Coming soon: Echolalia

By Jenny McArthur/Kallo Collective

• Summary of the play
• Dates and times of performances
• Ticket prices
• Bookings

Summary: Cheeky, animated and delightful, Echolalia is a solo theatre clown performance - a reinvention of the old circus clown in a current-day, recognisable context.

"The most excellent example of clown work you're gonna get the chance to see any time soon." Salient

Tickled by the social 'weirdness' of autistic children while working with them on a holiday programme, Jen McArthur created a character for the stage who doesn't register social niceties. Echolalia uses the forms of clown, physical theatre and dance to present Echo - a young woman preparing for a much-needed job interview. This challenge is intensified by the front door, behind which the pressure of social situations awaits.

Touching, surprising, playful, McArthur spellbinds the audience, in this highly recognisable portrayal of a person doing battle with their fears. "McArthur's tender performance as Echo is both delightful and heart breaking." Salient

Jen McArthur is a Wellingtonian trained at the New Zealand School of Dance, Circomedia circus school in Bristol and by Lecoq clown teacher Giovanni Fusetti. "I'm interested in the obstacles people face and the unique ways they find to overcome them. And celebrating the strength of the human spirit to do it." Jen McArthur

Premiered in July last year at BATS, McArthur has since reworked the script with the assistance of Jo Randerson. "(Her) work is an important vein of comic, poetic clown that needs to get stronger in NZ for our theatre industry to grow."

Clown theatre is a performing art that combines physical and character comedy (imagine Charlie Chaplin, Mr Bean) and circus/dance skills with a cohesive theme or story. The reinvention of the old circus clown is relatively new and performances of modern clown theatre are extremely rare in New Zealand. Don't miss this opportunity to experience a tested work steeped in a New Zealand sense of humour, from an internationally experienced performer/creator.

"I shall not reveal the conclusion, but by all means my applause was rapturous." Salient

Dates and times: Friday 24 to Monday 27 February at 7 pm

Ticket prices: Full $14, concession $12, groups of 6+ $10

Bookings: BATS booking line or call (04) 802 4175