April 1, 2012

URGENT CALL-OUT FOR PARLIAMENTARY CLOWNS

Recent events have inspired an anonymous benefactor to establish a fund provisionally called the Parliamentary Clown Fund, launching it with annual base funding of $100k. 

Theatreview has been tasked with the challenge to come up with a better name [and a forum has been opened to facilitate this – see below].

The initial impetus came from the huge popularity of the clowning genre in the Wellington and Dunedin Fringe Festivals – thanks notably to the award-winning Moving Stationery (Thom Monkton) and Echolalia (Jen McArthur) – and James Thiérrée’s sell-out success Raoul, at the NZ International Arts Festival.

More recently, Gerry Brownlee’s spectacular failure to be comedic in the House of Representatives, causing a diplomatic incident in the process, prompted the benefactor to see that quality comedy was sorely needed in the corridors of power. “We need to cross the ‘Finnish line’ with greater style than that,” observed the secret benefactor. 

When better than this, the eve of the NZ International Comedy festival, to launch this exciting initiative?  

Tenders will soon be called for role of Project Manager and individuals, partnerships or existing entities may apply. The idea is to establish a ‘quick response’ team, able to respond as, when and where required, to inject levity into political situations that may benefit from it.

Applicants will be asked to present their ideas for how such a team may be formed and managed, including names of those they feel should be involved (with letters of interest and support from such people).

Meanwhile Theatreview readers are asked to go to the Rename the Parliamentary Clown Project forum to offer better names.  This is seen as an early test for those wishing to become involved: the speed with which an idea is posted will be seen as proof that an applicant has good comedic reflexes.  

Theatreview will honour the winner with a year’s free subscription to the NZ Performing Arts Directory (PAD).  If the winner is already a member, their subscription will be extended by a year. 

Breaking news: In an exciting development, the minister for the arts, the Hon. Finn Christianson, has given his tacit support to the project.  “As a lifelong lover of Shakespeare, I am very clear as to the efficacy, if not indeed the necessity, of such a safety valve,” he said in an emailed answer to the secret benefactor. “The tradition of the Court Jester, otherwise know to us in this day and age as the Shakespearean Fool, has fallen into shameful neglect and I am fully supportive of this timely effort to resuscitate it,” Mr Christianson added.