Attn: Ages 18+
Brainwashed is a 1hr solo clown show by Alina Konon (Belarusian born, based in Los Angeles, CA). The show tells about growing up in a dictatorship. Alina brings her personal sometimes bizarre experiences from living in Belarus under a brutal regime to the stage. Her dark comedy explores the surreal and disturbing reality of growing up under dictatorship. She shares her childhood love for all things communist, and, through a series of absurd clown bits, she engages the audience in the process of brainwashing.
The show features a mix of silly elements, including live cooking of soup, which is shared with the audience, creating an interactive and intimate setting.
The director is Nathan Mohebbi.
Trigger warnings: This is a dark comedy based on a personal experience, there will be mentions of death, murder, self-harm, and police brutality. Also partial nudity.
Thought-provoking and heartfelt show telling a unique story that elevates your average one-person show. Deserving of a longer run and a larger audience. Alina is talented, genuine and connects easily with the audience.
***
Real, wild, powerful, heartfelt, hilarious! I was blown away by the show. It was hysterical and heartfelt, while keeping the audience on their toes from start to finish. Alina is a force of nature and an incredible talent.
***
Alina has created an incredibly interesting show exploring her life story and the story of her youth but where this show really takes an incredible turn and becomes even more interesting is her gift to the audience: An exploration of what makes US tick, what informs our decisions and how even now (and back in USSR times) we can sit and watch atrocities happen and even, as Alina, the brilliant clown that she is, shows us: how we end up supporting these men who have destroyed our world. It's hilarious, you'll laugh a ton but you'll also sip on soup (that's not a metaphor).
