DAVID SEPULVEDA PHOTOS
Two dancers wrap around each other in an overt display of sensuality that stirs primal notions of forbidden whispers and history-altering temptation.
Tattooed arms supported a flowing, translucent-skinned serpent, an albino Burmese Python named “Firecracker,” who seemed to relish weaving about the bodice of his buxom handler, a snake charmer known as Serpentina (pictured).
The pair had more than a forked tongue in common. Both were part of the seventh annual Forgot to Laugh Sideshow and Animation Festival that took place at Westville’s Lyric Hall on Saturday.
Juliano.
The show — 50 percent live acts, and 50 percent short film animations, according to producer Tony Juliano — drew together elements of circus, vaudeville, and burlesque performance that alternated with animation shorts by local and national animators, in a jumble of exotic attractions Juliano calls a “sideshow.”
Animation shorts alternated with live acts before a packed audience.
A history and film buff and collector of all things retro, Juliano, together with a core of like-minded friends, revived a genre of entertainment that harkens back to the golden age of the classic sideshow called the “Ten-in-One,” where a varied program of acts are offered for one admission price. In the case of Forgot to Laugh, an admission ticket could be had for less than the price of some movie tickets today. Juliano called his ticket pricing “economy-sensitive.” He said he he tries to keep costs down because of the people’s lack of disposable income. Area businesses and sponsors helped underwrite part of the show’s expenses.
One of Juliano’s paintings was on display in the theater.
Saturday’s show was the seventh major iteration of Forgot to Laugh, a show that has been evolving since its early years when Juliano, with friend and photographer Aidan Moran, staged interactive slide shows of their work with the addition of live music. Juliano, a graduate of the Paier College of Art, is by any measure, a successful freelance artist whose animation art pieces flanked the Lyric Hall stage and graced some walls.
The addition of animation to the Forgot to Laugh format grew out of a conversation that Juliano had one evening with local artist Polly Sonic. The artists had an epiphany about the commonalities shared by circus acts and some of the daring alternative animation being created by today’s grown-up animators, many of whom cut their teeth on Saturday morning cartoon fare as children.
Forgot To Laugh animators included Happy Tree Friends, Nina Paley, Seth Arp, Bill Plympton, Liam Lynch, Billy Blob, Eun-Ha Paek, Roman Dirge, Steve Casino, Alex Rose, Simon O’Rielly, Lev Yilmaz, Vaughn Bodé, Mr. Mr., Rohitash Rao and others. Features by these emerging and established artists, ran the gamut from the silly to the satirical, and were part of the bill whose disclaimer read, “For (im)mature audiences.”
Blood and gore, sex and some violence drew audible responses and much laughter, sometimes of the nervous variety, from an audience unaccustomed to animation visuals geared to adult sensibilities. Juliano pointed to his website’s FAQs section, which addressed the issue of whether his show is appropriate for children: “Most of the time, I think not. However that has not stopped parents from bringing in their kids even when I say the show has violence, curse words, and x‑rated stuff.” Forgot to Laugh does have periodic Kids’ Table shows appropriate for children of all ages.
Juliano is responsible for curating shows, publicizing, providing graphics and posters, and stage management. He is also part of the talent lineup as his alter ego, Tony Baloney, transforms into the “Magic Moron (magician)” with a quirky sketch loaded with props and creative sight gags.
Dot Mitzvah models an ARTBRA raffled for the benefit of New Haven Home Recovery.
At one time Juliano also did the show’s emceeing. Saturday evening that responsibility fell to the capable hands of Dot Mitzvah, a burlesque artist who dazzled with her singing, comedy, improvisational banter and form fitting black dress.
Other live acts included The Great Throwdini (knife thrower) and target girl “Bad Ass-Lynn” …
… Kryssy Kocktail (sword swallower), Leo the Human Gumby (contortionist), and Kouros, The Man Who Knows (psychic, pictured) …
… and English native Chris the Mime.
Forgot to Laugh curtain call.
Enjoyed the depth that the videos gave to the article. It was like entering inside a secret tunnel that allows you to see a whole portion of a show that you wouldn't have otherwise been privy to. The mime was great. The "eye" - another story. However, the concept of embedding complete scenarios via video within an article provides an enhanced dimension that wouldn't otherwise be discernible.