A MODO DE CONCLUSIÓN. RECOMENDACIONES PARA UNA ADECUADA UTILIZACIÓN DEL ESPACIO

The best way to demonstrate this would be to take a look at a sketch by what we would consider to be the quintessential straight man and comic. That would be, arguably, Abbott & Costello. Lou Costello was the

comic in the duo, and Bud Abbott was the quintessential straight man, and without a doubt their most famous routine was their classic bit, “Who’s On First?”

Abbott & Costello are at the baseball field (ON STAGE).

ABBOTT

Strange as it may seem, they give ballplayers nowadays very peculiar names.

COSTELLO Funny names?

ABBOTT

Nicknames. Now on the St. Louis team we have Who’s on first, What’s on second, I Don’t Know’s on third.

COSTELLO

That’s what I want to find out. I want you to tell me the names of the fellas on the St. Louis team.

ABBOTT

I’m telling you, Who’s on first, What’s on second, I Don’t Know’s on third.

COSTELLO You know the fellas names?

ABBOTT Yes.

COSTELLO

Well, then who’s playing first?

ABBOTT Yes.

COSTELLO

I mean the fella’s name on first base.

ABBOTT Who.

COSTELLO

The fella playing first base for St. Louis.

ABBOTT Who.

COSTELLO The guy on first base.

ABBOTT Who is on first!

COSTELLO

Well, what are you askin’ me for?

ABBOTT

I’m not asking you, I am telling you. Who is on first.

COSTELLO

I’m asking YOU — who’s on first?

ABBOTT That’s the man’s name.

COSTELLO That’s who’s name?

ABBOTT Yes.

COSTELLO Well go ahead and tell me.

ABBOTT Who.

COSTELLO The guy on first.

ABBOTT Who!

COSTELLO The first baseman.

ABBOTT Who is on first.

COSTELLO

Have you got a first baseman on first?

ABBOTT Certainly.

COSTELLO Then who is playing first?

ABBOTT Absolutely.

COSTELLO

When you pay off the first baseman every month, who gets the money?

ABBOTT

Every dollar of it. And why not, the man’s entitled to it.

COSTELLO Who is?

ABBOTT Yeah.

COSTELLO So who gets it?

ABBOTT

Why shouldn’t he? Sometimes his wife comes down and collects it.

COSTELLO Whose wife?

ABBOTT

Yes.

Pause while Costello makes some frustrated noises.

One of these guys is blind and one sees. At first blush, you might think that Abbott “sees” and Costello is “blind” — Abbott has all the information, and Costello doesn’t know the names of the players and can’t keep up. But a closer look reveals that Abbott is the one who doesn’t see. What he doesn’t see is that he’s confusing Costello. With a more perceptive Abbott, perhaps the conversation goes this way:

COSTELLO You know the fellows’ names?

ABBOTT Yes.

COSTELLO

Well, then who’s playing first?

ABBOTT Yes.

COSTELLO

I mean the fellow’s name on first base.

ABBOTT

Wait. I can see what’s confusing you. It’s because the names are strange, like Sam Who and Joe What. I know it’s crazy. Get it? It sounds like I’m asking you “who?”

but I’m just telling you his last name.

COSTELLO Oh. Thanks.

Not so funny, right? The comedy depends upon Abbott’s inability to see exactly what’s confusing Costello. If Abbott saw the source of the confusion, he’d have to correct him, right? So the only way that the routine could work is for Abbott not to notice. He’s blind to what’s confusing Costello.

Even if Abbott is “blind,” how can we say that Costello is the one who “sees”? After all, Costello is an idiot, a fool in the classic sense. How do I know that Costello sees? Because Costello is about to learn about third base.

COSTELLO

All I’m trying to find out is what’s the guy’s name on first base?!

ABBOTT No, What is on second!

COSTELLO

I’m not asking you who’s on second!

ABBOTT Who is on first.

COSTELLO

That’s what I am trying to find out.

ABBOTT

Then don’t change the players around.

COSTELLO

I’m not changing nobody. What’s the guys name on first base?

ABBOTT

What’s the guys name on second base.

COSTELLO

I’m NOT asking you who’s on second!

ABBOTT Who’s on first.

COSTELLO I don’t know.

ABBOTT

Oh, he’s on third. We’re not talking about him.

COSTELLO rolls his eyes in frustration and hits the bat in his hand.

COSTELLO How did I get on third base?

ABBOTT

Well, you mentioned his name.

COSTELLO

If I mentioned the third baseman’s name, who did I say’s playing third?

ABBOTT No, Who is playing first.

COSTELLO Stay off of first, would ya?

ABBOTT

Well, what do you want me to do?

