Get silly with clown Alistair Aitcheson as he expands what’s possible in audience-centric theater. Dig into why clowns can feel both joyful and unsettling, and how curiosity, audience trust, and failure turn a show into a shared act of play. In this episode, Alistair shares how clown training reshaped his interactive work, focusing on his show My Date with Pierce Brosnan, fresh from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The conversation also explores how clowning overlaps with drag, how audience participation becomes safer when the performer takes the risk, and why “every bug is a feature” might be the best clowning principle of all.

Key topics

• Why clown makeup can be uncanny, especially when it exaggerates the mouth and breaks normal facial expectations
• Alistair traces his path from making video games as a teenager to building interactive theatre experiences
• How clown training helped solve a design problem by teaching him how to connect directly with audiences and remove the “fourth wall”
• Why the clown should be the most outrageous person in the room so that the audience feels safe to take risks
• Compare clowning and drag as related forms that share curiosity, theatrical exaggeration, and a challenge to social norms
• How the clown sees the world as a blank slate, asking what objects are for and how they might be played with instead of assumed
• Clowning and software bugs are connected because failure creates surprises, and surprises are where the real magic happens

Resoruces

Alistair’s website

https://www.alistairaitcheson.com/

My Date with Pierce Brosnan

https://mydatewith.show/

Edinburgh Fringe Festival

https://www.edfringe.com/

More on clown makeup https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/gallery-london-houses-dozens-clown-egg-portraits-180968914/

Coulrophobia - Fear of Clowns https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21835-coulrophobia-fear-of-clowns

Holly Stoppit

https://www.hollystoppit.com/

If you spend 20 years going to Burning Man, you develop a perspective on this massive Labor Day spectacle. In this episode, Lara Pearson shares her insights into what keeps this extraordinary festival fun, alive, meaningful, and continually inspiring.

Key topics

• The evolution of Burning Man from 35,000 to 70,000+ participants and its increasing scale of art and fire displays
• The core principles that maintain its community-focused, leave-no-trace philosophy
• The dynamic relationship between play, ritual, and the sacred at Burning Man
• How Burning Man fosters genuine human connections amidst harsh desert conditions
• The influence of regional burns and decompression events in spreading the culture
• Practical insights on experiencing Burning Man virtually and preparing for the adventure
• The role of brand protection and community governance in safeguarding the event's ethos
• Personal stories of transformative moments, including iconic art cars and temple releases
• How the principles of Burning Man can inspire civic engagement and community in everyday life

Resources

Brand Geek - Laura’s law firm

https://brandgeek.net/

Burning Man 10 Principles - The guiding ideas of the festival

https://burningman.org/about-us/10-principles/

Burning Man Survival Guide

https://survival.burningman.org/

Fun Survey - An ongoing study of how peolpe play and have fun, sponsored by The Fun Question

https://forms.gle/V3ZQqYie9BsMd5iF6

Discover the surprising social and psychological effects of silent discos, from creating safe spaces for uninhibited dancing to fostering unexpected connections in a world obsessed with loud music. DJ and silent disco owner Mark Brudenell discusses how headphones can enhance personal expression and social bonding, challenging our assumptions about typical nightlife.

Key Topics

• The core appeal of silent disco: freedom, ambiguity, and choice
• How silent disco creates a safe space for uninhibited dancing
• The social magic: connecting strangers through shared music channels
• The culture of headphone LEDs and their role in social signaling
• The psychology behind feeling more free and intimate with headphones
• Practical uses: silent discos at festivals, weddings, and corporate events
• The future of silent disco, including potential renaissance and cultural shifts
• TWhy headphones reduce social anxiety and encourage boldness
• How silent discos challenge traditional notions of community and personal space
• Prankster moments and social experiments in silent disco settings

Resources

Totens, a town in England

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Totnes

Playposium

https://www.playposium.com/

Emile Durkheim's Collective Effervescence - Explore social theories related to communal joy

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collective_effervescence