Brian Byrne takes Chekhov’s tiny one‑act On the Harmful Effects of Tobacco and turns it into a funny, physical solo show. We talk about how the piece started as a half‑hour slot in Pittsburgh and has been stretched, tinkered, and clown‑ified into a roughly 50‑minute tour of petty pomposity, midlife grumbles, and absurd lecture mishaps (yes, it’s literally a guy giving a lecture who goes off the rails). I explain a bit about Chekhov’s original: a one‑character farce/vaudeville style piece where the comic tone lives in language, timing, and the absurdity of a single setting — perfect for a performer who leans on improv and clowning to expand a short text. We also nerd out on practical stuff: how venue size changes intimacy, why tiny costume choices (teeth? gone) shift audience reaction, and how improvisation and physical bits can fill gaps without betraying the original text. Brian’s background in improv, clowning, and physical theatre shows up a lot in the conversation — he wants people to laugh, to maybe be surprised, and to just enjoy being in their seats (no coerced audience line‑dancing, promise). If you want to catch it live, it’s at the Rochester Fringe (Sept 15–26) — shows Friday the 18th at 7pm and Saturday the 26th at 6pm at the MUCC, $10 tickets at rochesterfringe.com — and you can find Brian online at his site under Brian A. Byrne.

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