COSTELLO

What’s the guy’s name on third base?

ABBOTT What’s on second.

COSTELLO

I’m NOT asking you who’s on second.

ABBOTT Who is on first.

COSTELLO I don’t know.

ABBOTT He’s on third.

COSTELLO

There I go back on third again.

ABBOTT

Well I can’t change their names.

COSTELLO

Would ya please stay on third base, Mister Broadhurst.

ABBOTT

Now what is it you want to know?

COSTELLO

What is the fella’s name on third base?

ABBOTT

What is the fella’s name on second base.

COSTELLO

I’m NOT ASKING YOU WHO’S ON SECOND!

ABBOTT Who’s on first.

COSTELLO I don’t know.

BOTH (quickly) Third base!

Costello makes another weird noise in exasperation, like steam out of a kettle.

So Costello’s beginning to pick up on it. He doesn’t know why, but every time he says “I don’t know,”

Abbott comes right back with “Third base.” He just doesn’t know how to make sense of it. Maybe if he were smarter, he could put it all together. But he’s not — he’s a Non-Hero. Yet he sees it. He’s aware of things. If you watch a clip of this, you’ll also notice that as Costello gets more and more frustrated, he also becomes more and more animated: emitting odd noises, flailing about, at one point seemingly screwing himself into the ground while steam practically vents from the top of his head. If comedy tells the truth, why are all these vaudeville turns so funny (and to me, they are). It’s because the Wavy Line, the human being in the scene, has the obligation to express his internal reality. All those comic noises are the external expression of an internal truth. If you could put a sound and a movement to frustration, that’s what it would look like.

COSTELLO You got an outfield?

ABBOTT Oh sure.

COSTELLO

St. Louis has got a good outfield?

ABBOTT Oh, absolutely.

COSTELLO The left fielder’s name?

ABBOTT Why.

COSTELLO

(bouncing up and down)

I don’t know, I just thought I’d ask ya.

ABBOTT

Well I just thought I’d tell ya.

COSTELLO

Then tell me who is playing left field.

ABBOTT WHO is playing first.

COSTELLO Stay out of the infield!

ABBOTT

Don’t mention the names out here.

COSTELLO

I want to know what’s the fella’s name in left field.

ABBOTT What is on second.

COSTELLO

I’m not asking you who’s on second.

ABBOTT WHO is on first.

COSTELLO I don’t know.

ABBOTT/COSTELLO Third base.

Costello winds up and makes more noises in his deep frustration.

Of the two, Abbott & Costello, who do you find yourself caring about? Who has your emotional attention? For almost all of us, it’s poor, struggling, Costello. That’s what the Wavy Line does. The Wavy Line has our emotional focus, because the Wavy Line is our representative on stage or screen. He’s us in the scenario. He is the human being in the story.

ABBOTT

Take it easy, take it easy man.

COSTELLO And the left fielder’s name?

ABBOTT Why.

COSTELLO Because.

ABBOTT Oh he’s center field.

Costello hits himself on the head again and knocks the hat off for a second time.

ABBOTT (CONT’D)

Would you pick up your hat? Please. Pick up your hat.

Costello runs and picks up his hat.

COSTELLO

I want to know what’s the pitcher’s name.

ABBOTT What’s on second!

COSTELLO I don’t know.

They both point at each other as they say . . . ABBOTT/COSTELLO

Third base!

Costello learns that, for some unexplained reason, every time he says, “I don’t know,” Abbott will say,

“Third base.” He learns so well, in fact, that he can begin anticipating “third base” as soon as the phrase

“I don’t know” is uttered. Costello “sees” the information that Abbott is giving him and struggles with the logical paradoxes. The Wavy Line’s subtext might go like this: “On the one hand, I’m getting answers to my questions, on the other hand, the answers make no sense, on the other hand, I’m learning the answers to the players’ names, on the other hand, who can make heads or tails of this? I don’t know, he’s on third!”

COSTELLO You gotta catcher?

ABBOTT Yes.

COSTELLO Catcher’s name?

ABBOTT Today.

COSTELLO

Today. And tomorrow’s pitching?

ABBOTT Now you’ve got it.

COSTELLO

That’s all, St. Louis has got a couple of days on the team, that’s all.

ABBOTT Well I can’t help that.

Costello gets even more frustrated and starts shaking and making noises.

ABBOTT (CONT’D) Alright. What do you want me to do?

Costello is almost to tears.

COSTELLO Got a catcher?

ABBOTT Yes.

COSTELLO

I’m a good catcher too, ya know?

In document LOS GRUPOS MULTIGRADO DE EDUCACIÓN PRIMARIA EN ANDALUCÍA (página 140-150)