“You can’t really have one without the other"— When Rowan Atkinson made a bold comparison between comedy and tragedy
Rowan Atkinson is an English actor, best known for his role as the beloved and iconic Mr. Bean. Born in 1955, Atkinson obtained both a Bachelor's and a Master's degree in Electrical Engineering before pursuing a career as an actor.
He first appeared in the sketch comedy show Not the Nine O'Clock News (1979 - 1982), which shot him to fame at the young age of 24. This was followed by his memorable portrayal of the titular character Edmund Blackadder in Blackadder from 1983 to 1989.
Mr. Bean made its debut on New Year's Day in 1990 and ran on television until 1995. This was followed by two movies, Bean (1997) and Mr. Bean's Holiday (2007), as well as an animated series. Rowan Atkinson is also recognized for his role as Johnny English in the films of the same name.
Although the actor has appeared in several films and television shows, he is best known for his physical comedy. Interestingly, Atkinson, who has made millions laugh with his antics on television, has a surprising perspective on comedy. In an interview with GQ, dated June 24, 2022, the actor said:
"Tragedy and comedy are extremely close bedfellows, and you can't really have one without the other. Every joke has a victim, whether fictional or non-fictional or notional, ideological or human and therefore, there’s always someone suffering if there's a joke. I suppose you have to accept that’s the way it is."
Rowan Atkinson on his work
In the same interview, Rowan Atkinson opened up a little about his long-time friend Richard Curtis, with whom he has collaborated on numerous projects. He described their relationship as mutually beneficial, saying:
"[Richard] identified me as somebody who could bring scripts to life, and I identified him as somebody who could write scripts. So, there was a natural synergy and connection between us but also, we just got on terribly, terribly well and made each other laugh. It just worked."
He also said that despite being known for his comedy, he was not a naturally funny person. Instead, he stated that he always needed a script and plenty of rehearsals to be funny.
In the interview, Rowan Atkinson also shared how his feelings about his work have changed from when he was in his 20s to when he was in his 60s, back in 2022. He explained that he had more freedom of mind to choose his work in his youth. The now 70-year-old actor said:
"It was just a hobby that turned into a job really...I enjoyed it more at the beginning. It’s always more fun when you're 19. But when you’re 10 years older, it all becomes far more serious and you're far more worried about success or failure. Whereas that abandon you feel when you're young, when you really don't care – you don't care what part you play. You write a sketch about a pharmacy."
When the topic of happiness came up, Rowan Atkinson stated that he was generally quite a happy person, except when he has to work. He indicated that he found the actual doing part of the work "tricky," although he felt happy after finishing and looking back on it.
Atkinson touched upon his portrayal of Mr. Bean, saying it had been stressful on set but quite liberating in how he could interact with people. He concluded the interview by discussing his love for cars and reflecting on the idea of returning to the theaters to perform Shakespeare.
