Created by Hull-based performers and long-time collaborators Andy Ross and Jack Fielding, Colosseum of Chaos features two ridiculous gladiators who worship an onstage Amazon Alexa. The show plunges audiences into a gladiatorial game of silly challenges, slapstick battles and spontaneous fun. 

Colosseum of Chaos heads to Barnsley, Castleford, Horbury and Leeds this month, and here Andy talks about the show and his friendship with Jack…

Can you tell us a little bit about Colosseum of Chaos and what people can expect?

It’s a project of love and hilarity between me and my best friend, Jack. His expertise is in stage combat and mine is in clowning, and he said ‘let’s try and put those two things together. So we did an experiment at Hull Truck Theatre, and the result was a 50-minute show – Colosseum of Chaos. It’s definitely for all ages and it’s basically two guys on stage fighting for Amazon Alexa’s approval, with the audience using Alexa as a jukebox and a backing track to our antics.

Between this, we do ridiculous tasks that Alexa has imposed on us – like trying to balance balls on hair dryers, or getting audience members to throw pool noodles.

You and Jack are both theatre makers. How did you end up working together as Colosseum of Chaos?

We met at Hull University, where we both studied drama and theatre practice. We directed a comedy musical and we just worked really well together. We often get paired together because he’s a bit smaller and I’m a lot taller. So we look quite the pair.

We’ve been working together since 2011, but this is our first project by ourselves. We felt we knew enough about what people would enjoy and thankfully this show has gone down really well. We’ve heard from parents who’ve said their kids have gone home and acted out what they had seen, which is really nice.

What made you and Jack want to be performers?

For me, I remember from about the age of five I wanted to be a clown. It’s not what I now realise a clown to be, but I wanted to be someone that entertained people and made them happy.

That turned into being a comedian, and then actor. Growing up I just performed in everything, did every club I could.

Jack started off very young in theatre. He grew up in Warwickshire and was involved with the Royal Shakespeare Company doing stage combat from about the age of 10. So the theatre and performing was something we were both involved with from a very early age.

You mention your passion for clowning. Tell us a bit about this.

I now teach clowning (yes, it really is a thing) – not the archetype clown that you think of where someone has a white face, big shoes and a bright costume. It’s more about clowning in the sense of being yourself.

In the world which we live in it’s really hard to let go of the facade that we all wear. In my clowning workshops I like to show that if you are yourself and can show that honestly, you will reap the benefits. People are wonderfully funny and silly – we don’t need to add anything else.

Many people think of clowns and clowning as old-fashioned. Is it still relevant today?

Yes, 100%. Any ideas that you have of clowning are correct, because clowning has evolved into this multi-facetted way of expression.

The word ‘clown’ can be the freedom to play within your own medium, like dance for instance. Clowning is about the freedom of self-expression and there are all kinds of different types – there’s performance clowning, horror clowns, improv clowns and then you’ve got holistic clowning which looks into what clowning can do for you in a self-actualising way. There’s so much to it.

Is theatre and performing still important in our digital world?

Completely. A lot of other mediums, like TV, social media, films, and video games, have versions of storytelling, but with theatre you’re face to face with other people. You have a community feeling in a live setting.

With mine and Jack’s kind of theatre we always try to get the audience involved. That’s a really important element, because with theatre you have this wonderful asset – a live audience – that you don’t get anywhere else.

So the audience becomes part of the performance, and the show becomes something we made together.

Is Colosseum of Chaos for children and grown-ups?

Absolutely. It’s a bit like a panto. We want something for the whole family. We don’t want something where it’s just for the kids.

We also do a version of the show that’s just for adults. But the only thing that makes it an adult version is the fact that there’s no kids. The show doesn’t change, it’s not smuttier or sweary, it just means that adults, like I was saying earlier, can let go of their façade and be themselves.

Click here for tickets

Colosseum of Chaos is playing at: 

The Cluntergate Centre, Horbury – Sunday, July 12, 2pm

BHF Priory Centre, Barnsley – Wednesday, July 22, 2pm

Queen’s Mill, Castleford – Friday, July 24, 2pm

St. Bartholomew’s Church, Armley, Leeds – Saturday, July 25, 2pm

The Gate at Belle Isle TMO, Leeds – Thursday, July 30, 2pm

Click here for tickets