Clowns and Fetuses
Performance On-site June 4th:
Our Lady of The Cat--a Sonic Mystery Play
Medieval mystery plays were perhaps the most popular form of drama throughout the Middle Ages. These colorful outdoor pageants included song cycles and feudal-era special effects. Many celebrated the lives of saints and other luminaries.
After priests were banned from these "unseemly" productions, it fell to the guilds of the day
to present them.
For this proposed work, the San Pedro Ratcatcher's Guild, as embodied by the members of Clowns and Fetuses, will present "Our Lady of the Cat--a Sonic Mystery Play."
There is a story handed down through generations of San Pedrans, of a frail but determined cat tender who nurtures the feral population of Point Fermin. (See, e.g., Clune, Brian, "Haunted San Pedro". (2016) p. 58, The History Press.) However, her single-minded devotion has doomed her to a life of poverty and homelessness as a reviled "cat lady."
One day, while staring at the vortex that hovers over San Pedro's Sunken City (see, ibid at p.67), she receives a toxoplasmotic vision. "Take heed," a gigantic cougar intones, "The end of the world is near, and only the feral cats of Point Fermin can save us!" And she learns of the forces of destruction lined up against her, including an angry oarfish and the ghost of notorious Catalina bone collector William Glidden. Her victorious battle against these dark powers will be portrayed visually and sonically in a repeated 20 minutes sonic skit, interspersed with antiphonal odes to the glory of Our Lady of the Cat.
More information on June 4th on-site event.
About the Artist(s):
Clowns and Fetuses are three inveterate noisemakers tossed together from the rock and art world. They are based in Huntington Park, CA. Since 2004, they have staged a series of themed events at a multitude of California clubs, galleries, bookstores, festivals, streetcorners and other venues. Using such instruments as theremins, home-built synthesizers, de-tuned guitars, bent toys and Kabuki-like voices, Clowns and Fetuses sonically and visually explores such topics as crime scene cleanup crews and amusement park folklore. Now emerging from a pandemic hiatus, they look forward to entertaining, edifying, and transforming future audiences.
Artist Location: Huntington Park, CA
Social Media: Artist Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
