| Show j r THE SERIOUS PURPOSE OF COMEDY CO lEDY By Br WIl WILLIAMS LIAMS I You lou ask aak mo me to write about the serious aspects ot of o my m work worl us ns a i r com coin comedienne I ne and ami what that worl work menus Well my m work worl Is 11 to bring brine laughter Into Irto this not nOI over oer happy world This I r think is the serious purpose of comedy and till the serious aim of the comedian Nearly Nearl nil alt i t the tho troubles which sadden suldon life have ha their exis exist t rice In the tho mind This does fi not make them any nn the less real ral hut but It snakes s I ho the proper cure for or them a II change o In the tho point of view I 1 rend somewhere once of a man who put this motto up over hh his hl fireplace I Iam am ant an old man now and have had harl ninny many troubles t most of oC which never neer happened This Illustrates illustratoR what 1 mean Missing a n train Is as a a n rule 1110 i really cally not very er serious In Ms its conse consequences consequences but hut being afraid that you are arc going to miss ml a n 1 train trait will give you rOil Indigestion and take the pleasure p out ont of oC anything that you OU ate arc doing Sometimes I see commuters In the audience who look took at their watches and begin be hi to be afraid that they ther are nn going to miss the 11 1116 IB to Paterson If I 1 can make them laugh and lose their worried looks I know that I am succeeding In my m work If I cau make them miss the train I 1 know then that I 1 have won a triumph But Dut the actor sees worry 0 r 1 and trouble In Inthe inthe the lite faces of his audience more serl seri serious OilS ous than anything that has to do with twins pains and yet yoL the chances are arc that I I eight times out nut of ten len such cases are the result of oC a wrong point of or I view For people who tire are anxious for people who are arc sad Rad for those who I have h Ie peon been under r long lon strain and are nr I I keyed up too high for those hose I who are suffering from broken brokon hearts or OJ wounded pride laughter Iou Is Ii the great grent solvent Drugs may ma give relief rollel for Cor forthe Corthe forthe the moment lint hilt the he effect passes pas es and Juri gives way WO to a Harmful reaction Healthy I fr laughter relaxes relatoR anti and soothes ni II the time th ie and every ever memory of it repents repeats its it beneficial effect The an nn angel angel gel pl of laughter and the lite angel ansel or nr health are twin sisters It Is II the fashion iu In highbrow circles to In sneer at he the I show for tho the tired business s man Undoubtedly there herc is i ground for criticising sotto some of o the tho th vapid shows which ore are all noise nallie and screaming choruses but any an enter entertainment entertainment which Is truly funny and clean clun Is a public benefaction It Ii does doel us all good to lo be foolish Coolish at times limes and to laugh al at foolish Jokes T L saw William Collier Ilc other day In A Lucky Luel Star and J I laughed till I 1 1 was lame When J i went to his profession professional al matinee I was tired and worried with whit rehearsals reheArsal and the anxiety of preparing my m new ne play Girl lie Ise Coul nt Leave Behind Him Him for pro production production production I 1 went away rested and cheered up 1111 J I 1 had ho been he inking bIting my myself m myself self nUll and my m troubles trou les too seriously and an afternoon of or smoothed me out nail got sot things In Ina perspective again It II also made me realize more moro deeply than titan over ever be lie before before fore that a n comedian can can enn serve the Ule world worl In a very yer and import important I ant way wayby by malting making It laugh I have i no ambition to be he a tragedienne Just yet There Is IR enough tb l do In fn the ther development of my m own art In mak making r ing sad people smile and tired peo people people pie laugh lau h It ft seems scents tome to a n serious enough career for anybody If one rec ree recognizes recognizes o Its 1 possibilities ossil any ana responsibilities |
