Gushing satire and oozing absurdity, Waiting for Barnum barks at us to step right up to the mayhem! Gag with repulsion and giggle at the ridiculousness! It’s a Friday evening at the Cuddly Clown, a local circus themed “breastaurant.” Sexy clown servers cater to rowdy and lascivious customers. As the servers battle to assert their identities in a place that relegates them to smiley clowns, we witness an agonizing discovery and shocking violence. All wait for Barnum in the hopes that he will magically fix what is broken. Will he ever show?
Take a peek under the big tent at the ways in which we are all a part of the circus. Amidst awkward PT Barnum quotes and vulgar circus themed drinks and food, Waiting for Barnum explores themes of power and consent and the transactional structure of our world. We are asked as individuals and as a collective to consider how to take action in the face of injustice.
Content Advisory:
~ Simulation of sexual assault (clothed). Survivors of sexual violence, please take particular note.
~ Profanity.
~ Depiction of racist and misogynistic language and behavior.
~ Mature themes, subject matter, and situations.
Age Recommendation: Generally suitable for persons aged teen and older. However, individual audience discretion is advised due to the nature of the mature topics referenced and the situations depicted.
“This piece is Sartre meets Fear & Loathing.”
“A journey into the under-world through an intelligent and boundary crossing use of slow motion, tableau, hyper realism, farce, exotica — it was a proper excursion into the depth of psyche.”
“Thought provoking and so much to continue to unpack.”
“Jarring, funny and unsettling.”
“Deftly takes complex issues and presents them with honesty and humor.”
“The writing captures a “can’t look away from the train wreck” quality that makes one feel both voyeuristic and appalled for not looking away.”
“A wild ride!”
