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Silent Laughter

"DELIGHTFUL! An affectionate amusing tribute to the heyday of silent film comedy with romance, high and low jinks and a climactic pie fight."

The New York Times

More information

Description

  • Full Length Play
  • Comedy
  • 120 minutes

  • Time Period: 1920s
  • Target Audience: Pre-Teen (Age 11 - 13), Teen (Age 14 - 18), Senior, Adult
  • Set Requirements: Unit Set/Multiple Settings
  • Cautions: Mild Adult Themes

  • Performance Group:
  • Large Stage, Dinner Theatre, Community Theatre, High School/Secondary, Professional Theatre, Outdoor, College Theatre / Student, Senior Theatre
New York audiences went wild for this gag-filled water sloshing, bed crashing, pie throwing craziness.

Performed in black and white with title cards projected over the actors' heads, and a live theatre organ accompanying every doubletake, this comic tour de force stars a dashing hero who overcomes jail, poverty, World War I and a dastardly villain, Lionel Drippinwithit, to win the girl of his dreams. She is the heiress to the Thickwad Screw Factory, a firm that has been "Screwing the American Public since 1861."

The biggest pie fight the theatre world has ever seen caps the silent action. More than a tribute to the slapstick antics of Chaplin, Keaton and Arbuckle -- this is a reverential recreation of a bygone era.
REVIEWS:

"DELIGHTFUL! An affectionate amusing tribute to the heyday of silent film comedy with romance, high and low jinks and a climactic pie fight."

 The New York Times

"A tour-de-force! Hilarious! Clever! This is one crowd-pleaser where you needn't feel embarrassed to be part of the crowd. Van Zandt directs the uproarious proceedings with precision and flair. An ensemble of 10, which executes gifted mime, balletic pratfalls, and operatic emotions, all with brio."

 The Village Voice

"An adoring salute to the golden age of film and an innovative twist on live theater! You won't hear a single word uttered in Silent Laughter, but the show offers quite a bit to see and hear. Silent Laughter displays a wholly original brand of 'musical theater.' There is considerable sophistication and subtlety in this production."

 Associated Press

"An imaginative, respectful, reverential stage recreation of the slapstick antics of Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Mack Sennett's Keystone Kops, and the rest. Cleverly devised. The silence may be on stage, but the laughter is in the audience!"

 Two River Times

"A marvel of slapstick!"

 NYTheatre.com

"Terrific! Utterly hilarious! A doozie! Sophisticated slapstick! A bunch of sight gags that will make you gag with laughter. A daring project! Something fresh and new to enjoy! Don't miss this if you want some old time laughs! You will be overcome with the throwing of at least 100 cream pies."

 David Richardson, WOR Radio

"It's a big relief to sit back and sample some simple, old-fashioned fun at Silent Laughter... Appealing entertainment for the whole family to enjoy. Silent Laughter is one of the most easygoing diversions to hit town in a while. 90 minutes of mute silliness that features pants ripping, water sloshing, prat falling, bed crashing and, of course, pie throwing. Everyone is certain to enjoy a swell time!"

 Star-Ledger

"Lloyd, Keaton and Chaplin must be beaming. Van Zandt and Milmore took a chance with this piece. A chance that has paid off handsomely. We'll take a pie in the face from these two anytime!"

 The Atlanticville

"A winner! The laughter is not silent. It's loud, frequent, sustained, and legitimate. Great fun!"

 TheatreMania.com

"Unique and original. It's inspired silent movie madness!"

 Asbury Park Press

"Silent Laughter is great family fun!"

 Sirius Satellite Radio

"Billy Van Zandt & Jane Milmore have perfected the art of the pie fight, along with pratfalls, pulled punches, and slips on banana peels in their loving tribute to the comedies of silent films. And as the star, Van Zandt sublime blends the classic clowning of Charlie Chaplin with the modern sensibilities of Bill Irwin."

 Theatre.Net

Premiere Production: Silent Laughter opened Off-Broadway at the Lamb's Theatre on March 9, 2004. It was directed by Billy Van Zandt and produced by Carolyn Rossi-Copeland.

Characters

  • Casting: 8M, 2F
  • Casting Attributes: Room for Extras, Flexible casting, Strong Role for Leading Man (Star Vehicle), Expandable casting
  • Casting Notes: The show can be performed with a cast of ten, doubling up many roles, or it can be done with a large cast -- kids, dogs, whatever you want to add it.

  • BILLY - The Hero
    RUTH - The Heroine
    BILLY'S PAL - Billy's pal
    LIONEL DRIPPINWITHIT - Billy's Arch-Enemy
    BREWSTER THICKWAD - Billy's boss and Future Father
    MAX THE THUG - Billy's Cellmate and Foxhole Buddy
    SARGE - Billy's Nemesis
    ...and a Cast of Hundreds

    • Available Material

    Name Price
    Silent Laughter Script This is optional. Order Now

    New York audiences went wild for this gag-filled water sloshing, bed crashing, pie throwing craziness.

    Performed in black and white with title cards projected over the actors' heads, and a live theatre organ accompanying every doubletake, this comic tour de force stars a dashing hero who overcomes jail, poverty, World War I and a dastardly villain, Lionel Drippinwithit, to win the girl of his dreams. She is the heiress to the Thickwad Screw Factory, a firm that has been "Screwing the American Public since 1861."

    The biggest pie fight the theatre world has ever seen caps the silent action. More than a tribute to the slapstick antics of Chaplin, Keaton and Arbuckle -- this is a reverential recreation of a bygone era.

    		$24.95

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