Do they change—especially somebody like Tony—does he change his bits up on a whim?
Well, you can’t because the precision with which you have to execute, especially the physical stuff. It’s very scientific. Throughout the rehearsal process this has a lot to do with Stanley too, who I think is some bizarre master of comedy. Like, we figured out three knocks is funnier than five sometimes. Or, if you reach out with your left arm it makes the joke work where your right arm kills it. It’s stuff you can’t really explain, but obviously it’s fascinating. But he will—if Tony feels like there’s a joke or something funny he had in a scene somewhere he will keep digging until he finds it. And he can make things funny that with any other actor wouldn’t be funny. Something about his manner is so hysterical. The show is probably like a marathon every night, and like you said everything has to be perfectly executed. You’ve got to be exhausted by the end of the night. Yeah, especially that crazy curtain call. Oh my God, that was hilarious! I feel like I’m going to the gym at eleven o
