The Story by: Mona Ray
Performed by: Mona Ray
Directed by: Lilli Sukula – Lindblom
Music by: Sami Sippola
From: Tampere, Finland
By Stanley Allan Sherman
© copyright September 21, 2012
We first saw Mona in the Clown Cabaret as the final act and she was powerful and brilliant, unfortunately her full show falls short. It felt like the old vain of Clown Theater of bits put together and performed in a theater. Show opens with wonderful music, jazz by Sami Sippola, which is used through out the show. This team gets high credit for crediting their musician; many other shows use music that should be at least credited.
This is a kind of clown lecture of some kind. English is not her native language and she uses her broken English well in the show but possible this also could have been in the way for her as her clown talks. There is a wedding theme in one part of this show as well, her dress works for her in this kind of tough girl clown or character. In this era of women clowns the level of dance has gone up. Would love see a higher level of dance, movement and substance in this show. This is with a few shows, women playing old style men by wearing a bad costume mustache and this has never really risen to a high level of clowning but gets stuck in surface level character. We know Mona is capable of great clowning. Ultimately the substance of this show is lacking as well as a good over all show rhythm. Director Lilli Sukula – Lindblom is responsible for dealing with these issues because the performer relies on the directors outside eye for exactly these things. Sometime performers and shows have an off night. This could have just been an off night. Would like to see Mona Ray again in the future with a totally new show with some real issues that touch her soul. As for great clown theater the clowns soul must be totally exposed.
The New York Clown Theater Festival runs through Sept. 30th at the Brick Theater http://www.bricktheater.com