Russian clownmaster from Ukraine to debut with La MaMa Theater

NEW YORK - Inspired by a novel by the German writer Heinrich Böll and the work of Slava Polunin, the internationally acclaimed Russian clown master, Oleg Braude is making his La MaMa debut May 22 to June 8 with the clown theater play "God's Comic," on the theme of life, love, abandonment and religion. Conceived and directed by Mr. Braude, the play has a cast of eight.

Mr. Braude, 42, began his career in Kyiv at the age of 14, performing in the Theater for Young Audiences. By 18, he was working regularly in Kyiv's State Musical Theater. He started his own studio with his own actors as a young man, but left Ukraine for the United States in 1989. He now lives in the Park Slope section of Brooklyn, and designs shows regularly at La MaMa Experimental Theater Club in New York's Lower East Side.

"God's Comic," while employing different forms of clownery and pantomime, draws on ideas from the clown theater of Polunin - characterized by the unbridled silliness of slapstick, the poetic poignancy of traditional clowning and a visual extravagance and beauty - but not the latter's visual style. Another major difference is that Mr. Braude's play makes use of words and has a text.

Mr. Braude has retained the "post-war feeling" inherent in Böll's "The Clown," because, as he notes, he relates to it and feels that "we are all 'post-war,' whether we like it or not." Böll's famous short novel draws a revealing portrait of German society under Hitler and in the post-war years through the eyes of an artist. The sensitive but cynical novel is one of Böll's best about the moral dramas of common people in a changing society.

"God's Comic," which is set in post-World War II Germany, captures the feeling of being down and out and rootless as the protagonist deals with the sense of loss, alienation and religious doubt.

The main character is played by David Tyson, an actor and professional clown, who teaches clownery in a college. Design for the play is by Vladimir Davidenko.

La MaMa is located at 74A E. Fourth St. Performances are held Thursday-Saturday at 8 p.m.; Sunday at 2:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. For tickets call the Box Office at (212) 475-7710. Online ticketing available at www.lamama.org.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, May 18, 2003, No. 20, Vol. LXXI

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