In ’The Red Nose of Courage,’ the god of war is neutered by clowns

“The Red Nose of Courage” was conceived in May 2023 as a commentary on the absurdity of war. Inspired by the war propaganda often pushed onto citizens (particularly boys) from a young age, “The Red Nose of Courage” seeks to undermine the traditional narrative around war by depicting it as a ridiculous enterprise more deserving of mockery than reverence.

“There’s a lot of work being done in American media consumption to make sure that you think it’s really cool to be a soldier and, if not cool, then really tragic and noble,” says Sullivan-Lovett. “We would love it if people see the show and then can’t do that anymore. They can’t find it cool; they can’t find it fun. They have to find it stupid because they’ve seen clowns do it.”

Credit: Courtesy of Clown Corp LLC

Credit: Courtesy of Clown Corp LLC

Their goal, according to Ray, is to “neuter the god of war.” Sullivan-Lovett acknowledges this as a lofty goal, especially for a one-night workshop. However, clowning always involves an element of risk. That said, the group briefly considered abandoning their show, wondering if it would be “tasteless” to produce it in the midst of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine. They ultimately decided that the current geopolitical landscape only makes this show more necessary.

This project toes the line between laughter and discomfort and perhaps interrogates where that line actually is. “My ability to write and devise does kind of fray under the conditions of an active genocide, right?” Sullivan-Lovett says. “You can’t do this while that’s happening — or you can, but your little comedy world with your twee clowns needs to fray and needs to be changed in some way, and that’s what we’ve tried to do with this one.”

An emotionally charged enterprise, the workshop also promises to be physically intensive. Previous shows by Clown Corp LLC have clocked in at close to 30 minutes, while “The Red Nose of Courage” will be a full hour event. An hour’s worth of clowning is already a physically demanding task, but especially so with a show that incorporates violence as part of its central conceit.

However, these clowns are no strangers to physical comedy. Clown Corp LLC came together with the intention of exploring how sex could be integrated into traditional clowning practices.

“Julia [Byrne] and Nathan [Ray] had sort of a jokey argument about whether clowns were allowed to [have sex]. Nathan didn’t think that was something that could work, and Julia really, really believed it could,” says Sullivan-Lovett.

With no actual show prepared, Byrne submitted them to the Atlanta Fringe Festival and invited Krakovsky, who had more professional clowning experience, to direct them. The four of them constructed a narrative around the marriage of Argyle and Gingham, Ray and Byrne’s characters, who work in the same office space. Gingham wants to have sex with Argyle, who is too focused on his work, and high jinks ensue, which end with the two having a threesome with Wensley, Sullivan-Lovett’s character. This performance earned the group the 2022 Atlanta Fringe Festival Audience Choice Award.

Credit: Courtesy of Clown Corp LLC

Credit: Courtesy of Clown Corp LLC

While “The Red Nose of Courage” involves a different premise, these character dynamics are still present as Ray, Byrne and Sullivan-Lovett reprise the same roles. Ray’s character, Argyle, is still a stickler and a staunch rule follower; Byrne’s character, Gingham, is still a desperately amorous but submissive secretary; and Sullivan-Lovett’s character, Wensley, is still a self-serving scoundrel.

The current workshop is the flagship project of the Emory Alumni Theatre Studies Workshop program, which was started by Emory professor Lydia Fort to give alumni a space for creating new work. This program aims to produce one project per year, possibly growing to one per semester, and includes financial support provided by a small grant from Theatre Emory.

In the doom and hopelessness that tends to pervade modern consciousness, audiences are seeking something that makes them laugh. But they also need something that makes them think, and “The Red Nose of Courage” aims to do both. Sullivan-Lovett admits that they are not sure how this performance will land, but how else does theater move forward if not through artists being willing to take risks?

THEATER PREVIEW

“The Red Nose of Courage”

Presented by Clown Corp LLC. 7 p.m. Friday, May 17, Theater Lab, Schwartz Center for Performing Arts at Emory University, 1700 North Decatur Road. Free performance is full. Waiting list available in person 30 minute before show. 404-727-5050, tickets.arts.emory.edu

::

Luke Evans is an Atlanta-based writer, critic and dramaturge. He covers theater for ArtsATL and Broadway World Atlanta and has worked with theaters such as the Alliance, Actor’s Express, Out Front Theatre and Woodstock Arts. He’s a graduate of Oglethorpe University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree, and the University of Houston, where he earned his master’s.

Credit: ArtsATL

Credit: ArtsATL

MEET OUR PARTNER