Don’t Be Scared
Description:
Two zombified post-war corporate professionals attempt to run a workshop with the audience on how to face your fears. Outside, the darkness is creeping in threatening to end the show and maybe their friendship.
Venue – Rarig Xperimental
Content Warnings - Crude Humor, Mental Illness, Violence
Genre and Content - LGBTQIA+ Content, Clowning, Comedy, Political Content, Improv, Physical Theater, Audience Participation
Ages 16 and Up
Lucky 13!
Zombified characters creep me out, but c’mon, these two are coming to Minneapolis all the way from Berlin - I can deal with creepy for an hour.
(They didn’t quite come the longest distance - a guy dropping in while on a break from his teaching assignment in Beijing beats them by a little over 1,800 miles (more on them later) - still, if you’re crossing an ocean to come to the midwest, that’ll always earn you some style points with me.)
They also flag LGBTQIA+ Content (queers, represent)
Their video trailer doesn’t seem super unsettling (forgive me for dwelling on it, I’m squeamish)
Also has probably one of my favorite lines from a Fringe show page this year:
“We met studying physical theater, and started collaborating in 2021 after failing our clown training. Then we went straight to Edinburgh Fringe with... a clown show.”
Their More Information tab got a little update since the first time I looked at it. Previously it said:
“Band Practice are for the first time are crossing the ocean! Based in Berlin, this will be our first time performing in the USA as part of The Midwest Quest Tour. We are excited to be mounting one of our first and favorite full length productions after 1.5 years since its premiere. Don't Be Scared is semi-improvised and asks the audience the fateful question "What are you scared of?" For what is the role of comedy if not to make light in the dark.... right?”
Now it says:
“Band Practice is a Berlin based theater and clown duo made of Ash Willison and Lisa Ullrich. We met studying physical theater, and started collaborating in 2021 after failing our clown training. Then we went straight to Edinburgh Fringe with... a clown show. We turn ourselves inside out; wearing our most abject, absurd, and dark ideas quite literally on our bodies and invite the audience to encounter these creatures and do the same, if they please. The core of our work, as cheesy as it sounds, is that no matter how difficult or confrontational the questions are, we face them together in the spirit of playfulness and a tender friendship. And the power of a damn good song.
We've been described as "punky", "hardcore stupid", "ridiculous", and "confusing and slightly offputting" (this last one mostly from men).
We've performed at Edinburgh Fringe, Performing Arts Festival Berlin, Malta Festival (Poland), VAULT Festival (London) Berlin Fringe, Circus Lake festival (Italy) Deutsches Theater Berlin, Comedy Cafe Berlin. See more information at bandpracticeduo.com
We are extremely happy and nervous to be here. Big thank you to all of our mentors, supporters, stage-sharers, clowns, family members, teachers turned colleagues, and especially to Shai, Michelle, and Susannah. We miss you and love you :) “
Makes me wish I knew even the tiniest bit of German so I could speak to them that way, rather than force them to communicate in the one and only language I know. Ah, well…
Also love the bios, shorty and pithy:
“Ash Willison
Producer and Performer Ash is a performer, educator, and artist from a nomadic and multicultural background. All mediums and outlets of Ash's work stem from a personal movement practice. I am interested in colliding and questioning performative modes to create DIY theatre that truthfully sees the present, and provokes the future.
Lisa Ullrich
Producer and Performer Lisa is an actor from Germany and the USA. Her international training in Spain, the UK, and Germany has brought her to screen and stage.
Lena Katzer
Producer + Dramaturg Lena Katzer (b. 1995) is a director, costume designer, and curator. She most recently worked for DT Kontext at the Deutsches Theater Berlin. Trained as a men's tailor at the Städtische Bühnen Frankfurt and subsequently active at the Schaubühne, she completed her directing studies at the HfS Ernst Busch in 2023. She is a co-founder of the collective hfs_ultras.”
I’ll just try and make sure that their show is not the last thing I see at night and then have to travel home in the dark :)
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.
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