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Jollyship is available for touring, recently
nominated by the Jim Henson Foundation for a Mid-Atlantic
Touring Grant for 2011-2012, as part of their "American
Masterpieces" series. For those of you unacquainted with
the dread puppetship, here are some frequently asked questions.
Q:
I'm thinking of giving you thousands of dollars. What the
hell are you again?
A:
Only the world's greatest pirate puppet rock show in the whole
world! Jollyship the Whiz-Bang is a highly acclaimed and completely
original and badass theater show, with aggressive "non-musical
theater music" type music, awesome puppets, and some
really insane jokes. Everyone loves it. Don't be a dummy.
Give us the money.
Q:
What is the origin of this show? And why the stupid name?
Jollyship the Whiz-Bang was conceived in 2002 by playwright
Nick Jones and composer Raja
Azar. The origin of the show really began with a song,
"Pyrate Love," performed while the two were working
for the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus. The warm response
to this ballad of rape and murder became the central premise
for an expanding musical and theatrical universe. After years
of episodic productions, their work culminated in a show produced
by Ars Nova in the summer of 2008, directed by Sam Gold. This
initial extended sold out run garnered
massive praise in The New York Times, the New
Yorker, Variety and Time Out, to
name but a few (also landing the show in the upper left of
New York Magazine's approval matrix). Jollyship was resurrected
for the 2010 Under the Radar Festival at the Public Theater,
and is now idle in the harbor, awaiting orders from high pirate
command.
The name was created to be as confusing as
possible.
Q:
Is there, like, a story? What happens? What's the experience
like?
A:
In the world of Jollyship, a mixed crew of pirate puppets
and musicians hold out hope to find the fabled Party Island,
while attempting to positively influence their incompetent
captain Clamp, a puppet, hell bent on self destruction.
A spirit of anarchy pervades Jollyship, buoyed by black humor
and a punk ethos; but this belies the virtuosity at its core.
Bandleader Raja Azar trades off on a host of instruments including
synthesizer, guitar, accordion and ukelele. Lead singer and
playwright Nick Jones voices entire conversations from behind
a microphone stand, as the puppet characters themselves are
manipulated by puppeteers on the other side of the stage.
As the action moves forward full throttle, with relentless
absurdity and lacerating wit, every one of the seven performers
works in tandem to keep the ship afloat.
Q:
I'm interested but I run a conservative theater in a really
lame town. How can I make sure this show is appropriate for
our lame audiences? Is there some video I can see first, to
make sure it's not to edgy?
A:
Go screw yourself. Then email us and we'll send you a DVD.
Also, look at the reviews; ask someone who's seen it; check
out the music on myspace; or buy our latest album, "It's
Not the Moon's Fault," featuring music from the show.
(There is also some crappy video on youtube,
but most of it is not truly representative of the show as
it exists today. Remember this show has been developed for
over close to a decade, so there is a lot of material, and
different versions of things.)
myspace.com
jollyshipthewhizbang
And Facebook!
Salutations, and Best of Winds,
Cpn Clamp
and the Crew of Jollyship
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