The Drowsy Chaperone Study Guide - Theatre Under The Stars

Gestures:
Body Language:
Body Movements:
Facial Expressions:
During the 1920s, musical theatre thrived, but another form of art was
blossoming that would soon overtake theatre’s popularity. The first movies
were created in the late 19th century. The first films were silent films, and
many of them were comedies.
Silent film comedians like Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Harold Lloyd and
Jean Harlow (many of whom started in live theatre) held the attention of
their audiences and generated laughs using only gestures, body language
and movements and facial expressions. A whole world was created without
any sound.
Watch a silent film comedy (see Resource section for some suggestions).
As you watch the film, use the chart below to write down gestures, body
language and movements and facial expressions that the actors use to
create humor and tell the story.
16
Charlie Chaplin
Think about it: The
Drowsy Chaperone is
supposed to have taken
place in 1928. Why is that
year significant in the
history of theatre and
the movies?
Libarry of Congress