NY Clown Theater Festival Deborah

End of Festival

2011-09-30T18:06:00.000-07:00

I want to apologize to the last four shows of the Amuse Bouche. I have been unable to find the time write about them.

The festival was a success again. The performances were all of high quality. Each one was unique, challenging for the performers, fun for the audience. An opportunity see many different kinds of work and to talk about the art of clowning.

Thanks to the organizers for all their hard work and their great choices.

Channel One

2011-09-24T14:51:00.000-07:00

Created and performed by Emily James and Ishah Janssen-Faith
Creative Advisor Richard Crawford

The girls from Channel One have come back from the future again, or we have gone forward into the future to see them again. The last two girls in the world greeted us so enthusiastically when we entered the theatre. It promised a really fun and connected show. I love the idea of the lonely survivors peopling their world by creating imaginary characters on TV shows. It has the potential to be very poignant. It did not quite hit its mark.

What followed was a series of sketch comedy pieces. Some of them are charming, some still new ideas. But all were performed with energy and commitment. Finding the underlying reason for our hostesses to create each TV show, might give them more dimension.

I look forward to seeing Emily and Ishah layer the show with the true despair that their proposal has promised.

I Have Never Done This Before

2011-09-24T14:19:00.000-07:00

Created and Performed by Joel Jeske

Joel took a big leap into the unknown. He performed what he says is all material that he has never done before. Joel tells the audience that the guidelines for the show require an attitude of absolute cooperation on their part. And the audience accepts the rules. He gruffly tells someone to get onstage and down on his knees. He does it, only to be treated as a music stand and castigated for looking up. He tugs three people up to sit onstage, hands them clipboards and markers, waits to see what will happen. It is fresh and feels dangerous. They do not know what is expected of them or what will happen next. Joel does not attempt make them feel comfortable.

Their looks to each other, the audience, to Joel, end up seeming like well rehearsed choreography.

Each little section is an experiment--with a proposal of storytelling, prop manipulation, audience participation, or mime. He caps its end with a curt little bow.

Joel performs with a manic intensity that can be wonderful to watch. It can also become overbearing. If I gave Joel one note, it would be to be hyper-aware of when he is angrily drilling the audience with his eyes, and choose when to do that and when to soften his gaze. When he reinterpreted a disco anthem and expressed the angry lyrics this worked beautifully. At other times his anger seemed misplaced. When he did a series of imitations of dogs, it was a great relief and joy to see the lovely soft look in his eyes as he waited for his master at the door, or sleepily looked at the TV on a Sunday afternoon.

This is a courageous experiment. While it is not always successful, some of the simplest choices created wonderful moments. Worth seeing, worth seeing a second time just to find out what Joel will do.

Cabaret!

2011-09-23T09:07:00.000-07:00

Hosted by Crabtree & Honeywell

This evening, hosted by the festival coordinators, gave us an altered glimpse at the inner workings of the selection process. Clowns, Crabwell and Honeytree struggled with mountains of paperwork, hours of videotape, and lots of inappropriate behavior on each of their parts. The Brick even set a mysteriously scary figure over them to make sure they did their work. I only wish they had been a bit clearer with each introduction.

The show was the epitome of variety. More physicality, more skill, more red noses than any of the other cabarets. Kathy Horejsi is at her best as the disaffected, disgusted custodian. Heavens forbid she should touch something that has hit the floor, or even worse, break a nail!

Billy Schultz was charming as he danced to different radio stations. I wish he had shown us clearly the Lost & Found box, as it would have set up his premise more clearly.

Mr. and Mrs. Clown's "acrobalance" act was well choregraphed. As they assumed a new position they gave it a descriptive name, one more sensual than the last. If they had called the piece the Clown Kamasutra, they would have gotten even more mileage out of the titles. My favorite moment happened when Mr C dropped his nose as he was lifting Mrs C into a two-high. He was distracted by the nose and she called out, "Make a choice, your nose or your wife!"

Lisa Lewis sweetly offered to replicate the photo of a woman on a rolling globe with juggling clubs and rings. Wisely, she got our empathy for her weaknesses, and then proceeded to wow us with a huge choice of skills. I have seen Lisa perform many times and it was refreshing to see her so vulnerable.

