I always thought VB was funnier at verbal/mathematical humour than musical: "Phonetic Puctuation", "Inflationary Punctuation" and "A Mozart Opera" were verbal. I gather that he began his move into humour largely with piano playing but it featured less as his linguistic abilities improved.
-
-
It isn't given us to know those rare moments when people are wide open and the lightest touch can wither or heal. A moment too late and we can never reach them any more in this world.Comment
-
Re Victor Borge and Danny Kaye, I think they made clever use of the fact that audiences will often respond positively if they have been well primed by the enthusiasm of others before the performance. I remember going to the NFT to see silent comedies. Now, some of the geniuses of comedy, like Buster Keaton were really great, but in any film there are marvellous bits and not so good bits even with a star like him. However, the audience at the NFT laughed hysterically at every gag, as if they could not afford to be seen to be wanting, and this was a most disconcerting experience.
Broad humour and wordplay date more quickly than more subtle wit. How many people can put hand on heart and say they still rave about the Marx Brothers ?Comment
-
I think Victor Borge did become less funny over the years. Partly this was because of lack of new material, as well as natural aging. Also, his latter sparring with a variety of young musicians in his act did not really appeal to me.
I thought he was very funny when I first heard him in the fifties, but when I saw him in the flesh towards the end of his career I was somewhat embarrassed on behalf of anyone going for the first time, drawn by his reputation. At least those of us who knew and loved his routines could fill in some of the lapses with memories of ‘what it should be like’.
It was perhaps inevitable that he himself should tire of repeating the old routines for so many years. Those first LPs, though, fresh with musical humour we had never encountered before, were a joy and a revelation.Comment
-
Neither am I sure about the lack of rehearsal.He plays the same bit of Monti with a highly embarrassed Michala Petri on this clip.Originally posted by french frank View Post
I hope my daughter is not reading this: she'll kill me for reminding her. It was her party piece on the recorder too.Comment
Comment