Anxieties about the show:
I have been battling with the sensitivities of the subject I have chosen, that being death.
The idea came from the knowledge that we all have and will encounter death, and so as I do want the show to be comedic, the first thing I think when I get a thought is – “is that too much?” – Saying this, I do understand that in order to do what I want to do successfully, fear of what people will think is a waste of energy.
The humour of the show:
I am a big fan of dark comedy, the campness of Slasher movies, close to the bone comedy and the idea of lightening dark situations with a sense of humour. That is why I want the comedy to reflect the bleak and heavy nature of the topic. I will be more or less playing myself, with the added intermissions of characters in the stories I tell. E.g. I will take from Victoria Melody and step into the Nurse who made me watch Dumbo when I was in hospital (assuming that isn’t one of the things I take out of the script). The humour will be awkward and off-beat, but, I do also want to reflect the emotions that a conversation about death provoke. When explaining my idea to friends it so easily just becomes a chat about death, we start off pretty nonchalantly, then it gets uncomfortable giggly, and then strangely philosophical and panicky – Reigning it in of course so as not to go off track.
The Opening:
The beginning of the show ( the draft I have just posted) didn’t feel like it represented the rest of it – going into Dissertation mode – I want an introduction and that needs to show the kind of tone, mood and the humour of the show. This is why, the show will start with a sort of Funeral. Still set in a flat I will be inside a coffin (this is something Martin suggested in our one-to-one) as the audience are sitting down “Light my fire” by The Doors will play. The music stops and I will appear, complaining about the lack of room.
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