the Way of the Showman

Apr 15 2024 45
the Way of the Showman Podcast artwork

Philosophical and esoteric perspectives from a modern day Showman. 
Each season is different in its approach. S1 is essays. S2 is one book length attempt at Understanding Showmanship, S3 is conversations with remarkable Showfolk. The brand new Season 4 explores the relationship between Showmanship and Play.
The host, Captain Frodo, internationally renowned circus performer, director, writer, husband and dad lays out, in great detail, his practical performance philosophy for performers who seek to deepen the conversation with their audiences and themselves. You can find him, and more of his writing at: www.thewayoftheshowman.com

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101 - Connect & Play - (Showmanship & Play 5 of 30)

Apr 15 2024 41 mins  
In this episode I seek general features of what happens in the Area of Interest, or in Shows. I talk about Nalle Laanela's book the Clown Manifesto and how it helped me understand that two key features of performance and Shows are Connection and Playfulness.links:Nalle's wonderful book the Clown ManifestoSupport the show...Now you can get t-shirts and hoodies with our won

100 - the Clown and the New World - epic poem audio extravaganza

Apr 01 2024 41 mins  
This is a celebratory episode along the lines of my previous audio poetic endeavours in episode 21 and 42. This is an epic poem which initially was called The Rime of the Ancient Merrier.Merrier |ˈmerēər|noun (mer•ri•er) 1 one who brings happiness to others. 2 a simple or special person, trad. considered blessed or touched by God. 3 a fool or a clownORIGIN Old English myrige

99 - Jay Gilligan Questions Showmanship & Play episode 1 (94)

Mar 25 2024 64 mins  
In this episode we try something new. Jay Gilligan has listened to my new season about Play & Showmanship and he found that there were several points in the episode he wanted to know more about. He recorded some snippets with some AI app that he has and he reads me the unedited transcriptions of these and we have a great and DEEP conversation about the morals of Attention. How

98 - the Nature of Shows & Geometry - (Showmanship & Play 4 of 30)

Mar 18 2024 50 mins  
In this episode I make one more example of a metaphor of my own making. I believe this to be a particularly fertile example, by which I mean a deep and powerful metaphor. Using the uncanny similarity of the geometry of triangles with the process of Showmanship. Looking at the two side by side I belive we can get insights into the nature of our Craft of performance that can be hard

97 - Back in Las Vegas, now with Cirque du Soleil - Birthday Ramble

Mar 11 2024 31 mins  
I didn't think it would happen. Not this birtday ramble nor that I would be back in Las Vegas, nor that I would be here with Cirque du Soleil! But I am back on all those fronts and yet again I am humbled by my own lack of ability to accurately predict the unfolding events of my life. BUT I am beyond grateful that it all conspired to be this Way.Support the show...Now you can g

96 - How to See through the Lens of Showmanship - (Showmanship & Play 3 of 30)

Mar 04 2024 35 mins  
In this episode I talk about viewing the world through the lens of Showmanship. This is something I say at the beginning of each episode and it is what this podcast is all about. I talk about how to look and what the lens is. So, this episode has as its aim to allow you a clearer idea of what it means and to be able to look at the world in the same way, if you so choose.This is a t

95 - the Inner Ear Bone of Showmanship - (Showmanship & Play 2 of 30)

Feb 19 2024 47 mins  
In this episode I lay how what Showmanship is, as I see it. If we are to work out what the origins of something is, particularly if the origins lay deep in prehistory, then chances are there has been a great deal of change to the thing. Sometimes so much that it is hard to recognice it. SO, to be able to know what the origins are we must know what the relevant and unchanging elemen

94 - Showmanship & Play - Introduction (S&P 1 of 30)

Feb 05 2024 56 mins  
In this episode we start a whole new project. We revert back to the format of the first 60, or so, episodes where I share my own ideas with you. The subject for this 4th season will be Showmanship & Play. Or, how Showmanship is like Play and what we can learn from seeing it as such.links:Here is a link to the whole season of PBS series about evolution.Here is a link to the spec

93 - Clarity of Expression makes you a better Artist - Jay Gilligan and Frodo - pt 2 of 2

Jan 22 2024 47 mins  
In this conversation we talk further about making choices and how learning to understand why we take the choices we do about what we do on stage we develop clarity of expression which is the foundation stone of a good artist.some of the things we talk about:-Why did you do that? I dont know is not a good enough answer.-Concretise your choices and intentions-We are after a statement

92 - Making Ideas Concrete by Making Choices - Jay Gilligan and Frodo - pt 1 of 2.m4a

Jan 08 2024 40 mins  
In this episode I ask Jay Gilligan to tell me about how he makes his ideas concrete to his students at the circus school in Stockholm.-How this relates to performance abstract and concrete or narrative-Circus appears frivolous when seen in most cases, academic thought in universities might make contributions to unpacking how its not, but this academization of circus as a subject mi