Best Captain Frodo Podcasts (2024)

1
116 - Jay & Frodo How to Play in Performance - (Unpacking episodes 103 & 104) 2:22:33

9h ago2:22:33

2:22:33

Jay Gilligan is back! we go through his questions about episodes 103 & 104 to concretise some of the points I am making about Play and performance. some of the topics we touch=: -How to foster a playful connection at the beginning of your show. -Is there such a thing as a bad audience? -fulfilling audience expectations whilst still surprising them.…

1
115 - Why Are We Born so Helpless (Showmanship & Play 14) 37:58

11d ago37:58

37:58

Why are we born so helpless. The answer will takes us through the history of human evolution and into the dualling biological need of a growing human head and the anatomical changes coming from our upright walking. Support the show ... Now you can get t-shirts and hoodies with our wonderful logo. This is the best new way to suport the podcast proje…

1
114 - Play as Self Creation (Showmanship & Play 13) 1:00:15

1M ago1:00:15

1:00:15

In this episode I talk about Peter Gray and his book Free to Learn - Why unleasing the instinc to play will make our children happier, more self-reliant, and better students for life. We talk about how play is learning. how we today think about play as something which is dont to children. Not something they actively participate and even lead. for 1…

1
113 - Nick Difatte & Audience Volunteers 1:19:39

1M ago1:19:39

1:19:39

This is a conversation with one of the funniest guys I know. He's had me laughing so hard I had to get partially undressed. We talk about magic and comedy and their intersection before landing on a long explorations of how to select and manage audience volunteers. Nick is an expert at handling volunteers and gets SO much out of the people he gets u…

1
112 - How Play Manifests in the World pt 2 of 2 (Showmanship & Play 12) 1:04:35

2M ago1:04:35

1:04:35

In this episode I continue describing the ways we find the play impulse, or the activity of play, manifesting in the world. I start by talking about learning. -The next way play emerges is through Imagination. -Then we look at how, quite obviously, play manifest thorugh actual playfulness. -We procede to Sociality. -Then I find in Rutger Bregman's …

1
111 - How Play Manifests in the World pt 1 of 2 (Showmanship & Play 11) 43:22

2M ago43:22

43:22

Adults and children spend their days differently - we work, babies play. Play is the signature of childhood. It’s a living, visible manifestation of imagination and learning I action. Allison Gopnik If play is a constant and a genuine human drive, how do we recognise it when we see it in the world? Or more specifically; in which kind of behaviours …

1
110 - the Play Instinct (Showmanship & Play 10) 47:03

2M ago47:03

47:03

"Instincts are the whispers of our ancestors." - Quote by yours truly. In this episode we explore whether our inclination to play might actually be an innate human drive. Do we human beings possess an instinct to play? If so, how and why would something like that evolve? By understanding how something came into being we often learn valuable lessons…

1
109 - Unpacking Play pt 2 (Showmanship & Play 9) 56:00

3M ago56:00

56:00

In this episode I finish up the unpacking of the five criteria of play. As we go on these five points will be the backbone of our inquiry. Much like how using Showman - Audience & Show as a symbol or mnemonic picture which affords us a lot of understanding, these five criteria will expand our understanding of play, and by transferral how it connect…

1
108 - Memoirs of a Coney Island Clown w Jellyboy the Clown 2:05:00

3M ago2:05:00

2:05:00

In this episode I talk to Jellyboy the Clown about his book Memoirs of a Coney Island Clown. I learn a lot about him and how closely our experiences mirror eachother. There are some tragic details about suicide in this episode - be warned, if you need such a warning. "Embark on an unforgettable journey alongside Jelly Boy in "Memoirs of a Coney Isl…

1
107 - Unpacking Play pt 1 (Showmanship & Play 8 of 30) 40:03

3M ago40:03

40:03

In this episode I continue to unpack the five criterias of play. The five are as follows: 1 - Play is fun. It’s intensely pleasurable and enjoyable. So when we play we don’t want it to stop. 2 - Play is self motivated, which means it has to be entered into voluntarily. 3 - Play is apparently purposeless. We play for the sake of playing not to achie…