Captain Napkin (Alex Kipp) bravely stuck to his search for love, even when he got such reticence from most of the audience members that he approach with his song, "I wanna feel what love is, I want you to show me." He clung doggedly to the one glimmer of response and drew it out until he actually go a hug.

By far the most satisfying and surprising moment of the night was provided by Brett Alters. The fabulous illusion of two dwarves carrying a big sack was so astonishing and funny. I wish he had stayed still for just one moment for us to get a good look at him. But I laughed so hard at the angry whiteface "clown dwarf" kicking inflatable toys around as if he was in a fury. I am very impressed by the physical skill required to create this illusion so clearly. I have seen a few of these kinds of "hobby horse" interpretations and flip bunnnies. This is by far the best ever!

TiVo La Resistance!

2011-09-18T08:24:00.000-07:00

Created by Logic LIMITED LTD
Performed by Chris Arruda, Sandi Carroll, and Brad Fraizer
Additional Direction by Matt Steiner and Jane Nichols

What fun! Don't miss this one--your last chance is Sunday at 3 pm.

The secret meeting of the The Resistance has assembled. Our three leaders, each more inept than the next, attempt to organize themselves and us. And the secret is that the meeting is secret.

They sport no red noses, but make no mistake, these clowns are perfect idiots (and I mean that in the best of ways). I apologize for the list that follows, but it seems the simplest way to let you know how satisfying it was to watch this show. They:

have clearly defined status--the classic one, two, three
complete one task (although they do get distracted) before going on to the next.
constantly get in their own way
misunderstand each other and themselves
try really hard and then complicate their mistakes
find creative solutions to their problems
react emotionally and then escalate their emotions
share their entire stage life with the audience
include us in the action
have impeccable timing
breathe
HAVE THE BEST TIME OF THEIR LIVES

On top of that, they are ready improvisors, and good physical actors. They include some real skill turns that are seamlessly written into the action and plot. Frazier's turn with four rolling chairs is brilliant!

I could have wished for a clearer set of steps to the ending dance party, but that is quibbling. This show is written, performed and directed masterfully.

I would go again if I could, just to see what they will do with another audience on another day. I know it will be alive and FUNNY!

Morro and Jasp--GONE WILD

2011-09-17T16:56:00.000-07:00

Created and Performed by Heather Marie Annis and Amy Lee
Directed and Dramaturged by Byron Laviolette

Morro and Jasp return to The Brick with a new show. The clown girls, who unabashedly shared their puberty with us last year, take us along on a trip to the beach for Spring Break. And you know what that means...

We first encounter the duo in their over-packed "car" on the road. Their battle over control of the radio is epic, funny and really well timed. Their reactions to each other immediately illuminate their characters and relationship. The conflict between them eventually leads to disaster after disaster. They are funny and frenetic.

Annis and Lee are not afraid to frankly reveal the interests of their characters. They are interested in sex, drinking, self-fulfillment and sports. We laugh because we are embarrassed, but Morro and Jasp are not, so we can go ahead and enjoy ourselves. It is brave writing and performance.

The energy of both characters is consistently high and tense throughout. The show could do with some breath. They could allow the tender and emotional moments to truly be tender and emotional. It would give the audience a chance to truly connect more deeply with them.

Go see Morro and Jasp. They will take you on a wild ride!

Only one more show:

Sunday 9/18 at 7 pm

Bezinkule

2011-09-11T17:00:00.000-07:00

Written and Performed by Christopher Rozzi
Directed by Tasha Gordon-Solmon

What a wild ride! As the lights come up, Christopher Rozzi appears in an outlandish, foppish outfit (first laugh) He introduces himself as the hologram of a mad scientist named Dr. Lawrence Fishburn (second laugh). From there on, through a series of black-outs, he proceeds to tell us a story of multiple dimensions and a quest for a never-explained magical object, the Bezinkule.

Dr. Fishburn must conquer monsters, tame giant baby-men and trek through dark caves; predicament after predicament, each more ridiculous than the next. Christopher Rozzi is an eloquent and mad storyteller with a wonderful physicality. He creates these worlds with only his words and his gaze. The writing is inspired. I laughed at his tiny gestures, and his subtle asides.

