There is a reason that the superstars of stand-up comedy don’t tour in countries which do not speak their language; comedy is a native tongue. In fact, many performative arts do not travel across international borders with ease. The world’s most successful international actors who possess bilingual abilities excel in spite of this but it is rare. Spain’s Txema Perez not only understands this; he capitalizes on it.
Beyond his substantial acting talent, Perez has studied the differences in how comedy translates among different countries, their language, and their sensibilities. Known for his work on British Comedy productions like Benidorm and Spain’s Vaya Semanita, Txema perceives these differences in humor and uses them to the betterment of these productions. Also recognized throughout his homeland and Europe for his many dramatic roles, Txema Perez has established himself as one of the most diverse actors of his generation.
Txema is no stranger to dramatic roles. He currently finished filming his role in the upcoming series Glow and Darkness whose cast also includes Oscar Winning Actress Mira Sorvino, Oscar-Nominated Actor Bruce Davison, Golden Globe Winners Jane Seymour and Joan Collins, and fellow native Spaniard and Goya (Spain’s Oscar) Winning Actress Laia Marull. While Perez is often the dashing man of strength in films and television, he’s proven that he’s equally proficient in comedy.
Spanish TV’s long running comedy sketch series Vaya Semanita can most accurately be described as the country’s version of Saturday Night Live. Perez won a spot on the show due to his audition which producers have noted as reminding them of comedy icon Jim Carrey. Vaya Semanita provided a proving ground and means of experimentation to a national audience for this Spanish actor who had recently returned home following his studies in London.
Txema recalls, “This show put me on the professional map in Spain. I remember many of the characters I played but I particularly enjoyed embodying Raul, a bad boy who was all about girls, cars, and street fights. Obviously we were mocking that type of values and the situations were hilarious. Raul went full on with everything, no filters when talking or taking decisions. That made him very watchable. I learned that from him that giving a hundred per cent when you are working is the only way to get an interesting result.”
Vastly different than the Basque (an area between northern Spain and southern France) humor of Vaya Semanita is Txema’s role as Lorenzo on the British Comedy Series Benidorm. which aired on ITV for more than a decade. As Lorenzo the handsome sportsman and resident of the Spanish town which the series is named after, Perez charms the elderly British tourists whom are visiting Spain to do his errands and bidding. While there’s a dash of Tom Sawyer in Lorenzo, he becomes good friends with these tourists and comes to see beyond his view of them as foreigners.
Much of Lorenzo’s storyline revolves around his status as the town’s respected Polop professional, a sport popular in this region of Spain. The biting style of British humor took some adjustment for Perez to become comfortable with. The subtlety and often nonverbal comedy of Lorenzo in the storyline exhibits how well an understanding of different comedy dialects can play on camera. This requires a great deal of study and communication to manifest.
Txema professes his respect for comedy stating, “Of course comedy is more difficult than drama. I will never understand why comedy is looked down on compared to drama. I have met many very good dramatic actors in my life and while some of them can clown and do good comedy well, most of them can´t. I’ve also met very good clowns in my life and they can all be good at drama.
In a dramatic film you can make an okay cast seem better with a great budget that highlights other aspects of the film but the responsibility on the actor in comedy is immense. You have to be exceptional to perform comedy. That’s not to disrespect drama but rather to emphasize how truly difficult it is. Seeing what comedy approaches work has been difficult but has also helped me grow in such a huge way. I look forward to continuing that process throughout my career.”
Writer: Arlen Gann