1
106 - Active Practice w Jay Gilligan (unpacking episode 96 & 98) 1:32:39

3M ago1:32:39

1:32:39

In this episode Jay Gilligan brings up a few questions relating to episodes 3 & 4 in my exploration of Showmanship and Play (number 96 & 98). -We talk about what its like to talk to people about something which does not have an easy answer. A fortune cookie once told me "to every complex problem there is always a simple answer - and its usually wro…

1
105 - Don't Be Afraid to be Modern with the Birdmann Trent Baumann 2:02:43

4M ago2:02:43

2:02:43

In this episode I catch up with an old friend, a unique and philosophically inclined comedian and clown Mr Trent Birdmann. We talk about our shows together, our thoughts on our past, present and the uncertainties about the future. We share stories and insights about our lives as Showmen trying to make it in the modern world. You can find Trent Baum…

1
104 - Play in 5 Easy Steps (Showmanship & Play 7 of 30) 35:54

4M ago35:54

35:54

In this episode I unpack the five criterias of play. The five are as follows: 1 - Play is fun. It’s intensely pleasurable and enjoyable. So when we play we don’t want it to stop. 2 - Play is self motivated, which means it has to be entered into voluntarily. 3 - Play is apparently purposeless. We play for the sake of playing not to achieve some furt…

1
103 - What is Play (Showmanship & Play 6 of 30) 36:23

5M ago36:23

36:23

In this episode I take you on a walk with my little dog Teddy and along the Way we encounter play in a very direct way. Then I let you take a sneak peak at my daughter and her kind of play. Then we look at trying to define play is like pinning a butterfly. From all these examples I distill the nature of play down to five criteria which will be the …

1
102 - Jay Gilligan Questions Showmanship & Play episode by 2 (Unpacking episode 95) 1:41:09

5M ago1:41:09

1:41:09

In this episode Jay Gilligan asks me to explain and elaborate some details about a previous episode. The main part of this season (4) is the 30 episodes that explores and makes my argument for how the very deepest origins of Showmanship can be found in human play as well as building a powerful argument for this dual trait of Showmanship & Play lies…

1
101 - Connect & Play - (Showmanship & Play 5 of 30) 41:42

5M ago41:42

41:42

In this episode I seek general features of what happens in the Area of Interest, or in Shows. I talk about Nalle Laanela's book the Clown Manifesto and how it helped me understand that two key features of performance and Shows are Connection and Playfulness. links: Nalle's wonderful book the Clown Manifesto Support the show ... Now you can get t-sh…

1
100 - the Clown and the New World - epic poem audio extravaganza 41:35

6M ago41:35

41:35

This is a celebratory episode along the lines of my previous audio poetic endeavours in episode 21 and 42. This is an epic poem which initially was called The Rime of the Ancient Merrier. Merrier |ˈmerēər| noun (mer•ri•er) 1 one who brings happiness to others. 2 a simple or special person, trad. considered blessed or touched by God. 3 a fool or a c…

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99 - Jay Gilligan Questions Showmanship & Play episode 1 (Unpacking episode 94) 1:04:47

6M ago1:04:47

1:04:47

In this episode we try something new. Jay Gilligan has listened to my new season about Play & Showmanship and he found that there were several points in the episode he wanted to know more about. He recorded some snippets with some AI app that he has and he reads me the unedited transcriptions of these and we have a great and DEEP conversation about…

1
98 - the Nature of Shows & Geometry - (Showmanship & Play 4 of 30) 50:22

6M ago50:22

50:22

In this episode I make one more example of a metaphor of my own making. I believe this to be a particularly fertile example, by which I mean a deep and powerful metaphor. Using the uncanny similarity of the geometry of triangles with the process of Showmanship. Looking at the two side by side I belive we can get insights into the nature of our Craf…

1
97 - Back in Las Vegas, now with Cirque du Soleil - Birthday Ramble 31:21

6M ago31:21

31:21

I didn't think it would happen. Not this birtday ramble nor that I would be back in Las Vegas, nor that I would be here with Cirque du Soleil! But I am back on all those fronts and yet again I am humbled by my own lack of ability to accurately predict the unfolding events of my life. BUT I am beyond grateful that it all conspired to be this Way. Su…

1
96 - How to See through the Lens of Showmanship - (Showmanship & Play 3 of 30) 35:59

7M ago35:59

35:59

In this episode I talk about viewing the world through the lens of Showmanship. This is something I say at the beginning of each episode and it is what this podcast is all about. I talk about how to look and what the lens is. So, this episode has as its aim to allow you a clearer idea of what it means and to be able to look at the world in the same…

