War and Play: A Clown Odyssey of Survival
Written by Danielle Levsky
Directed by SMJ
Performed by Mariko Iwasa, Ania Upstill, and Danielle Levsky
Devised and originally performed by Lex Alston, Ania Upstill, SMJ, and Danielle Levsky
War and Play is an interactive, devised clown show that explores the power of joy in the face of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
About The Show
Our story follows the journey of a queer clown couple, Vira (Ania Upstill) and Nadiya (Danielle Levsky), whose peaceful world is shattered after Russia launches its full-scale attack on their homeland. As we follow their struggles, a third clown (Mariko Iwasa) transforms to embody the many faces impacted by war: a street performer, a soldier, an aid worker, and a new friend named Lubo. Together, the clowns bring the audience on an emotional journey that ranges from fanciful optimism to sudden, wrenching grief.
War and Play is a tightrope walk between despair and wonder, where clowning becomes a tool to wrestle with the realities of Ukraine's enduring struggle, a conflict that has smoldered since 2014 and erupted into full-scale invasion in February 2022. The clowns don't ignore suffering; instead, they wield joy as a weapon against grief, they find the ridiculous within the tragic.
Our production utilizes clowning's unique capacity for vulnerability to express universal human experiences and connect with everyone in the room. In a world scarred by prolonged conflict, the simple act of cultivating joy becomes a profound act of resistance—a reminder that even in the darkest times, we always have capacity for light.
Show Production History
War and Play had its workshop production at the Lincoln Center in June 2023 as part of National Queer Theater’s Criminal Queerness Festival. Danielle Levsky was commissioned to create this show through the National Queer Theater because the 2023 Criminal Queerness Festival focused on sharing stories by queer Ukrainians. Creating War and Play through clown opened up a unique prism through which Danielle could grapple with and illuminate the stark realities of Russia's war on Ukraine, the piercing pain of displacement for refugees, and the profound grief of loss for those we love.
War and Play was also the opening show of the inaugural PhysFestNYC at the Stella Adler Center in January 2024, featuring NYC’s best physical theater performances, workshops, and talks.
Next Up!
Come see War and Play as part of Philadelphia’s Cannonball and Fringe Festival!
Catch us at MAAS Studio on Tuesday, Sep 24, 2024 at 8:00pm and
Wednesday, Sep 25, 2024 at 5:00pm.
Reviews
“The three colorfully-garbed performers in the show, none of whom spoke, were skilled at, well, clowning around: tap-dancing, playing the accordion, putting on red noses… In the most memorable scene in the hour-long play, Vira and Nadiya had lured members of the audience to join them in a spontaneous promenade, a kind of conga line — only to be confronted by Iwasa as a stern Russian soldier – which made the situation feel more menacing.”
Jonathan Mandell, New York Theater
“Watching the clowns search for missing friends, scurry from one temporary safe place to the next, and try to maintain some small sense of joy amidst the destruction, I feel ill over how little I've even heard about Ukraine lately, even though it's still on fire… The highlight of the show for me is its third performer, Mariko Iwasa... She's a delightful presence — light and specific, eager without being cutesy, her body both meticulously controlled and very free, her face serious but open… I head home thinking of her, performing stand-up in a room full of soldiers a long time ago, during a different war.“
Sara Holdren, Vulture
Meet the Team Behind War & Play
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SMJ
Director & Deviser
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Lex Alston
Clown & Deviser
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Ania Upstill
Clown & Deviser
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Danielle Levsky
Writer, Clown & Deviser
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Mariko Iwasa
Clown & Deviser
Photos by Lawrence Sumulong @ the Lincoln Center, Ken Burns, Katherine Benitez, Ezekiel Clare, and Bjorn Bolinder. Promo video editing by Anthony Polk.
Original Workshop Production Team (June 21, 2023)
The 5th Annual Criminal Queerness Festival, presented by National Queer Theater
David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center
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Nadiya - Danielle Levsky
Vira - Ania Upstill
Lubo - Lex Alston
Director - SMJ
Stage Manager - Katherine Bahena-Benitez
National Queer Theater Founding Artistic Director - Adam Odsess-Rubin
Head Curator / Cultural Consultant - Sashko Krapivkin
Intimacy Director - Ema Zivkovic
Dramaturgy - Begum “Betsy” Inal
Production Manager - Brittany Coyne
Scenic & Props Designer - Dan Daly
Sound Designer - Tani Kahn
Costume Designer - Jules Peiperi
Lighting Designer - Moneé Stamp
Video Designer - Hannah Tran
Casting - Joseph Hayes
Voiceover - Henri Sudy