Returning favorites—Live Action Set (Part 2)

by Matthew A. Everett • June 30, 2008 • The members of Live Action Set, and its collaborators, are casting a long Fringe shadow this year.

In addition to Galen Treuer helping out as Zombie Movement Coach on Walking Shadow’s production of William Shakespeare’s Land of the Dead (Galen loves the zombies), there’s also…

Hastings High School Drama Club

Fools for Love

Single White Fringe Geek (and Mom) is the blog of Matthew A. Everett, one of five bloggers covering the Minnesota Fringe Festival for the Daily Planet.

Preliminary blurb…

“Performed in the style of red-nose European clown, Noah Bremer (Live Action Set) directs this tender as well as knee-slapping exploration of the most intense of human emotions . . . love.”

Here’s some info I got when it was first being performed in Hastings

The subtitle then was…

Clown love stories

The blurb then…

“Created with the ensemble, and inspired by such greats as Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, Carol Burnett, and others, this new play explores the most intense of human emotions. . . . Love.”

Background…

“’Fools for Love’ is the creation of twelve Hastings High School students and theater-maker Noah Bremer. Diligently working in the style of red-nose European clown, the ensemble created scenes, and clown personas that engage and delight.

The clown is an exaggerated aspect of our self; a simpler and embellished version, but undeniably unique to the individual. The clown may be simple, but it is this simplicity where we find the profound.

To dive into this form, which is alien for many performers of any age, the cast participated in workshops at the beginning of the process and learned about the style on a whole as well as what they and their unique qualities inherently brought to the stage.

Unlike the American clown, which relies on gags, tricks, silly make-up, and wigs, the red nose European clown wears a simpler costume and a nose. The red-nose is the smallest mask one can wear, and through it one becomes a clown. Clowns highlight their vulnerability and idiosyncrasies in hopes of revealing the frailty of humanity on a whole.

Through comedy, music and dance, ‘Fools for Love’ emphasizes our need to love and be loved in return.

The performance is appropriate for all ages.”

So, if you can’t take your Mom to see “Deviants,” it’s safe to take her to see the high school clown troupe instead.

Fools For Love

Southern Theater

July 31, 5:30pm
August 2, 7pm
August 6, 7pm
August 9, 4pm
August 10, 2:30pm

Entering his sixth year of blogging about the Minnesota Fringe Festival (and bringing Mom along for the ride as a guest reviewer), Matthew A. Everett is also a local playwright and three-time recipient of grant support from the Minnesota State Arts Board. Information on Matthew and his plays can be found at matthewaeverett.com.