Saucisse: A Foo Musical, Helen Donnelly, Toronto, Canada. Every time I saw Helen after the performance I attended, all I could say was a gushing "I loved your show." To give that feeling proper articulation is no easy task. I can't even say why it defies expression. Perhaps because Helen Donnelly has created a beautiful solo clown show, exhibiting the best elements of theatrical clowning and any written description cannot adequately describe the experience of being there. However, I will give it my best bumbling attempt. A minute into the show I realized that the mustachioed storyteller was speaking entirely in gibberish. I understood everything perfectly. The language had just enough English and French to solidify the audience's comprehension. Even when singing, the audience completely got what was conveyed in the unique language. Foo, the hero of the musical--complete with an overture at the top of the show--is a cowboy-ish desert dweller, peddling wares, clashing with security officers, and star-gazing. Foo meets Saucisse, a pig and a mystic, and their friendship and adventure is simultaneously hilarious and heartbreaking. We are immediately drawn into the imagined world of the character(s) and captivated by the clown's lovable personality. There is audience interaction and direct reference to the silliness of the play- acting, such as Saucisse being a puppet, not a real pig. One audience member in the front row apparently yawned during the performance. This did not escape Foo's observation, and became a recurring joke from that point on. Foo's appearance: ridiculous puffy shorts, cowboy boots, animal-eared purple hood under a straw hat resembling a cowboy one, and striking facial makeup, enhances the world of this story. I wasn't exactly sure if Foo (a male) was human, but it didn't really matter. All of it makes sense: the language, the look, the music. I still don't think I've done justice to the effect this show had on me. It was simply top-notch. I loved it from start to finish.
Clown Cabaret Return of the Old-Timey Clowns Hosted by John Towsen. I will name all the performers here in order of appearance: John Towsen-host, Hank Smith, David Tabatsky, Liz Bolick & Therese Schorn, Christopher Agostino, Jim Moore, Jan Greenfield, Terry Dineen, Stephen Ringold, Zeke Peterhoff, Fools Unlimited, Bernie Kramer, Michael Trautman. It was a pleasure and a treat to see acts ranging from clowns in red noses to serious solo acting, singing, vaudeville-style skill acts and just about everything in between from veteran performers, some of whom had not performed these acts in many years. Each act was introduced by someone in the audience who knew the performer(s). This added a personal and delightful touch to the evening. John Towsen's affable presence as master of ceremonies gave the show a wholeness and kept it moving along. I hope that when I have put a few more years on my clown career (already have quite a few) that I don't have to be categorized as "old-timey", and a few comments were made by performers in this regard as well. The bottom line is that clowns get better with age. Their acts become refined and enriched with time and experience, as was evident in this cabaret.
Closing remarks...
Well folks, another Clown Festival has come and gone. I am so glad that I got to see as much as of it as I did, and regret that I couldn't make every last show. C'est la vie. It is inspiring to see the volume of work being produced worldwide. I am happy to report that it is a thriving art form. It is my wish to see it gain a wider audience and appreciation in the theater world. Writing about the festival is fun, but it often doesn't do justice to the live experience of a clown show. It is very alive, improvisational, and audience interactive, and that is something that doesn't translate well to the written word. Youtube videos don't convey the full energy of the live performance either. Get thee to the theater! As always, I'm thrilled to be a part of this festival, and to be in a position to meet all the people who pass through. Thanks to all the performers, producers, audiences and lovers of laughter. Ciao friends!