I do wonder if this is fits in a clown festival. It hovers there, because of the imagination of the performer, but Dr. Fishburn seldom connected to his audience. The few times he did, it was even more engaging. After a while I wanted him to stay in one place to get truly into trouble, instead of running off to the next far-fetched and far-flung dimension.

Two small disappointments:

1) after conquering the monster and saving the people, Dr. Fishburn never got the Bezinkule! We still do not know what it is! An unfulfilled promise.

2) Mr. Rozzi did not come out for a curtain call. We all wanted to give him our applause and appreciation, which would have been loud and long.

Odyssey Schmodyssey

2011-09-09T11:48:00.000-07:00

Created and performed by Hew Parham

Hew Parham has come all the way from Australia to debut his one-man mythology. As Schmoo, he presents us with the story of his birth and his hero's journey. He is hampered by a monstrous, powerful enemy, and by his own fears. He comes through his tribulations to the strains of, and on a raft made of...Nana Mouskouri!

Hew plays all the parts, switching seamlessly from a baby to a beast. Hugh is one of the best practitioners of what of what I want to call "illuminated gibberish," that I have ever seen. This is ranting in gibberish with occasional recognizable words. Hugh can do it in French or with a Scottish accent! He is also an eloquent physical performer, so his body tells the story a much as his wonderful chatter.

There are no easy gags, few familiar routines. Schmoo will charm you with his deep love of a feather, and scare you with the deep growls of the monstrous Oog, but most of all he will make you laugh at his antics and original dilemmas.

I could have wished that Hew had given us a bit of time and breath to catch up to his rapid fire imagination. And that he had taken his eyes off the feather a bit more to let us see him. But all in all, I thoroughly enjoyed the journey!

There is only one more chance to see Odyssey Schmodyssey--Sunday, 9/11 at 5 pm.

Flocked

2011-09-09T11:01:00.000-07:00

Created and Performed by Audrey Crabtree and Gabriela Muñoz
Directed by Hilary Chaplain
Costumes by Valentina Muñoz with Adriana Sarda

Mix two birds, two cages, dancing, singing, flying and fighting and two talented clowns and you get--"Flocked." Audrey Crabtree and Gabriela Muñoz have created a funny and thoughtful look at the uneasy relationship between neighbors. As they mention in the description of the show, they sort out their differences and learn to live together.

This basic story, of two individuals who start out suspicious of one another, undergo adversity together and find a friendship (or love), has been played, written and filmed many times. "Flocked" feels fresh because it adds the dimension of the cultural clash between the US and Mexico. I wanted to see that conflict enrich their interactions even more!

Audrey's character is big, haughty, sexy and messy. Gabriela's little birdie is flamboyant, fidgety. She adorns her cage with flowers, and a piñata. Their competition builds, each asking the audience for approval.

This is a great beginning--I look forward to the development of "Flocked," as Crabtree and Munoz delve deeper into the material with the able direction of Hilary Chaplain.

I loved these birds, they are more amusing than the budgies in my kitchen.

2011 Amuse Bouche Clown Theater Festival Opens with a Cabaret

2011-09-09T10:50:00.000-07:00

The lively LeRoi Sister were out hosts. Their dance numbers, made the intervals amusing, and their competitive relationship gave us lots of laughs.

We were treated to tantalizing tidbits of all the upcoming shows in the Festival. Each one was full of fun and made me eager to see the whole thing.

Have a look at the festival website for a list of shows.

http://www.bricktheater.com/

FESTIVAL WIND UP

2007-10-29T21:21:00.000-07:00

After the Funeral and Wake, several hours of great talk about the art of clowning happened at the Lazy Catfish. This is just what I hope for when I get involved with a festival of this sort.

I saw so much exciting, new work from young performers. I look forward to seeing it all develop and grow. Thanks to everyone who participated, as audience members, performers, teachers, bloggers and producers.

A BIG THANK YOU to the Brick Theater and the Festival Organizers for a wonder three weeks. I am sorry to see it end and glad to be able to get back to my life.

Maestrosities

2007-10-29T21:20:00.001-07:00

The Maestrosities took the stage on Sunday. A five-piece band began the show only to be interrupted by an angry fellow in a strait jacket. He growled at the audience, complained of falling asleep on the L train and escaped from the strait jacket. We came to understand that he was a member of the band, and that his rage could only be controlled by orders from the princess accordion player.

