(Photo by Russ Kaufman) |
Page 23 Summer 1988
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Rob
did a comical cigar box routine and Linda balanced nine boxes on her
chin as she descended into a split. Rob played a short musical number on
an ocarina, then switched to a flute for an Irish folk piece. He
finished with a blues piece on the harmonica.
One
of Rob's strongest technical routines was the use of his flaming devil
stick. He preceded the demonstration with a warning to children not to
play with fire and to know where in their homes they could find a fire
extinguisher. The Pecks finished the show with continuous three ball
steals which were switched with two apples, a lemon and hats with a
well-times spoof of Fred Astair / Ginger Rogers style choreography.
Foolsproof
Follies is a team both on and off the stage. The couple has been married
for four years. They met at the Maryland Renaissance Festival in 1984,
where Rob was a featured juggler and Linda was a spectator. She is a
Rob
is originally from New Jersey. He graduated from the University
of Pennsylvania, where his senior thesis was a play whose main character
was a juggler. He serves as the writer and artistic director for
Foolsproof Follies. He also attended the Antic
Arts
The
Pecks have been inspired by a number of groups. They cite Burns and
Allen as people they try to emulate.
They
also hold the Flying Karamazov Brothers in high esteem. Both feel that
troupe has made a large contribution to how audiences view jugglers. As
Rob put it, "They have broken the color barrier, they are the
'Jackie Robinsons' of juggling. They took juggling out of circus arena
put it into the theatre."
Rob
admires their use of language, feeling it shows that jugglers can be
educated and eloquent. Above all, they admire the way the Karamazovs
have pioneered the art
of visual rhythm, performing ingeniously choreographed aerial tap dances
where the juggling is not only done to music, but actually creates the
score simultaneously.
Another
couple they try to imitate is La Cirque Imaginaire - Victoria Chaplin
(daughter of Charlie) and Jean-Pierre Baptiste. "They are our
examples of what our act should strive for," said Linda. "A
sort of modern- day fairy tale of beauty and the buffoon. "
They
also especially enjoy the creative use of props and music that Michael
Menes, Airjazz, Barret Felker and especially Allan Jacobs present. Rob
said, "They all juggle to the music, not just with the music as
background."
Foolsproof
Follies is building an impressive resume. Rob was a featured juggler at
the IJA 1983 Purchase convention with his MacBeth parody - "A Man's
Home Is His Hassle. " They have performed three consecutive years
in the Pennsylvania Ballet's Nutcracker Suite at the Academy
of
One
of the Peck's great hopes is to see the IJA take the lead in organizing
a formal education process for juggling. Rob said, "Right now there
is no way for career-oriented jugglers to follow an established program
of study. You have to learn and pick it up as you go. The IJA should
take the lead and help bring juggling up to par with other arts so
people could study it like any other discipline, such as music or dance.
"The general public doesn't view juggling as an important art. If juggling is to expand, we have to find universal connections and convey our experiences. Jugglers can make a difference in this world, and can hopefully bring more peace to this small planet." |
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(Photo by Russ Kaufman) |