The wave of mime-hate that swept the nation in the early 2000s has subsided, but mimes and clowns still get a bad rap sometimes. Nobody seems to realize that every actor, no matter how sexy, relies on physical theater techniques — is, in other words, part mime. Benjamin Bratt and Javier Bardem, for example, have mentioned a local man, James Donlon, as a teacher whose hallmark system has improved their work. Donlon’s school, the Flying Actor Studio, is a co-presenter of the International Czech Theater Festival, which spotlights mimes and clowns. Four smallish plays find visiting Czechs emoting with their bodies, whether in the existential-sounding Arctic exploration drama Polaris or the kid-friendly Brick Circk starring master clowner Stevo Capko. We expect audiences to leave thinking mimes and clowns are hecka cool.
Oct. 21-28, 2009