The band played original arrangements of an eclectic mix of songs, including “Material Girl,” “Turning Japanese, “ and “I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles.”

The only trouble is that this band is a terribly dysfunctional family. The leader is a wimp, his clarinet player wife is humiliated that she has been reduced to playing with a bunch of boobies, the trumpet player is a helpless boy, and the tuba player says everything he thinks (and is a dim bulb at best). Add the furious spoon player and his princess handler, and you get a lot of chaos between songs. It all has the potential to be really funny! In fact it hit the mark several times.

However, often the chaos did not have a clear ending, they just all ran out of steam, and drifted back to their positions, strung out in a line across the stage. Clear lines of status and power would help this group immensely. The bandleader needs to really be in charge, so that he can put a stop to the hubbub. Right now he is just too nice. Or maybe it is his wife, the haughty opera singer/clarinetist/erudite historian, a naturally high status character, who should be the one to impose order when he fails. I cannot wait to see what would happen if the angry man was jealous every time his princess talked to a man, and she had to step up to control him.

Thanks to the Maestrosities for winding up the Festival with big energy and fun!

GLORIES OF GLORIA REVUE

2007-10-29T19:57:00.000-07:00

Mooky has presented us with an evening of wonderful moments. She has a mix of classic material and some very original pieces.

Gloria is a multi-talented, baby glam, like Bette Midler at 8 years old. She sings, she dances, she does a puppet show and “serious drama.” The costumes are fabulous.
In order to cover the very long costume changes, she goes behind a rear projection screen and we see her shadow as she changes. This device is always funny. I wish what happened behind the screen had been clearly structured to build each time she went back there, until she has some monumental struggle and solves it brilliantly. Gloria needs a dresser or needs to reconfigure her costumes to speed up the changes. One long change is ok, but this happened too many times.

As she changes, we are treated to some footage of wonderful vaudeville performers. They are introduced as members of her troupe. I wish she had introduced them by their true names. I particularly liked the odd sixties production number, and the shadow dance she did after it.

Gloria brought six people up on stage to be in her acting company. She treated them with respect and enthusiasm. When she expected them to step forward for their solo parts, it was not as successful as when they all did the final dance production number. Her love scene with another audience member was cleverly devised for him to succeed, and very funny.

My two favorite parts: the puppet—one of the funniest uses of panty hose ever. Her use of the natural timing of wind up toys was brilliant. The “memory book” piece, where she reflected all her reactions to what she was looking at—photos, mementos, letters. I missed the wonderfully funny piano concerto that she treated us to at the Cabaret.

All in all, Mooky has put together a lively show for Gloria. I think the show could use some editing and each piece could use some clarification. Good direction would serve to make this a really top-notch extravaganza.

TAPATE (Cover Yourself)

2007-10-26T18:10:00.001-07:00

Pez en Raya

This is a delightful show. It is multi-layered—Pez en Raya portraying actors in a crime drama; they each play multiple characters in the cast. Right from the “serious” sit-down introduction from the “actors,” Pez en Raya create a sense of play. They speak in Malapropisms, and answer questions based on foolish assumptions about what the audience is thinking. We are assured that there is no romantic relationship between the actors, yet they are repeatedly carried away by their secret passion any time they are close to each other.

A bewigged heroine flamenco stomps her husband to death and goes on the run. The re-wigged and mustachioed detective assigned to the crime enlists the audience as investigators, and heads off with his assistant to apprehend the criminal. This is all played with brilliant silliness among the cardboard boxes they use as props and set. There was a stunning bit of business with a stuffed dog and a “corpse.”

I was struck by how much FUN Pez en Raya were having with each other; this directly transferred to the audience. We were swept up in the joyful spirit, willing to follow any foolish path they set us on.

GO SEE TAPATE!

Giovanni Fusetti

2007-10-22T19:29:00.000-07:00

I was lucky enough to enroll in the two-day workshop conducted by Giovanni Fusetti. You can see his bio on the Festival website, so you know he has credentials.

What is not evident from his portfolio, is that Giovanni is a gentle, insightful, articulate teacher. He has a deep understanding of the theatrical world of clown, grotesque and bouffon.

