Kevin McDonald returns with ultra-short comedy concieved by Quarrington
July 11, 2011
Kevin MacDonald in Papillon
Comedy sketches come naturally to Kids in the Hall member Kevin McDonald. Writing anything longer than a few minutes does not, he bemoans in his famously high-pitched tone.
“In the past 15 years I’ve pushed myself to learn how to write hour-and-a-half things, like movies, or half-hour things, like pilots for TV shows,” McDonald said in a recent interview from Niagara Falls, Ont., where he shot a film cameo.
“At first they were like long sketches. (Then), each scene was like a sketch. And now I’m (thinking): ‘Oh, maybe this scene doesn’t have to have a horribly funny thing, just a mildly funny, witty thing. Because it adds to the next scene and the story’s important.”‘
It’s fitting then that his return to series television on Monday comes by way of what could be Canada’s shortest show — the four-minute “Papillon.”
McDonald stars in Bite TV’s offbeat farce about an ultra discount airline and its peculiar employees. The frizzy-haired funnyman plays Darius, a nebbish co-pilot with a fear of flying. Other characters include cocky pilot Cal (David Fraser), pragmatic flight attendant Marcia (a cross-dressing Randal Edwards) and the severe — and possibly homicidal — flight attendant Eva (Hannah Cheesman).
The outlandish comedy — in which the frugal airline eliminates frills such as drinks, meals and seatbelts — was created by late author, musician, filmmaker and playwright Paul Quarrington.
McDonald says it was originally envisioned as a 30-minute sitcom but evolved into a short series.
Bite TV — which populates the rest of its joke-heavy lineup with critical faves “Arrested Development,” “Extras,” and “It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia” — says the “Papillon” shorts will be packaged into 30-minute episodes at the end of August.
McDonald says the Internet has fuelled a renaissance in comedy shorts.
“It’s funny how modern technology advances make you go back. Like, now it’s three-minute pop songs that are the thing,” says McDonald, who co-wrote three of the 15 “Papillon” episodes with partner Paula Blair.
“That’s the way the world is going.”
“Papillon” starts Monday July 11 on Bite TV.
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by Cassandra Szklarski, The Canadian Press
Date: Friday Jul. 8, 2011
Read the complete story at http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/Entertainment/20110708/KevinMcDonald-return-small-screen-110708/