1
95 - the Inner Ear Bone of Showmanship - (Showmanship & Play 2 of 30) 47:19

7M ago47:19

47:19

In this episode I lay how what Showmanship is, as I see it. If we are to work out what the origins of something is, particularly if the origins lay deep in prehistory, then chances are there has been a great deal of change to the thing. Sometimes so much that it is hard to recognice it. SO, to be able to know what the origins are we must know what …

1
94 - Showmanship & Play - Introduction (S&P 1 of 30) 56:14

8M ago56:14

56:14

In this episode we start a whole new project. We revert back to the format of the first 60, or so, episodes where I share my own ideas with you. The subject for this 4th season will be Showmanship & Play. Or, how Showmanship is like Play and what we can learn from seeing it as such. links: Here is a link to the whole season of PBS series about evol…

1
93 - Clarity of Expression makes you a better Artist - Jay Gilligan and Frodo - pt 2 of 2 47:03

8M ago47:03

47:03

In this conversation we talk further about making choices and how learning to understand why we take the choices we do about what we do on stage we develop clarity of expression which is the foundation stone of a good artist. some of the things we talk about: -Why did you do that? I dont know is not a good enough answer. -Concretise your choices an…

1
92 - Making Ideas Concrete by Making Choices - Jay Gilligan and Frodo - pt 1 of 2.m4a 40:59

9M ago40:59

40:59

In this episode I ask Jay Gilligan to tell me about how he makes his ideas concrete to his students at the circus school in Stockholm. -How this relates to performance abstract and concrete or narrative -Circus appears frivolous when seen in most cases, academic thought in universities might make contributions to unpacking how its not, but this aca…

1
91 - The Importance of Intention - Ivar Hacksher, Jay Gilligan & Frodo -pt 2 of 2 1:04:06

9M ago1:04:06

1:04:06

In this episoe I try to get Ivar Hackscher and Jay Gilligan to help me further my understanding about the difference between concrete and abstract performance. The topic is complex and our routes into its terrain circuitous. Some of the topics touched on: -Necessity, freedom and play. Arthus Zajonc's book Meditation as contemplative inquiry -How do…

1
90 - Freedom to Make Choices - Ivar Hacksher, Jay Gilligan & Frodo - pt 1 of 2 51:31

10M ago51:31

51:31

In this episode Jay Gilligan and I talk to the wonderful teacher and artist Ivar Hacksher in his house. We talk about many things, but the underlying flavour is about making choices in art and life. some of the things we talk about: - the importance of not knowing. -making things and ideas concrete too soon. -Olle and Sarah from the stockholm galle…

1
89 - the One Being Educated is YOU - Jay Gilligan, Ivar Hacksher, Erik Åberg & Your Truly - Pt 2 of 2 51:02

10M ago51:02

51:02

In this episode Ivar Hackscher, Jay Gilligan, Erik Åberg and myself talk about education and abouyt being constant learners. Some of the topics we touch on: -What would be a good education for jugglers -A school does not have enough time to be completely open ended. Only your education in life will have that time, and even that does not have unlimi…

1
Episode 140 - Jascha Boyce, co-founder and director of Gravity & Other Myths 1:17:00

10M ago1:17:00

1:17:00

On today's episode Josh and Lyndsay review Mario The Maker Magician's new show at Soho Playhouse and Roncalli Circus at the Big Apple Circus. They also discuss the closure of Sleep No More in New York City and Cirque Du Soleil's upcoming country music themed tour. Later in the episode they talk with Jascha Boyce, the co-founder and director of the …

1
88 - Listening is the Art of Life - Jay Gilligan, Ivar Hacksher, Erik Åberg & Captain Frodo - pt 1 of 2.m4a 42:40

10M ago42:40

42:40

In this episode there are four of us talking. The audio is not quite what you have gotten used to on this high budget, high fidelity broadcasting operation, but the content is as golden as ever. It's a free flowing conversation around the topics of education, sharing our knowledge and how listening makes us better human beings. some of the topics w…

1
87 - Mac King - Las Vegas Legend - 2 of 2 1:09:03

11M ago1:09:03

1:09:03

In this episode I continue my conversation with Mac King. We start out talking about Shows and performing but end up talking about books. SO, the last part of this episode is possibly the first episode of a spin off book club, where Mac and Frodo talks about books NOT relating to performing. Topics we touch on: -On performing almost exlusively in o…

