Brooklyn's St. Ann’s Warehouse will host the North American premiere of Pony Cam's Burnout Paradise later this autumn. The production, which will kick off St. Ann's 45th anniversary season, will run November 12-December 1.
In Burnout Paradise, Pony Cam welcomes audiences with a simple question: can the four performers complete a dizzying array of challenges while collectively running 20 kilometers on treadmills before their time runs out? The four runners carry out a variety of absurd activities, from preparing a three-course meal, to washing their hair, to reciting Hamlet’s soliloquy, to walking the dog and picking up its poop, to writing and submitting an arts grant, and more. If they fail (and, they often do) they offer the audience their money back. Originating in Australia, the Parrot Ox produced production previously played the Edinburgh Fringe.
Programming Burnout Paradise at St. Ann’s was a sprint for St. Anns Artistic Director Susan Feldman and general manager Erik Wallin. Having seen the show at the Fringe only five weeks ago, they sprung into action with Pony Cam to complete the steps necessary to bring the show overseas, securing visas, travel, housing, and funds in record time.
Said Feldman, “Burnout Paradise is profound in its accomplishment and all-out fun in its execution. When we saw the work in Edinburgh, there was an ecstatic connection between the actors and the audience, as we cheered them on and helped them when they needed us. The performers’ challenges represented ours, their victories were our victories, and the shared relief and euphoria at the end was palpable.”
Burnout Paradise is performed by Claire Bird, Ava Campbell, William Strom, Dominic Weintraub, and Hugo Williams, and produced by Dans Maree Sheehan and Lauren Eisinger for Parrot Ox.
For more information, visit StAnnsWarehouse.org.