"Humor is mankind's greatest blessing." -Mark Twain

I have always wished that I was funnier than I was, for as much as I have amused myself sometimes, I have also wanted to be able to amuse others equally.  Recently I have been reflecting particularly on this matter of humor as it relates to the theatre, having the opportunity to observe comedic improvisation in light of principles of acting. Through these considerations I have discovered three essential elements for this type of humor:

1. The Unexpected

The first element is a conclusion I reached long ago when my ponderings related to other matters, but I find this holds true for theatre as well.  It is the surprises that make us laugh most.  Whether that means a sudden imitation of some familiar thing, the use of a prop one had not known was there, an unanticipated change in intent, or anything else unexpected, we laugh at what we cannot see coming.

2. Conflict

This second comes directly from what makes good theatre and so applies also to improvisation.  When we see conflict on stage we begin to relate more to the characters and invest ourselves in what is happening because we want to know whether they will get what they want even if we think it is funnier if they do not get it and instead are stopped by the hilarious antics of the antagonist.  We want their commitment.  This ensures the energy level remains high, which affects the pace, which in turn determines whether we get bored and allow our attention to wander.  Hence it also includes the important aspect of timing.

3. The Instrument

This third might also be described as imitation, though it involves much more than that.  This is the reason an actor must be comfortable with himself and his body so that he can use this instrument that is himself in order to evoke laughs.  In watching the comedic improvisation show, I noticed the most humorous moments were when an actor effectively imitated some person or thing we could all recognize.  Those were the actors I wanted to watch.

Conclusion

The first and third elements can easily be funny of themselves, but it is more difficult for the second one to be, though that is basically the principle behind slapstick humor.  However, the union of these three elements is amazing.  That is what we as an audience want to see.  It is what brings our laughter almost to tears.

Post Script

I realize that it is infinitely easier to sit back in the critic's chair and comment upon a performance, far different than standing on stage oneself and being forced to think how to combine these three elements with scarcely two and a half seconds for the brain synapses to fire back and forth and create that moment of humor before the audience grows bored and lets its attention drift.  Yet I am not a hardened critic.  I only criticize so that I will be better prepared for that moment when I step on stage.  Perhaps then I too can learn to be funny.