There may be many characters on the Cultural Arts Theatre stage this Friday, but only one actor will be visible.
Columbus, Ohio-based physical comedian Robert Post will be appearing in Westlock in the final show of the 2013-2014 Cultural Arts Theatre Series on April 4.
Although he is only one person, Post’s shows have a way of making the stage appear full through his own personal blend of showmanship and creativity.
“My work is different from most people, and obviously there’s a lot of movement, there’s acting and circus skills; there’s a lot going on there,” he said. “I would call it a one-man variety show.”
Post’s shows typically consist of several solo performances, one after the other. He’ll introduce the piece, perform it, and move on to the next piece.
As the show progresses, he said there’s often a lot of improvised banter with the audience, depending on their reactions to what they see on stage.
Sketches audiences could see Friday night include Chef Pasquale, a quick-change murder mystery, stick juggling and an inept burglar on his last heist.
Being a one-man show, it’s up to Post to help the audience follow along with what is happening. But at the same time, the audience is going to have to do its own mental gymnastics to keep up with the action on stage.
“People will laugh at my show, but they’ll also be amazed at what I do and they’ll also have to think,” he said.
A prime example is his stunt pilot sketch, which sees Post’s arms be the wings of the plane before his hand morphs into the pilot walking on the wings, which is something he said people are not used to seeing.
“It’s cartoony in that sense,” he said. “When you watch a cartoon you have to watch it and laugh, but you also have to figure out what’s going on.”
Post first got the acting bug in the early- to mid- ‘60s while watching vaudeville acts on the Ed Sullivan Show.
“I was stunned. I couldn’t believe somebody could, first of all, physically do that stuff, and secondly, that they actually created it,” he said.
Those acts he saw inspired him, as their creators had put in years of practice and hard work to perfect their signature shtick.
As he started into his career, he learned many things about his art, such as his only limitation is his own imagination. The things he’s created all came from within him and not the other way around.
“Usually I didn’t have an idea and I went into the studio and I began improvising and something would just come out of it,” Post said.
He went into the improv and comedy business after spending time as a more conventional actor. However, his time as an actor wasn’t as fulfilling as he had hoped.
“It turned out I had a gift for writing and creating stuff, and I also realized I didn’t like being pigeonholed,” he said, explaining he felt typecast because, despite having different lines and different costumes, he was always playing basically the same character.
Now with free rein to do what he wants on stage, Post is able to let his imagination and creativity run wild.
“I put my craziness on stage.”
The show starts at 8 p.m. on April 4 at the Cultural Arts Theatre. Tickets are from the Flower Shoppe on Main Street, or by calling 780-307-3703.