The workshop was presented as a working session. Each participant brought a developed or developing act to use in the working sessions. We each had three sessions with Giovanni focussing on us exclusively. He gave clear coaching for character development and writing structures. It was amazing to see the work develop and grow from one showing to the next.

No matter what state the piece began in, Giovanni worked the essential elements. One gem I gleaned was the clear distinction among some of the choices for character (using a cop as an example):
A character who is a cop
A clown whose essential nature necessitates his dressing as a cop
A clown who is playing at being a cop
A bouffon who is dressing as a cop to ridicule policemen

I believe the clown lives most happily in the third choice. I saw several shows in the Festival that were weak because they had not made a clear choice.

If you get a chance to study with Giovanni, grab it.

SOLO: a two-person show

2007-10-22T19:27:00.000-07:00

Under the Table Theater
Josh Matthews and Matt Chapman

If this post looks familiar, it is because I am just repeating my earlier post so this one is at the top of my blog. I wnat you all to go see Solo.

DO NOT MISS this show. I could not wait to write about it.

I laughed until my sides hurt and jumped to my feet to applaud. Josh and Matt create a rich, finely drawn world of adventure through their eloquent physicality and wonderful, intense spoken word. Two brothers lovingly compete and cooperate. They push each other’s buttons, moving from joyful memories to painfully irrational arguments. Anyone with siblings will howl with delightful recognition at their bickering and bragging.

In their fantasy they drag us through a creepy and riotous jungle, popping up in the audience to surprise us with flashlight lit faces. They carry us off to a mountaintop, where evil mountain goats “decimate” their climbing team. I loved the clipping and unhooking of caribiners , the breathless drop when the wrong rope is cut. They actively encircle the audience with these atmospheres. Don’t expect to sit back and watch. You will be on the edge of your seat. The stakes are high.

This is not a show of classic gags or variety skill. You have not seen these scenes anywhere before. There is real tragedy and loss here. They begin their show with the tragic end, then flashback through the events leading up to it. I loved the brothers dearly by the time the end comes around.

I do not want to say too much. Suffice it to say that the most delightful surprises of physical comedy await you. Take a friend to SOLO.

RIDICULOSITY

2007-10-22T19:22:00.002-07:00

Glass Contraption returns with a new show with many of the same characters from last year’s show. These clowns played the classic scenario of The Missing Star. The desperate chorus has to cover for the featured act who is a no-show.

These young clowns are lively and wonderful stupids. Their characters are distinct. Tater, (Justine Williams) a shrilly happy and bitter little girl, was a stand-out. Their singing and dancing extravaganza was thoroughly entertaining.

As an ensemble, they did everything together: laugh, cry, scream. Their emotional palette was limited to giddy, hysterical happiness and loud sadness. I wanted them to take turns a bit to leave me some breathing room. I wanted to see them as individuals cooperating, instead of as a multi-cellular organism. I was tired out by the cacophony of all their high-pitched voices (just the kind of noise that makes me very wary of developing a “clown voice”).

These characters are really baby clowns. They have a lot of potential. I hope to see them grow in depth and range, and explore some more subtle, personal themes.

The Clown Olympics

2007-10-22T19:22:00.001-07:00

Chris and Amanda organized a fun evening of competitive clown events: Solo Trips and Falls, Duo Slapstick, Eccentric Dance and Duo or Trio Synchronized Kiddie Pool Swimming.

The Synchronized Swim was treated most lightly by the competitors, and therefore became the most clown-like. Most of the other events were very seriously undertaken; we saw some very well rehearsed routines and some clowns throwing themselves into the fracas armed with just a few good ideas.

In the spirit of “Clown” Olympics I arrived dressed as the “French Judge,” Marie La Peine, cash peeping out of my décolletage, suggesting that I was ready to be bribed for a good score. Imagine that only one competitor joined me in the play by slipping me a dollar during his dance routine. Of course he took the Gold in the Eccentric Dance category—I hope there is no inquiry to strip him of his medal.

All kidding aside, my fellow judges (Hovey Burgess and Mark Gindick) and I found it difficult to sit in judgment of all the hard work of the brave souls who joined the Olympics. Especially difficult was scoring the first performer up in each category. We were booed and cheered for each decision we made.

