When I use the term “physical comedy,” I’m usually thinking full-body involvement, and I often cite not only comedians such as Buster Keaton and Bill Irwin, but dance troupes such as Pilobolus and Momix. Lately I’ve taken to calling it “(Very) Physical Comedy” to distinguish it from certain clown work that, though mostly non-verbal and often making very imaginative use of objects, is more static, less kinetically explosive.
Here’s another example from the dance world, “Brothers,” choreographed and performed by David Parsons and Daniel Ezralow, and still in the repertoire of the Parsons Dance Company. The partnering is brilliant and full of little comic moments, though the Stravinsky music tends to bring out the drama more than the humor.
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Thanks to Riley Kellogg for the link!
