Thursday, September 9, 2010

Clown Fest Interview - Gabriela Muñoz of Perhaps, Perhaps, Quizás...

By Byrne Harrison
Photo by Leonardo Manzo


Name: Gabriela Muñoz (CLOWN ME IN)
Show: Perhaps, perhaps, quizás...
Relationship to show: Playwright, Director and Performer.
Website: www.clownmein.com

Tell me a little bit about your show.

Perhaps... is a clown show playing with the idea of loneliness and waiting for the “perfect man”, the soul mate and the day that for most women is the most important day in their lives, their wedding day.

Our protagonist rehearses that day and wants it to be so perfect that by the end, she doesn´t really know what exactly she is longing for anymore and needing with desperation from the other. Is a real person going to satisfy her needs or would she rather stay with the “perfect gentleman” living in her head...

What inspired you to create it?

What inspired me to create this piece was the actual situation of human beings not being able to find true connections with one another anymore and therefore acting desperately as a result. In an era were woman become more and more independent, I wonder if we are not only being lonely but too picky, yet we do still believe in romance... forced by others to follow the “rules” or “paths” to happiness can sometimes show us the true side we have.

What is your clowning background?

I studied physical theatre and circus in London, wanting to specialize in aerial work. I discovered the universe of clowns and I stayed! I have since been clowning around in different countries with my company, CLOWN ME IN, and my colleague Sabine Choucair from Lebanon. We have worked and toured some countries in the Arabic world such as Lebanon, Syria and Jordan working with children in Palestinian camps as well as performing with circus companies in Mexico City and Amazonian communities in Brazil.

What would you tell someone who is afraid of clowns to get them to come to your show?

I would tell them, don´t be!!! There are many ways of doing clowning, and this piece plays more with an inner state of such alert and humanity than with huge and contradictory masks, which in my opinion is when clowns becomes scary.

What is next for you after the New York Clown Theatre Festival?

I will go back to Mexico City and continue my project with Casa de la Sal, children living with HIV AIDS. We have been working on a book written by them in order to start a storytelling group and tell their stories and experiences to other children living difficult situations. I will be touring Mexico and then back to the Middle East where a 5-month tour awaits us. We will be In Oslo, Norway working with Company LINGE and in Bangladesh and India in the months to come.

PERHAPS, PERHAPS, QUIZÁS …
Clown Me In
Mexico City, Mexico

NY Clown Theatre Festival
The Brick Theatre
575 Metropolitan Ave.

DOUBLE BILL WITH MS. PRETTY SMART, SECRET AGENT
Sunday, September 5th @ 5pm
Monday, September 6th @ 8pm
Tuesday, September 7th @ 9pm
Saturday, September 11th @ 8pm
Sunday, September 12th @ 7pm

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