Review: THE GREAT CLOWN BANK SHOW at Open Fist Theatre Company
The circus is in town through August 1
The Open Fist Theatre Company’s THE GREAT CLOWN BANK SHOW is a pastiche of tricks, songs, and a broad satire on capitalism, but it never seems to know what it is or wants to be.
Written and directed by and playing the Ringleader, Hank Jacobs’ story tells the story of a clown family, Greedy being the appropriate last name, whose patriarch decides that the only thing that matters in the world is money. His progeny agree and they spend their lives in desperate chase of the almighty dollar.
The circus theme starts as soon as you enter the lobby. You get a “Hello My Clown Name Is” name tag (mine was Buster BrokerButt), a red nose (flashing or not), and clown money. There’s also an immersive event where you can buy popcorn, check out creepy rabbit masks, and poke around an assortment of macabre items.
Davis Barber and Clara York
While the setup is ripe for lampooning, the execution is so disjointed, it never lands. It doesn’t help that none of the characters are sympathetic, which — while that is the point — it means the buffoonery isn’t grounded in any empathy. So in the end, it’s hard to care. And, yes, it’s over the top purposely, but the best spectacles are still centered, so there is some form of connection. The energy from a game cast can’t make up for underwritten roles that are sketched in broad strokes. Additionally, some of the sequences overstay their welcome. The lunacy is unbridled, but with all the insanity, you’re too often left wondering: “What is going ON??” And moreover: “Why??”
The show I saw was plagued with sound issues throughout, and it seemed that, with the space being as small as it is, that the performers would be better off without microphones entirely. Through the mics, the voices were tinny. The music by Mike Messer and Jacobs is largely forgettable, so even the musical sequences don’t pop like they should, and the band (music direction by Robby Good) drowned out much of the singing anyway.
Matthew Goodrich, Clara York,
Kevin Brennan and Davis Barber
The Ringleader addresses the audience and encourages participation, which does lead to some of the best moments. Aerialist Avery Shannon Lynch adds some elegance and there will be a special guest each time (I saw Michael Rayner, whose comedy balancing shoes on his nose and balancing a hamburger on parasols was amusing), neither of which really move the story ahead, but they were highlights.
In the end, there’s simply too much going on, and at two hours (with an intermission) the show is far too long, especially considering some shows start at 9pm.
Photos by John Dlugolecki
THE GREAT CLOWN BANK SHOW runs at the Open Fist Theatre Company, 3269 Casitas Avenue, through August 1. Tickets are available at OpenFist.org.
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