What a fun romp!

PATATRAC

2007-10-22T19:21:00.000-07:00

Delikatessenduo
Italy

A charming, energetic pair of characters comprise the cast of Patatrac. They start out with an interpretation of the classic circus entrée, “Music Box.” The woman starts out playing a simple song on her concertina and is interrupted repeatedly by the man, who ups the stakes over and over again by bringing out an ever changing array of musical instruments. Sometimes they cooperate, sometimes they compete. The Delikatessenduo made many of the instruments out of junk or scrounged materials.

The musical numbers are sweet and creative. The performers are unsophisticated. This felt like a family troupe performing a family show. They played music simply and adequately. I did not believe their acting, but found them delightful nonetheless.

ZEN CABARET

2007-10-22T19:20:00.000-07:00

Nina Rolle has collected a chorus of sexy and charming women, the “Rogue Elements,” who support her vision of an invocative and politically savvy extravaganza. They create an atmosphere of challenging fun. The musical landscapes of voices and instruments were moving and drew me in.

The only part that struck me as out of place was when Rolle painted grotesque clown makeup on her face. It seemed arbitrary and did not serve the number.

The Medicine show element of this revue was fun, and I wish I had gotten a chance to purchase a bottle of Permission Galore. Rolle told us, ”Cynicism is easy, do things the hard way.” And I wanted to try. I loved the use of buckets of pennies and abacuses as rhythms instruments to accompany Rolle on the accordion. I was totally enchanted and amused.

Burnt Umber

2007-10-21T21:27:00.000-07:00

The Combustibles

A woman clown, her fashionable clothes ripped and dirtied arrives onstage; she is momentarily paralyzed by her “surprise” at seeing the audience. This is a convention of clown shows, one that should be examined carefully before it is used. In this case it did not serve the show, the character did not find a way to recover her aplomb, and engage her audience. She merely ran off to get her partner and they dragged on a cart heaped with trash.

My first notation, written a minute into the show, was, “BREATHE!” The actors went full steam ahead into their story, and seldom took a breath. I wanted a chance to see the characters before they started their corporate rat race. Breathing would help them to remember the audience, to see and be seen, and to look for our approval for their accomplishments and failures.

They proceeded to create a corporate world of files and board meetings. The references to the world were astute and nicely drawn. The characters inhabited it fully and I had many laughs of recognition. The cart’s trash was all office paraphernalia and they cleverly filed and typed and answered phones. When the “file for the Board Meeting” went missing, a game of blame and ducking responsibility ensued.

This world of business out of trash seemed out of place in the world of clown. The characters were only clowns by dint of their red noses. I wanted them to make a choice: If they are clowns playing at corporation, the need to enjoy the game, take themselves less seriously. If they are bag ladies remembering their past lives, they need to lose the noses, and find the real pathos that this situation demands. Or are they are real corporate secretaries after the cataclysm? Making a clear choice will give them a stronger structure on which to hang their show.

SOLO: A two-person show

2007-10-21T21:25:00.000-07:00

Under the Table Theater
Josh Matthews and Matt Chapman

DO NOT MISS this show. I could not wait to write about it.

I laughed until my sides hurt and jumped to my feet to applaud. Josh and Matt create a rich, finely drawn world of adventure through their eloquent physicality and wonderful, intense spoken word. Two brothers lovingly compete and cooperate. They push each other’s buttons, moving from joyful memories to painfully irrational arguments. Anyone with siblings will howl with delightful recognition at their bickering and bragging.

In their fantasy they drag us through a creepy and riotous jungle, popping up in the audience to surprise us with flashlight lit faces. They carry us off to a mountaintop, where evil mountain goats “decimate” their climbing team. I loved the clipping and unhooking of caribiners , the breathless drop when the wrong rope is cut. They actively encircle the audience with these atmospheres. Don’t expect to sit back and watch. You will be on the edge of your seat. The stakes are high.

This is not a show of classic gags or variety skill. You have not seen these scenes anywhere before. There is real tragedy and loss here. They begin their show with the tragic end, then flashback through the events leading up to it. I loved the brothers dearly by the time the end comes around.

