Clowns Anonymous & Zirk Theatre, A Double Bill: Kokov Conducts & Carpet II

Review in Issue 12-2 | Summer 2000

Clowns Anonymous present Kokov Conducts, in which Kokov emerges from a dust bag and reveals a pair of upturned shoes and a violin case from under a cloth on an ironing board. After much palaver, Kokov assembles a music stand and starts to listen to people, bags, hair and a pregnant woman's bump. Fun really starts when the ironing begins. Kokov does the ironing as though she's bowing a violin. She irons her hair and her coat tails, whilst still wearing them. This is all subtle and gently performed. Later on, this sequence continues into a funny and ridiculous series of 'death-by-iron' suicide attempts. Helen Cockin as Kokov has great potential, but needs to develop more pleasure in play. She has a lovely energy and a watchable presence.

Next up was Rachel Ponsonby of Zirk Theatre with Carpet II, billed as a tapestry for the senses woven from poetry, music and humour. Rachel performs her own original compositions and songs with eccentricity and virtuosity. Her most off-the-wall ditty is a ‘chanson d'amour' played on her large home-made clogs, that have percussive noises built into them. Cello, flute, saxophone, banjo, percussion, recorded piano and trombone are all played. This comic musical extravaganza builds to a climax in which Rachel, with a wooden two-piped organ strapped to her back and a bellow under each arm, sings and dances with a penny whistle up each nostril. This is a hilarious and original one-woman show. Rachel Ponsonby is in her own barking mad universe. Carpet II is a skilfully ridiculous and ridiculously skilful piece of timeless musical clowning.

Presenting Artists
Presenting Festival
Presenting Venue
Date Seen
  1. Mar 2000

This article in the magazine

Issue 12-2
p. 23