PUTNEY-The New Visions Summer Series at Sandglass Theater concludes with a lively theatrical romp when Happenstance Theater presents Death and the Fool: A Medieval Folly Thursday and Friday, June 25 and 26, at 7 p.m.
Inspired by medieval mystery plays and tarot imagery, the production combines puppetry, slapstick comedy, live music, and physical theater in an exploration of mortality and folly. As the Fool encounters a mysterious cast of characters — including the High Priestess, the Doctor, and the Crone — the audience “is invited into a playful world where laughter offers relief from life’s darker questions.”
Happenstance Theater is known for its ensemble-driven productions that blend physical comedy, music, and puppetry. Death and the Fool evolved from the company’s earlier work Adrift: A Medieval Wayward Folly, originally created for the Maryland Renaissance Festival before being expanded into a touring production.
Members of the company will also lead a full-day workshop in physical comedy Friday, June 26, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Led by performers Mark Jaster and Sabrina Mandell, the workshop explores techniques including clowning and comic timing, mimetic gesture and illusion, stage presence and audience connection, character, and status in ensemble performance. The workshop draws on training traditions from Marcel Marceau, Étienne Decroux, and the École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq.
Tickets are $20 for the show, and $75 for the workshop. For tickets and information, visit sandglasstheater.org.
This Arts item was submitted to The Commons.