The book of Genesis gets a radical make-over in Creation: A Clown Show — a limited engagement, playing through September 10, which offers a unique take on Biblical stories.
Written by Lucas Caleb Rooney, who also performs, and Orlando Pabotoy, who also directs, the show purports to be missing its real star. The voice of God speaks to the audience to set the scene — and a little boy named Timmy substitutes. Much of the humor comes from the fact that Timmy, who has a Bible drop from the sky, doesn’t know what he is supposed to do. He is scared to see an audience, and frightened by his own shadow. ‘God’ reads from the Bible, and Timmy the clown enacts the scenes.
Like a child, the clown repeats his actions. Sometimes this is funny, but at other times the repetition goes on too long. When Timmy tries to separate light from darkness, he covers one eye, then finally figures out how to make the lights go on and off. And on and off. And on and off.
The clown interacts with the audience, sitting down, spitting water on people in the front row, letting others help with his props. The water comes in when he ‘creates’ the sea — he tosses around a water bottle. When it comes time to create fish, he fills his mouth with water and sprays it on the audience. He also creates ‘fowl’ by trying to make an egg fly — it doesn’t — and then hatching a dozen Marshmallow Peeps. When he sees the chicks, he is so excited, he starts ravenously cramming them into his mouth, then is devastated when they are all gone. He creates Eve by pulling a Barbie doll from his rib, and cattle by producing a toy cow that moos (and moos). He also makes a sun out of wood, and a moon by swallowing a shiny candy wrapper and pretending to poop it out.
Creation gets to the seventh day in just over an hour — and then rests. It’s best for ages 6 and up.
Info:
Where: Theater Five, 311 West 43rd Street, between Eighth & Ninth
Avenues, 5th floor.
When: Wednesdays-Saturdays & Mondays at 7pm, and Saturdays & Sundays at 2pm through September 10
How much: $39.50 adults, $31.50 kids under 12
For more info: (212) 868-4444 or www.smarttix.com or www.creationclownshow.com
