Two2Mango from Toronto Ontario Canada presented Colonial Circus – History. Clown Style at the Orlando International Fringe Festival. This was an interactive show that featured two clowns in white face who pretended to be British Colonizers. In an abstract way they walked the audience through the absurdist history of Colonialism.
The stage entrance was a mesmerizing slow procession where the male clown walked slowly on stage wrapped in a red sheet that the female clown held behind him. This made him appear like the prow of a boat. Getting to center stage must have taken 5 minutes or so. Once at the center stage the audience was asked if they had any questions. When someone did eventually ask a question, the two went off stage and began the long laborious procession again. When they asked the audience a question second time, they were visibly upset that they had to go through the motions again. I forgot exactly how many times they went through the procession but it was exhausting and hilarious.
Performers, Shreya Parashar and Sachin Sharma were originally from India before setting in Toronto. Before the pandemic the performers practiced improve comedy, but they soon realized that they love physical comedy which is more universal, in that it doesn’t rely on words to get the point across. The show isn’t really a circus in any way shape or form, but as clowns, the performers managed to mix laughter with deadpan pokes at how the British raped colonies and forcibly replaced deities with Jesus. Audience members were invited on stage and they reenacted a ship sailing across high seas.
One absurd situation followed another. I was laughing out loud, but not exactly sure why. The show tackles the serious topic of colonialism with absurdist humor that pokes fun at what Brits would see as business as usual with a cup of tea. The show offers physical comedy with a political bite which I love. It didn’t just offer laughs, but also made the audience think.