Two Gents presents us with some unusual problems that we solve through creative ways. First there are oversized characters, many of which are drawn from Commedia dell’arte, the Italian form of comedy popular throughout the renaissance in Europe. These are given an unusual spin in England when Shakespeare combines them with what was probably a dog act. Though there is no recorded performance of Two Gents in Shakespeare’s time, one can assume that Shakespeare had a comic actor who had a trained dog in mind as a paring with the character, Launce.
We had a terrific opportunity to elevate the character using the ideas of Commedia to a human/masked/animal character. This allows us to have characters work in a precise and improvisational manner and develop much of the physical comedy required, by calling on the unique loving relationship people have with their pets, many of whom behave badly but are adorable in doing so. Here we see a rehearsal shot of A.J. O’Shea as Launce and Katie Steinhour as Crab the dog.
The relationship between Crab and Launce presents myriad possibilities, plus props come into play in various ways. Leashes present many comic opportunities, causing their masters to trip, and other variations, also dog’s tendency to steal objects, fetch them and want to play with them are all opportunities we explore.
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