1
Episode 139 - Patrick Philadelphia, CEO of Circus Theater Roncalli 1:29:31

11M ago1:29:31

1:29:31

On today's show Josh and Lyndsay talk about all the circus coming to NYC over the holidays, Cirque Du Soleil's new influencer network, and later call up the CEO of Circus Theater Roncalli, Patrick Philadelphia. Patrick is in NYC to direct the latest edition of Big Apple Circus which has a partnership production with the famed European one ring circ…

1
86 - Mac King - The Structure of a Masterful Magic Show - 1 of 2 1:11:22

11M ago1:11:22

1:11:22

In this episode I get to have a conversation with an absolute legend of magic. He has had his own show in Las Vegas for more than 20 years! Just try and picture that. He reached out expressing his appreciation for the podcast and I hopped on the opportunity to ask him to join me for a stroll along the Way and this is part one of that. As you'll hea…

1
Episode 138 - Jean Luc Martin, executive director of the San Diego Circus Center 1:23:23

12M ago1:23:23

1:23:23

On today's episode Josh and Lyndsay chat briefly about the remount of REFLEX: Unraveling 4000 Years of Juggling now playing at Baruch Performing Arts Center Off-Broadway in Manhattan followed by a three week US Tour. Later in the show they call up founder and executive director of the San Diego Circus Center, Jean Luc Martin. They chat about his pa…

1
85 - Erik Åberg - Expanding Our Artistic Practice - part 2 of 2 1:11:14

12M ago1:11:14

1:11:14

This is the second part of my conversation with juggle, inventor and thinker Erik Åberg. We talk about a whole range of interesting topics and I marvel at the depth of thought Erik shares with me. we talk about: Archiving as artistic practice. Paul Cinquevalli. Juggling history is the past, juggling today can be observed, the possible future explor…

1
Episode 137 - Shayna Swanson, founder of Aloft Circus Arts and director of Brave Space 1:25:44

12M ago1:25:44

1:25:44

On today's episode, Josh & Lyndsay talk about new musicals headed to NYC this spring including The Outsiders and Water for Elephants, the four big circuses playing in the city this Christmas featuring a Big Apple Circus and Circus Roncalli joint venture, as well as some questionable developments from Cirque Du Soleil. Later in the show they call up…

1
84 - Erik Åberg: Asking Big Questions through Juggling - Part 1 of 2 1:21:53

1y ago1:21:53

1:21:53

In this episode we bring you the first part of a conversation with Erik Åberg who at the time of recoring is writing his Ph.D about juggling. He is an extraorinary juggler with a wonderful way of thinking and finding real deep questions about juggling, writing, researching, archiving, and answering them in illuminating ways. We start out talking ab…

1
Episode 136 - Jay Gilligan and Captain Frodo on the return of REFLEX: Unraveling 4,000 Years of Juggling 1:22:40

1y ago1:22:40

1:22:40

On today's episode, Josh and Lyndsay recap the last few months on tour with their summer circus Stars Above, and chat about the Montreal Circus Festival, the new show in Atlantic City from Spiegelworld, and what Hideaway Circus has coming up this year. Later in the show they call up Jay Gilligan and Frodo Santini to discuss the return of REFLEX: Un…

1
83 - Another Sunset pt 3 of 3 - The Show 1:20:58

1y ago1:20:58

1:20:58

The best version of a juggling show was the written verision, or the told version of the show. The reason he chose to speak in the show was to make it more relatable. Be direct. Deliberatly casual. Every spectator gets to choose their favorite colour from a tray. Human interest and a genuie meeting of people. Choosing music. the process of making t…

1
82 - Another Sunset pt 2 of 3 - Juggling in an art gallery with props you've made 1:09:07

1y ago1:09:07

1:09:07

How does juggling props get made from possibility to reality. Siteswap and juggling notation colour notation for pattern. Deepening the conversation about colour and Juggling. In painting, sculpture and design colour is SO well researced which makes the task of quesiotning juggling and colour quite intimidation. Placing juggling in art context. the…

