What do dogs do when their masters leave? Put on a French farce! Quick entrances, mistaken identities, and love triangles collide with panting, sniffing, and lots of leg humping in this unusual and saucy comedy! Inspired by the plays of Georges Feydeau and the behaviors of Man’s best friend, Dog Show is a knee slapping love letter to the joys of unleashing your inner animal.
This new work is directed by Animal Engine Co-Artistic Director Karim Muasher and devised by an ensemble of 4 daring performers.
During his visit to NY last year I was fortunate to interview Steve Samuels. I met Steve when he was the General Manager of The Ridiculous Theatrical Company which was created by the brilliant Charles Ludlam. (pictured above)
I was so lucky to have seen many of The Ridiculous Theatrical Companies productions including The Mystery of Irma Vep, The Ventriloquist’s Wife, Corn, Camille, Reverse Psychology, Salammbo, The Artificial Jungle.
“Theater is life itself—you give people two hours of your life, onstage. Time is all we have, and sharing that with people is different from just creating an object.”
“What I do is not gay theater — it’s something much worse. I don’t ask to be tolerated. I don’t mind being intolerable.”
Charles Ludlam 4/12/43 – 5/28/87
Everett Quinton (left) with Charles Ludlam in “The Mystery of Irma Vep”.
Here is a wonderful write up on ‘Dangerous Minds‘ blog about the great and throughly researched book “Ridiculous!: The Theatrical Life and TImes of Charles Ludlam” by David Kaufman. There is also a video of Charles on the Madeline Kahn show performing in drag. Great piece of TV history.
Steve Samuels worked with David Kaufman on this book as well.
Guerra: A Clown Play combines slapstick, clown, dance, bouffant, and farce to tell the story of a military outpost’s last stand. Created by a Mexican/U.S. collaborative team, Guerra is performed in three languages and features a trio of incompetent officers engaged in a struggle against a vast unseen enemy. Their epic yet intimate journey features a recruitment lottery, bloodthirsty nursery rhymes, and at least one aerial bombardment. Guerra blends bombast and camp with serious echoes of American and Mexican military realities to create an irreverent and darkly resonant satire.
Created by La Piara with Seth Bockley and Devon de Mayo
Performed by La Piara (Artús Chávez, Fernando Córdova, and Madeleine Sierra)
Directed by Seth Bockley and Devon de Mayo
Artus Chavez is delightful as the leader of the group.
Artus Chavez, Fernando Cordova and Madeleine Sierra make up La Piara Teatro.
Artus Chavez comforts Madeleine Sierra in a war scene.
Madeleine Sierra shows off her battle wounds to the audience in GUERRA.
Fernando Cordova has some funny eyes and great scenes in GUERRA.
A humorous moment during the dressing of the Chief in camouflage garb.
Artus Chavez sings while the paper airplanes fly over head.Madeleine, Artus and Fernando take their bow at the end of a very funny show!