music”, not “Musical”) sketches, with a loose to non-existent narrative. There are plenty of recurring characters and themes, and a general 1920’s/1930’s fairground feel to the whole thing.

What do you think is the timeless appeal of slapstick comedy?

I suppose the fact that many of the great slapstick acts are textless makes them instantly relatable to all, since language barriers are irrelevant. It’s also truly a craft – the greats worked on their timing and precision the way a concert pianist practices scales, or a world class athlete prepares for a competition. That level of dedication is universally appreciated. That, and a man with a tiny moustache, falling off a ladder, will never not be funny. That’s just a fact.

How do you become a slapstick comic?

If you’re like us, then you were always the one at the music school trying to balance a trombone on his chin while your peers were diligently studying their etudes. I suppose it’s a natural progression. If you have that innate silliness, the diligence to work on your craft in great detail, and the willingness to fling your body around the stage, you’re well on your way.

How does Släpstick fit with the history of clowning? Do you consider yourself to be a clown?

Two branches of the same tree, I guess? Or maybe a square and rectangle kind of thing? All slapstick artists are clowns, but not all clowns are not slapstick artists? The Swiss clown, Grok is a great example of a clown and slapstick artist in one. I don’t know if we consider ourselves to be clowns, but we use a lot of elements from clowning in our acts.

How long did it take you to learn to fall over convincingly without getting hurt?

Oh, we still get hurt! But it’s all about damage control. I’m not sure how long it took us, but we were coached by several different people from various disciplines: clowning, acrobats, dancers and stuntmen.

What makes you laugh?

Everything, just about. YouTube Cat Videos. Buster Keaton falling down a hillside. South Park. Pretentious classical musicians. The A-Team and Chuck Norris movies. The way Charlie Chaplin’s eyebrows take over an entire scene. Monty Python. Kenny G album covers from the 80’s. Groucho Marx seducing a rich blonde, etc. etc…

Which slapstick comedians inspire you?

The Marx Brothers were my father’s favourite and will always have a place on the slapstick pedestal for me. Obviously, Charlie Chaplin. His craftsmanship is second to none, an absolute master of timing and physicality, and a brilliant musician as well. Buster Keaton has to be up there too, for his moxie and absolute daring! The man must have been completely fearless!

If you could ask your hero any question about his work, what would it be?

I think I’d ask Buster Keaton how many bones he’s broken over the course of his career!

What is your favourite ever slapstick sketch?

I’d have to say it’d be the scene from the Marx Brother’s “A Night At The Opera”, where Chico Marx is playing the piano for a small crowd of children. What he’s playing is absurdly virtuosic, yet he still manages to throw in his little finger gags, silly subtle movements, and make faces at the kids. It’s perhaps a bit less “slapstick-y” than Buster Keaton jumping off the roof, or Charlie Chaplin getting tossed through the giant gears of the factory in Modern times, but it captures golden combination of silly and melancholy that makes slapstick so endearing.

Have you incorporated any of this routine into the show?

Not that one, no. If we had to incorporate something from every slapstick scene we love, the show would be about 10 hours long!

What can audiences expect from the show? Is there any audience interaction?

They can expect first and foremost top-class musicianship. Music is our background after all, and as clown-esque as we may be, the music is always at the forefront! Otherwise they’ll get a rowdy and raucous night, filled with lots of gags, nostalgia, mild stuntman-ship and original and exciting music! And yes, there’s lots of audience participation – prizes to be won, ladies to be romanced, and glory to be had! And no, you’re not safe even all the way in the last row!

Is your show suitable for all ages?

Absolutely! The gags range from erudite classical music references, to trouser-dropping, violin throwing silliness, and everything in between. There really is something for everyone here, and I don’t say that flippantly! The music genres cover everything from Balkan to Jazz to Classical to Rock to Prince to Michael Jackson to Peruvian Folk and back. There is physical humour, subtle nuances, and even some touching moments. Hope to see you there, people of Manchester!

Släpstick is at HOME from 13- 22 December 2018 visit homemcr.org for details.

Visit Jon’s website to find out more about his work. 

The post What does it take to be a 21st century slapstick comedian? We talk to Jon Bittman of Släpstick at Home, Manchester appeared first on Quays Life.