1
81 - Another Sunset - Jay Gilligan - A Ten Year Long Process pt 1 of 3 1:05:13

1y ago1:05:13

1:05:13

This episode I get Jay Gilligan to tell me about the incredible process that led him to the realisation of his latest show Another Sunset. From having to make props and get special balls hand sewn and hand dyed in colours never seen before in a juggling context. We talked in previous episode in season 2 about a year long process we had making Jay's…

1
80 - Meet Marvelous Mario the Maker Magician, an exploration of Authenticity 1:25:03

1y ago1:25:03

1:25:03

In this episode Mario and I talk about his upcoming season in Edinburgh, he's ordered 10.000 clown noses. We talk about play and bringing up kids on the road. We talk quite a bit about family. I try to pry secrets from his process of creating emotionally engaging and unusually deep acts by getting him to tell me about his Pixar looking lamp robot a…

1
79 - Jay Gilligan - Process and not having time for Everything - Stockholm Kitchen Conversation 2of2 1:15:07

1y ago1:15:07

1:15:07

Jay Gilligan and I begin our second kitchen conversation talking about the importance of documenting ones work and process and also our ongoing work in how to do this. We talk about the importance of listening back on conversations, youll be surprised at how much you missed. unpacking details you've read, or that emerge in a conversation, into a wh…

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78 - Jay Gilligan - Making your show valuable - Stockholm kitchen Conversations 1of2 1:08:22

1y ago1:08:22

1:08:22

In this episode Jay Gilligan and I converse in his kitchen. We start talking about how juan Tamariz, the massively influential Spanish magician, takes control of his whole environment to create the best possible conditions for creating a magic experience. From that we talk about about how to present your needs for light and sound etc to producers a…

1
77 - What's the spirit of Circus & much more with Garreth Bjaaland pt 2 of 2 49:03

1+ y ago49:03

49:03

In this second part of the conversation with Gareth Bjaaland we talk about the spirit of circus. He sugests wonderfully that it might be the show must go on you can put anything in the ring and everyone is welcome. I loved this! we then talk about games, finite and infinite, we talk about serious play and serious games. This was a really fun conver…

1
Episode 135 - Ramon Vazquez, CFO and co-owner of Circus Vazquez and FL!P Circus 2:04:30

1+ y ago2:04:30

2:04:30

On today’s episode, Josh and Lyndsay talk about a few Cirque Du Soleil’s stories: a new video game Cirque Du Soleil Tycoon, their new mixed reality experience in LA, and one of their current copyright lawsuits. Later in the episode they call up Ramon Vazquez, who is the Chief Financial Officer and co-owner of the traditional Mexican circus Circus V…

1
76 - Laughing in the Face of Death & other matters of importance with Garreth Bjaaland pt 1 of 2 1:03:57

1+ y ago1:03:57

1:03:57

This is the first part of a great flowing conversation I had with Garreth Bjaaland, whom regular followers of the Way will remember well from our conversations about the ingredients of comedy. In this conversation we go far and wide and surprisingly deep on matters related to comedy, we look at Gareths revisions and developments on this thinking ab…

1
Episode 134 - Carolina Ortega, international booking agent and sustainability consultant 1:20:26

1+ y ago1:20:26

1:20:26

On today's show Josh and Lyndsay announce the 2023 Tour Route for their outdoor summer circus, Stars Above, then they talk about two Broadway shows they saw last week, The Sign in Sidney Brustien's Window and Once Upon A One More Time. Later in the episode they call up Carolina Ortega, a booking agent for Aurora Nova, an agency which specializes in…

1
75 - What's your Gift to the Audience - Talking with Tom Greder pt 2 of 2 1:04:26

1+ y ago1:04:26

1:04:26

In this epidose comes the first part of a wonderful conversation I had with the knowledgable and deep thinker Tom Greder. He is a clown, a teacher and innovative creator. We talk about how to decide what to put in a Show. What does Audiences take away from your show, beyond whatever tricks or Material you present. About performing a Show and after …

1
Episode 133 - Nathalie Enterline, award-winning circus artist and former partner of juggler Francis Brunn 1:27:32

1+ y ago1:27:32

1:27:32

On today's episode Josh and Lyndsay talk about the Tony award nominations, the upcoming CINEMA CIRCUS movie night with 3AM Theater, and a featured article in the New York Times about Spiegelworld's acquisition of future circus town Nipton, CA. Later in the show, Nathalie Enterline stops by to chat about her life and career in the circus and regale …

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