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Catching Up With The Flying Karamazov Brothers

by Karl Saliter

The Karamazov Brothers are unveiling something different. A huge creative effort of three of the non-Russian non-brothers called "The Historical Comedy Drama" was to premier in La Jolla, Calif., in June.

The new piece looks like riveting theater, concentrating on the life and career of an actual 19th century French Vaudevillian. It attempts to, in a rather insane way, capture the spirit of the wild years of the 'fin de siecle'. and features film fragments, quite a bit of music and many kinds of object manipulation - but very little conventional juggling.

"The Historical Comedy Drama" was created in a month of sessions with director Robert Woodruff at the Karamazov's retreat home in Port Townsend, on Washington state's Olympic peninsula. Paul Magid wrote the bulk of the text, and Howard Patterson wrote the vaudevillian's act, based in part on historical records. Sam Williams is also solidly involved, but Tim Furst is solidly uninvolved - preferring to stay at home in Seattle and work on the roof of his house.

At this printing, trusty road manager Rhonda Sable is uncertain which show the Karamazov Brothers will perform in the fall. The past two years have been devoted to "Theatre of the Air," a sort of "greatest

hits" show made up of routines that appeared in their three earlier ventures -"Juggling & Cheap Theatrics," "Juggle &: Hyde" and "Club."

Much like a busker attempting a new bit, the troupe is field testing "The Historical Comedy Drama" in La Jolla. If it flies, it's in for the next season.

The show is a new theatre arts venture for the K's, and a departure from their juggling based performances. Furst, who on stage plays Fyodor, the silent Karamazov, said he's staying home because he's not so interested in this style of theatre. "I'm not as interested in formal, scripted plays and acting as the others are. But I'll continue to do shows like those we've done so far," he said.

As the Karamazovs enter their 19th season of entity, Furst said this show is an example of how members are more actively pursuing their own interests. "We're each starting to branch out in individual directions as we continue the group direction," Furst explained. "Paul (Magid, a.k.a. Dmitri) is doing more writing of plays and screenplays, not all of which will be done by all of us. Howard (Patterson, a.k.a. Ivan) i s doing a lot of music, and Sam (Williams, a.k.a. Smerdyakov) has a strong interest in the theatre and theatre management.

Furst said he personally is interested in doing more juggling. "I'm the one who goes to festivals when feasible," he said. "I go to the IJA festival when I can, and went to the European festival in Verona and the Tbilisi, Georgia, festival last year. I happen to juggle for a hobby, and just happen to have made my living from it for the last 16 years!"

The whimsical Karamazov tour de force, described in the Wall Street Joumal as "five long-haired men in harem pants," began in 1973 with Magid and Patterson teaming up to street perform in Santa Cruz. They chose the name because it was classy. Their shows are good as much because of their tightly scripted dialogue and careful choreography as their juggling prowess. "It's always been our idea that what we're doing is theatre," said Magid in People Magazine.