I do not want to say too much. Suffice it to say that the most delightful surprises of physical comedy await you. Take a friend to SOLO.

Bouffon Glass Menajoree

2007-10-15T22:21:00.000-07:00

Powerhouse performing! Striking script! Daring direction! Challenging, scary, sharp, smart. . . . Even better than last year.

Oh, Just read Jane's blog. She has it spot on. I could not say it any better.

Under the Skiff

2007-10-15T22:02:00.000-07:00

(Three Times Nothing/InterAction)
Created and performed by Maja Bieler and Jenny Sargent.
www.myspace.com/undertheskiff

What a tender, sweet, and painful piece. Two optimistic candidates encounter each other as they wait for interviews at the Immigration office. One is tough, intense and innocent, the other cheery and open. We don't expect more than a romp in a difficult and frustrating place.

Instead, simple cooperation on a questionnaire turns into a strident frightening interrogation which forces a recounting of horrible experiences and helplessness. A beautiful image of boats unfolds (or folds) as the story unwinds. The kindness of these clear, true characters makes their encounter especially bittersweet.

Bieler and Sargent perform this treat beautifully. They are true clowns: playful, joyful, natural. I was only disappointed that it was not longer. I could have followed the story for twice the time. I hope they look inside the work for ways to expand it, and make it a full length show.

Ben Model and Silent Film Comedy

2007-10-15T21:54:00.000-07:00

If you missed this wonderful presentation, you are a bad clown. You should kick yourself in the butt.

Mr. Model provided us with a crash course in Classic Silent Film Comedy. He had rare clips of film masters: Fatty Arbuckle, Lloyd Hamilton, Harry Langdon, Harold Lloyd. . . .great gags,, terrific timing, flawless flops.

Wow!

AND he accompanied all of this treasure on the piano!

Your clown education is not complete
Until you sit at Ben Model's feet.

Clownifornia

2007-10-15T21:06:00.000-07:00

JEFF SEAL
Jeff arrived onstage and very personably and enthusiastically discussed physics and the space/time continuum. He was amusing and charming. Yet, I was at a loss to understand exactly why he did this as a clown. It seemed like a thinly developed class exercise--a rant on a subject of your choosing. Perhaps if he revealed the depth of his passion for his subject, I would have seen more of who is.

DAMSELS' DEMISE
I enjoyed these two characters, with a natural conflict of personality. I would love to see them try some classic circus entrees or traditional lazzo, with built in timing and structure. The writing of this show did not give the players enough room to blossom. So time was spent LOOKING at the audience or each other. I found myself wanting them to get on with the action.

We were led to believe that Spike and Priscilla were little girls yet some of the material became very sophisticated, very sexual. Priscilla started the show presenting her behind in a seductive way, looking to us for approval, then falls in love with a mannequin that is discarded. Spike tries to pick up a woman in the audience. They played games, some of them cruel. I was confused. Were they children, were they actors playing children? Clowns can play at very sophisticated themes, but it is in the spirit of play--always a clown game. These two took their cruelty and sexiness seriously.

With some clarity of choices, and bit of good old comic structure, Spike and Priscilla's natural differences will play out well. I hope they will keep on working together.

Moving Target

2007-10-15T20:39:00.001-07:00

(Empty Oven Theatre and The Theatre Resource Centre)
Created by performer Erin Bouvey and director Sue Morrison

Flam St. Cyr, an intensely disquiet and conflicted personality reviews her doubts and fears with us. She is struggling with her mental illness. This is an unlikely choice for a clown, but this new show is on the verge of really working. The character is strong and engaging, and Erin is alive and in the moment, in contact with her audience. Her conversation with us is fascinating. We really want to know about her, and we feel sympathy for her stuggle.

This show relies heavily on text. There are times when the words just overwhelmed me. I wished she had given me more breathing space to take in what she said, to digest it. In the very beginning, she started talking a mile a minute, when I wanted a moment to take in the unusual looking woman (clown) before me. Although I followed her eagerly, I sometimes felt left in the dust by the furious pace of her monologue. By the time she was ready to leave, I was not sure what resolution of her troubles carried her off the stage. I really wanted to understand--I so liked this person.

