"Clowns with Gowns" - 9/4/2010

"Clowns with Gowns” is a very cute duo piece. It has a great, misdirecting opening, which I won't spoil. I might only add that the first person to appear (the one who sets everything up—I am trying not to give everything away), I think, should be even less competent. She should be the worst clown in the world, maybe with a really bad b-day gag or two—it will make that beautiful transformation into the show that much more so.

The two performers of “Clowns with Gowns” have much to be admired: precision, physical skills, a certain cute charm. They proceed with a number of numeros in which they attempt to collaborate, working out who is the real boss, with varying levels of agreement/antagonism. We even get some highs and lows when one conflict leads to an accidental murder of a partner, which is quickly followed by the ritual suicide of the other. Structurally, these numeros are well conceived, and there is an arc to the show, even if it still needs a little work. (And hey, let's face it, endings in clown shows are tough!)

All the pieces are in place, but somehow they are not quite lived-in. The moments of conflict between the two are not fierce enough. The murder & suicide moment is emblematic of this problem. A clown is constantly flickering in & out of sincere belief and naïve play of the situation s/he enacts. The situation should feel alternately real and completely like a contrivance that solely exists to make the audience laugh. That dual reality is the clown's beauty. In this show, when the accidental murderess performs her grievous suicide, we see an “indicative” suicide, but we do not for a moment believe her. And, while we should not sink into a melodrama where she actually kills herself, there have to be some flickering moments where she is engulfed in grief, drenched by grief, driven to madness and suicide by the thought of losing her partner forever and that she is to blame.

In terms of motivation, the first question of, “what are you doing here?” is pretty well answered. These two skilled, charming clowns have shown up to put on a show. The “truth” is great. But in the sense of, “do you care about how this thing goes?” these clowns need a kick in the pants. The “treatment” lacks a bit. They need to be more desperate, both as clowns and performers. Desperate enough to surprise themselves and each other. The structure is there, and it is well-conceived. Now, I want to see “la follie.”

On a note of suggestion, I might take away some of the musical score in the piece. I think some of the emotional relationships/reactions become too choreographed to the music and prevent the clowns from reacting to each other and the audience. Some speaking to each other, however minimal, might help this as well.