Everone knows that comedy is mostly about timing. If you hit upon the right nerve (is a funny bone a nerve?) at the right time then, usually, you don't even have to be original or even marginally funny to win laughs. The audience laughs just at the reference (i.e. "How about Michael Jackson?") and may fall into hysterics at a gifted comic's pause.
Of course the other element in comedy is distance. The funniest jokes might fall flat if the audience remains in grief or on edge (it might be too soon for "Now that John Ritter's dead, can we agree that three's a crowd?"). We may be past the days of "tarring and feathering", but if somebody decides to throw something at you, chances are it won't be a cake or a pie (which used to, at least, be good for laughs). So, it's important to be able to recognize this.
I started writing my play, "The Rules of Embedment or Why Are We Back In Iraq?", in June, a few days after a costume-wearing George Dubya Bush flew on to a carrier with a banner reading "Mission Accomplished." I knew Iraq War II was far from over - no matter what the Media was babbling - but I thought my take on the situation warranted the risk. Instead of carrying a sign on the street, I wanted to deliver my message within an entertaining context (much safer, these days, the way cops treat protestors now).
My play combines drama and satire, sometimes simultaneously. During the readings with different audiences my play's had, I've discovered that what some people find funny, other people gasp at. In my play, a young Mexican-American Marine [Santana] discusses his wish to be naturalized by the government. In response, a Gulf War veteran Sergeant [Drudge] mutters, "If you die, maybe they'll make you [a citizen] one." One audience became silent, the other roared. When I wrote that line I was aiming for tragic but I'll gladly accept the guffaws.
It's one thing to write about history after it's mostly been done and said. But my play had to be shaped to withstand any future developments. I believe (fingers crossed with duct tape) I achieved this by sharply defining the timeframe of the play. It's not about what happened or even what really happened. It's about what we knew when it happened then. I based my play on the opinions and beliefs that were in vogue in order to show how it all came to pass. Instead of focussing my sights on the Administration, I targetted the Media and how they sold the American public a preventive invasion (one way was by referring to it as preemptive).
Every day I hear new news I still sometimes worry that all my hard work will have gone to waste (though if tomorrow Bush/Cheney gets impeached, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, etc. go to jail, and our troops come home I won't mind). But so far my plan has worked. Saddam's capture caused me to pause, but that still didn't change "what happened then" (plus I still don't trust anything they say, for all we really know Saddam may have died in 1999 like it was rumoured) and never will.
Are there enough people out there aching to see a work like mine at this juncture? We'll see (or, hopefully, you'll see).
About The Author
Ron Brynaert's play, "The Rules of Embedment or Why Are We Back In Iraq?" explores the Media's role in Iraq War II. Sample Scenes & More!
shuttle from O'Hare Brocton .. Lockport Chicago limo O’HareWriter's Block can strike like a King Cobra, paralyzing every... Read More
You must write a hypnotic persuasion letter to help you... Read More
As a freelance writer, it is important to present yourself... Read More
Here are 3 journaling or diary ideas that can contribute... Read More
What a wonderful resource the Internet is!Students find information to... Read More
Q and A.Best choice when subject is very verbal or... Read More
Summer's here and the time is write for dancing in... Read More
One obvious question that can get overlooked in the process... Read More
Creative Writing Tips ?What a plot is and what a... Read More
Being a great writer is no longer enough if you... Read More
If your articles aren't getting published very often, or you... Read More
List-making is a favorite journaling technique and is often used... Read More
Have you ever considered writing a book? If so, maybe... Read More
Writing is a muscle that needs exercise to stay in... Read More
Interested in breaking into writing or breaking into a new... Read More
So many clients come to me as a book or... Read More
Think of writing like karate...it's about DISCIPLINE.Writing, like other forms... Read More
To keep it simple and basic: Jack Finney's Invasion of... Read More
So you want to be a successful author? You want... Read More
At first, I noticed that I could have written many... Read More
What is a prologue? When should you use one? Should... Read More
My Dad has this old joke that goes, "What's the... Read More
It would be very selfless or noble of me to... Read More
Concision. (Sounds like I made up another word.) It's the... Read More
What am I supposed to give Anthony as a wedding... Read More
Chicago charter limousine service Hickory Hills ..1. Set aside a time to write and keep it... Read More
Is there a book inside of you? Yes? Then why... Read More
One of the most common weaknesses I see in day-to-day... Read More
Not all writers write good grammar. That's a fact. It's... Read More
Creative Writing Tips ?Whichever theme you choose, all the elements,... Read More
Nike's ad has taken on new meaning for me of... Read More
The works you've written are numerous, ranging from short stories... Read More
Peter Abrahams is the author of thirteen novels, including "The... Read More
Taming the Book Proposal: The BasicsOh, that most maddening of... Read More
Next time you're tempted to use italics for emphasis... STOP!"Why?"... Read More
As an aspiring or an established entrepreneur, you are an... Read More
In the current job market, many editorial workers have turned... Read More
I'm in the process of moving from one computer to... Read More
Mindmapping is better than linear outlining because authors can use... Read More
Writing is a personal and introspective process. To share with... Read More
Creative Writing Tips ?I have said above that if a... Read More
Remember back in the dark days of your school years... Read More
Rejection. This scary word plagues virtually every writer this side... Read More
At some point, every serious writer is forced to sit... Read More
What possibly could I have to write about? I never... Read More
Verb and SubjectIncorrect:"I bet you two had a fine time,"... Read More
Questions and answers on writing life experiences for ourselves and... Read More
If you have been online for any length of time... Read More
If you are a serious writer who wants to publish... Read More
ESSAY 2Andre Malraux once said that what interested him in... Read More
Writing |