Talking with Rick Cousins - 'The Best Audience Ever'

During the build-up to the 2011 IndyFringe Festival, IndyFringeTalk interviewed some of the key performers to get insight into their stories, their audience and the Fringe itself. Here is what happened when we sat down with The Best Audience Ever's Rick Cousins.

If you could present your show to just one person, who would it be and why?
My dad, because it would mean he was still alive to see me acting like a silly twit...or any other way, for that matter. That's kind of a sentimental Hallmark Hall of Fame answer, but no less true for all that. I also think that a command performance for the Devil would be a shrewd move. After spending an hour with me, he's not likely to want to take me on for all eternity.

List 3 words that truly sum up your show.
"Quirky yet engaging". Or, if you're looking for three adjectives, 'offbeat', 'quirky', and 'engaging'. (Actually, I cheated--'engaging' is actually a present participle, not an adjective, but you get the general idea.)

What is the best way for theater-goers to stay informed about your latest productions?
The best way to do that is to go to Uncle Fun and Sparky Land, a website (ostensibly) started up on my behalf by a couple of characters who found their way into my work way back when: http://unclefunandsparkyland.blogspot.com/ . It's also a good place to get a sense of where my sense of humor's coming from, and to hear some things I've done over the years in the nearly-obsolescent field of radio comedy.

How does fringe theater benefit you as a theater artist?
It's a great way to work things out 'on their feet'. Fringe bridges the gap between 'legitimate' theater and more free-form types of live performance like stand-up and improv, in a way that allows you to take a text and let it evolve in its own direction.

What is the funniest line in your play?
The one that stands out is "Bear with me for a moment...I’ve just come from a master class I was teaching in Primal Scream Mime, and it ran a little overtime…there were a few more people trapped in invisible boxes for a little longer than I’d anticipated." (I'm embarrassed to say I had to look this up.)

Where do you see yourself in a year’s time?
In a mirror or any other reflective surface, same as now. Unless I've turned into a vampire...

But seriously, folks, by this time next year I'm hoping to have defended my M.A. thesis and may j-u-s-t about have time to tour this show to a few more cities, and maybe even bring a new one to Indy. I'd also like to get back on track with some short bits of cheapo animation I promised some friends of mine ages ago (so many drawings...so little time--or is that the other way around...?).

Why IndyFringe?
I came here last summer as the stage manager with Kurt Fitzpatrick for The Last Straight Man in Theatre, and the whole scene just grabbed me. I like the vibe on Mass Ave., and everybody with IndyFringe is great. They're especially understanding of the eccentricities of Canadians--it may be some sort of Commonwealth thing going on with Pauline and you, and so forth. There's also a lot of stuff for an out-of-towner to do in Indianapolis during 'down time'-- I'll be making another visit to the Indiana State museum, and will catch at least one game at Victory Field, if Indians are in town.

For more information on this show, click here.