Flam St Cyr ingests medication repeatedly throughout the show; we don't recognize why she takes it each time, or what effect it has on her--does it calm her, envigorate her, sedate her? She kept a similar energy level throughout the show. This device coild be a built in way to provide a more varied dynamic.

I look forward to seeing the development of this show. It has so much potential to be truly, deeply moving, providing insight into the inner life of our suffering loved ones. Bravo for Erin and Sue!

Chew The Fat After the Show!

2007-10-11T16:23:00.000-07:00

A lively after-show discussion with Jane (see her blog coming soon) was engendered by our differing experiences watching "No Place Like Home" and what we saw in the EFS "Cops" show. This is what makes a festival like this so envigorating. Be sure to take the opportunity to reflect on what you see with other festival participants and audience members.

2007-10-11T16:18:00.000-07:00

NO PLACE LIKE HOME

2007-10-11T15:30:00.000-07:00

Created and performed by Rob Torres, directed by Avner Eisenberg.
www.funeeestuff.com

This clown is clever. Torres, a affable, cheerful character, comes out onto an empty stage and makes use of simple devices like tape and rope to create his "home." He remembers where he has been, making sure that he honors the space he has created. When he is faced with an obstacle or problems, he knows immediately what to do. His solutions are creative and clever. He is seldom at a loss for a solution, even one as complicated as defining a basement to go retrieve any object he needs. This was a thoroughly pleasant evening. I laughed and was surprised by some of his choices, and satisfied by times that he did exactly what I was expecting.

I wanted more. I saw potential for the show to have a richer, deeper effect on me. It is called "No Place Like Home, " yet I found myself wondering how he FELT about the space he had created for himself. Who is this clever fellow and how badly did he need a home? Once he had defined the house with its doorway, window, table and place to hang his coat, I wanted him to take a breath to be there, to let us know how important it was to finally find a home.

I wanted to see him struggle a bit more with his difficulties, and to watch his "wheels work" as he discovered the solutions. It would have given me a chance to know who he is. He was a bit too clever, knowing what to do almost before he had investigated the problem. The fact that he was a lovable character, made me want to know more about him, how he thinks, how he got so "smart."

Rob made most of his skill and magic happen seamlessly within the narrative of the show. I truly appreciate when an artist does not just give us a laundry list of his skills, finishing one and tossing it away to move on to the next. When he tied the one-handed know in his tie inadvertently, it gave the audience a laugh of surprise and satisfaction. His timing was spot on.

Direct and strong contact with the audience is always welcome, and Torres is clearly good at that. His opening expected a great deal of cooperation from us, and I felt resistant to being so involved before I had even had a chance to really SEE him. Torres was connecting to us, but I think he was playing to the audiences he is used to, instead of the savvy, theater-going (clown-officianado) crowd that he had.

I would love to see Torres look for the opportunity to enrich this show. It has such a lovely, clear structure, with lots of fun moments, fine skill and a charming character. An investigation of who he is and what "home" means to him would add dimension and depth.

Cops--EFS, Catalonia, Spain

2007-10-07T06:59:00.000-07:00

GO SEE THIS SHOW!

From the beginning announcements to the "inadvertent" ending, EFS is an education in clowning. Oh, wait, first, it is FUNNY!

The three Cops give us demonstrations of their craft. Strong characters with clear relationships--a classic one, two three, each stupider (and I mean that in the best of ways) than the next--get entangled in a series of mishaps and misunderstandings that escalate emotionally and physically due to circumstances completely within their control.

A surrealist physical reality confuses the Cops as objects fly off one side of the stage and back on the other. Their own seriousness undermines them as they practice shooting, demonstrate interrogation techniques, and a robbery. Subtle gestures are misunderstood, as are obvious commands.

They ask us before the show to ignore what is happening behind the two wings. I enjoyed these guys so much that I wanted to see everything they were doing, and knowing what was happening behind the scenes did nothing to diminish the joyful play.

Festival Begins!

2007-10-06T16:09:00.000-07:00

Tonight I am headed for my first show of the Festival, the late show of the Catalonians. It took a while to lay out the schedule and make plans to see as many shows as possible. I did pretty well. This is a great opportunity to see the breadth of the art of clowning.

See you all there!

That's me!

2007-10-06T16:01:00.000-07:00