Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-05-21
THE SECRET OF LAUGHTER.
Famous Comedian Admits He Has
Never Penetrated II.

G. p. Huntiey, the English com
edian, is a leader in the art OF por-
;raying dudes" upon the stage, and
he has ideas upon the subject, which
he expresses as follows-says the
Baltimore Evening Sun:
In order to be a successful 'dood'--
please give 1t its American value oil
rronunciation-l would place these
'donts' first in order Of supreme i'm
portance.
Don't wear fair wig parted In
the centre.
Don't be responsible for an idiotic
giggle resembling the neighing OF a
horse.
Don't ignore the letter r.. which
is sure to come In useful somewhere
during the evening.
Don't attmpt TO be like something
that has hiterto never visited the
earth.
The world is full of thousands OF
GOODS to choose from-and you
won't find them In the zoo. Nature Is
The best comedian in the world. Nat
IRE and life are full of comedy. You
will always laugh easiest at the ma
tural things and those that really
exist.
1T is foolish TO manufacture a
funny character, to distort its weak
points and exaggerate its eccentrici-
ties. believe in being natural.
Il never try to exaggerate. never
say to myself: This will make them
laugh Do it a little more emphatic
ally and il will make them laugh
louder. If the situation and the lines
are funny the audience will laugh.
II they do not laugh it is better to cut
the lines out or change the situation
and try another. The audience knows
what is and what is not funny better
than the actor
How about facial expressions?
was asked.
~ never study them and never
use face lines. The expression OF the
face will naturally fit itself TO the
sentiment. | do not really act. con-
t:nued the comedian modestly. Il
simply feel the character. don't
know whether | make faces or not.
hope don't. for / detest 'mugging'
above all things. People do not go
about making grimaces at each other.
That would not be funny or even
absurd 1t would be annoying.
But have you no trick at all to
gain a laugh?"
See here" spoke up Mr.. Huntley
quickly. Il have no recipe for max
ing people laugh. / don't believe there
is any patent method, but | do not
use what might possibly be term
ed trick of speech. 1t is simply a
continual repetition of some word.
For instance, in one play ! keep say
ing by jove' and absolutely over and
over again. | lugged them into every
sentence. Most players do it with
some word or other unconsciouSly.
liz is purely a habit, but it stamps
their speech and individuality. You
get to watching for that word of
ispeech and in time you get to see the
ludiciousnes of it.
But il is impossible to know what
the public will laugh at" continued
the comedian. Il have the same diff
ficulty in every fresh piece | play in.
The sentence you feel ABSOLUTELY GER
tain is sure OF laugh will, to your
Temporary confusion, pass absolute
ly unnOticed."
Gould you give an example OF the
sentence that did make people
iaugh?"
Two of the best laugh getters
lever had were in Three Little Maids,
in which ] visited this country some
five years ago. Oh, | dare say you
emember il, when, as Lord Cheyne.
said, BY jove. you do pour out tea
nicely, right in the cup every time.
The other was when | said, You're
very young. aren't you? mean very
young for a girl?"
Why those two lines more than
other humorous lines in the play
should invariably CONFUSE the audi
ence at every performance ] never
could tell. All knew was that they