The film begins very promisingly with some superb ‘business’
from both of Chaplin’s characters. Rowdy walks down the isle of the dress
circle and continues to walk off the edge, having to be hauled back up by other
audience members while Pest first cuts in the ticket queue before changing
seats much to the annoyance of those around him and finally has a fight with
the musical conductor. Unfortunately the rest of the film doesn’t quite live up
to the opening five or ten minutes and the volume and quality of the jokes tail
off slightly before a return to form in the final minutes.
Showing posts with label A Night in the Show. Show all posts
Showing posts with label A Night in the Show. Show all posts
Sunday 15 July 2012
A Night in the Show
For Chaplin’s 12th Essanay film he turns to
familiar ground by partially recreating a sketch he first performed in Fred
Karno’s theatre company. Chaplin takes the part of two characters. The first is
Mr. Rowdy, a working class theatre attendee who turns up drunk. The second is
Mr. Pest, an upper class theatre attendee who also shows up inebriated. Both
characters get in the way of other audience members and impact on most of the
on stage action before one ends the show for good.
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