Maniac
Description
A solo clown show loosely inspired by history's most intelligent serial killer — blending masks, movement, lo-fi origami, and absurd logic into a lunatic tribunal of comedy, tenderness, and chaos.
Venue – Rarig Xperimental
Content Warnings – Gun/Weapon Usage, Loud Noises, Suicidal Ideation/Self-Harm
Genre and Content – Solo Show, Clowning, Comedy, Improv, Physical Theater
Ages 12 to 15 and Up
This one could end up in the “I’m gonna regret this” category but I find myself drawn to this Fringe show largely because of the pedigrees of the visiting artists involved (see their bios below)
Also, I’ve come around to what clowns can do in a Fringe context. (Though “clown” without any serial killing involved is enough to make some people run for the exit.)
I have not, however, come around on the whole “serial killers are fascinating” school of thought, despite how much Netflix, particularly Ryan Murphy, wants me to view serial killers as super sexy monster boys.
Also I think the association with the title “Maniac” always leads my brain to the Michael Sembello song from the movie “Flashdance” which lulls me into a false sense of security because it’s so goofy.
The press packet materials gave some useful additional detail:
“A wildly comedic clown show blending masks, movement, and lo-fi origami into a lunatic tribunal.
Inspired by 19th-century trial proceedings of the world’s "most intelligent" serial killer, critically acclaimed music video director Todd Sullivan’s MANIAC i is a wild comedy that blends clown, movement, lo-fi origami, and theatrical chaos in an absurd and hilarious tribunal. Rather than retelling the crime in any straightforward way, Maniac turns judgment itself into a fever dream, a comic spectacle—part ritual, part vaudeville. The result is playful, unpredictable, ridiculous, and just dangerous enough to keep things interesting.
Should this man’s life be spared? That, unfortunately, is now your problem.
Sullivan, who has been called a “a vital, skilled mainstay within the Denver theater scene,” is making his debut at the Minnesota Fringe. The piece is directed by Natasha Mercado, the acclaimed performer, writer, and director whose work lives where vulnerability and absurdity meet. Mercado’s sensibility can be felt in the show’s balance of vulnerability, wildness, and theatrical attention.”
[Blogger note - 19th century - so NOT the clown/serial killer combo I was originally worried about]
Want further info? Here’s the artist bios:
“Todd Sullivan
writer/performer Todd Sullivan is a Denver-based performer, filmmaker, theater-maker, and teaching artist creating original work across clown, devised theater, improv, and film. Combining physical comedy, cinematic storytelling, live audience interaction, and a strong interest in theatrical image-making, Todd devises pieces concerned with theatrical risk, visual composition, the comic, the uncanny and the tender. He has devised, directed and performed pieces with/for OK Go, The Today Show (NBC), La Mama ETC (NYC), The Hammer Museum (LA), Second City, UCB and for the SF, NY, and Denver Fringe Festivals. He holds an MFA from the American Film Institute Conservatory and an AB in Theater, Speech and Dance from Brown University.
Natasha Mercado
Director Natasha Mercado is a performer, writer, and director whose work lives where vulnerability and absurdity meet. A first-generation mixed-Latina artist, she creates worlds that are intimate, strange, and unapologetically alive. Her work centers the intelligence of the body and the audience relationship, building comedy through presence and invitation. David Shiner, co-creator of Cirque du Soleil, once called her “fearless and completely out of her mind.” Natasha’s practice spans solo performance, immersive theater, and film. Her award-winning solo works Tree and #1 Son have toured internationally from Hollywood to the Edinburgh Fringe, earning sold-out runs, critical acclaim, and extensive recognition. Across her work as a performer and director, she has received over 50 award nominations, winning more than half. On screen, Natasha has appeared on HBO, Adult Swim, Broadway Video and TBS, and was named an Emerging Content Creator by the National Association of Latino Independent Producers. Natasha is the creator of Soft Clown, a performance philosophy that treats sensitivity as a strength and pleasure as a compositional tool. As a director and teacher, she leads workshops in the U.S. and internationally, working both in-person and virtually with artists across borders.”
Interested in hearing about other artists I recommend based on past outings in the Fringe? Here's a link to a list of all the coverage of returning favorite artists from past pre-Fringe Top 20 lists of mine that are part of this year's Minnesota Fringe Festival. And here's links to the 2026 versions of my pre-Fringe Top 10 list and Top 11 through 20 for the 2026 festival as we ramp up toward the start of the Fringe on August 6th.
