What’s Funny and What’s Not? New Play Tackles that Question

Houston’s Alley Theatre is currently featuring the world premiere of a play called “Fool” from playwright Theresa Rebeck, where two kings decide to engage in a friendly wager: Which of their respective court jesters is funnier? The two jesters go head-to-head in a sort-of Medieval version of Last Comic Standing – with the winner getting to keep his head. The production uses an archaic setting – and two contrasting styles of humor – to examine what is and what isn’t funny.

Houston Public Media’s St.John Flynn talked with the two fools – well, at least the actors portraying them – Elizabeth Bunch and Jeremy Webb to learn more, and asked Webb to describe the comedy style of his fool, Stewart.