What unique challenges does comic theater present?
People generally feel that “serious” theater or drama is harder than comedy. I disagree. For comedy to work well, you have to care about the characters and make them believable. Not only does the performance have to be real and honest, the actors also have to have an external ear, “listening” to the audience and how they are reacting.
Do you anticipate having to do anything different for a foreign audience?
Apart from speaking clearly, I don’t think so. I think the humor in Out of Order is universal. Men, especially men with power like politicians, have behaved badly throughout history. And the absurdity of male infidelity has been a subject of comedy and drama going back for centuries.
Britain has a long-standing tradition of political comedy. Where do you think that stems from?
The British love to pop the balloon of pomposity and self-importance. The tradition is that nobody gets too big for their boots. If they do, anyone has license to prick their bubble!
Why are politicians often portrayed as incompetent and liable to be brought down by their libido?
I don’t think it’s just politicians, many people are brought down by their libido. We hear about politicians and media personalities more often because they are the ones talked about.
What’s the current state of theater in the UK?
London theater is really good at the moment. We had a phase where it was dominated by large musicals, but now there’s variety on offer—from classic revivals to new writing.
Out of Order is on April 12-15 at Jubilee Hall, Raffles Hotel.
