Freak Show Live

**Freak Show Live** was a live theatrical show based on The Residents' 1990 concept album and CD-ROM *Freak Show*, which was performed in a month-long residency at the Archa Theatre in Prague, Czech Republic in November 1995.

The show is unique in The Residents' live history in that The Residents themselves did not perform in the show at all; the adaptation was instead performed by **The Freak Show Band**, comprised of members of the Czech progressive rock band Už Jsme Doma. The show also featured set and costume design by Ron Davis, who had previously created designs for The Residents' Cube-E tour.

One performance was filmed and aired on Czech TV; excerpts from this show have since appeared on a number of Residents releases.

## History

In the spring of 1993, Ondřej Hrab visited The Cryptic Corporation offices, with the offer of creating a theatrical adaptation of Freak Show. He was shown an early version of the Freak Show game, and given a rough idea of what to do.

The show is structured in two acts, the is largely musical, and heavily based on the album, where Tex The Ringleader, shows the audience the freaks in his show and sings their songs. The second act of the show is more inspired by the CD-ROM, and features a behind the scene look at the Freak Show, and what the residents of the show do in their spare time.

## Performers

The Residents themselves were unable to perform in the show, and as such hired a series of performers to play in their place.

### Cast

* Wayne Doba as Tex, The Ringleader
* Andrea Nováková as Wanda, The Worm Woman
* Vladimír Gut as Herman, The Human Mole
* Miroslav Matyáš, as Benny, The Bouncing Bump
* Laurie Amat, Andrea Jurčová & Iva Nachtmannová, as The Freak Show Choir

### The Freak Show Band

* Miroslav Wanek: Conductor
* František Svačina & Vladimír Helebrant: Keyboards
* Kamil Krůta: Bass
* Lenka Kavalová: Cello
* Jindřich Dolanský: Tenor saxophone
* Romek Hanzlík: Guitar
* Hynek Schneider: Drums

## Set list

### Act One

1. Everyone Comes to the Freak Show
2. Wanda the Worm Woman
3. Mickey the Mumbling Midget
4. Jelly Jack the Boneless Boy
5. Herman the Human Mole
6. Harry the Head
7. Benny The Bouncing Bump
8. Bridge

### Act Two

1. Wanda’s Letters, Part 17
2. Jelly Jack the Boneless Boy
3. Benny The Bouncing Bump
4. Nobody Laughs When They Leave
5. Benny The Bouncing Bump

## Dates

* November 1st 1995 - Archa Theatre, Prague, Czech Republic
* November 2nd 1995 - Archa Theatre, Prague, Czech Republic
* November 3rd 1995 - Archa Theatre, Prague, Czech Republic
* November 7th 1995 - Archa Theatre, Prague, Czech Republic
* November 8th 1995 - Archa Theatre, Prague, Czech Republic
* November 9th 1995 - Archa Theatre, Prague, Czech Republic
* November 10th 1995 - Archa Theatre, Prague, Czech Republic
* November 14th 1995 - Archa Theatre, Prague, Czech Republic
* November 15th 1995 - Archa Theatre, Prague, Czech Republic
* November 16th 1995 - Archa Theatre, Prague, Czech Republic
* November 17th 1995 - Archa Theatre, Prague, Czech Republic
* November 18th 1995 - Archa Theatre, Prague, Czech Republic
* November 22nd 1995 - Archa Theatre, Prague, Czech Republic
* November 23rd 1995 - Archa Theatre, Prague, Czech Republic
* November 24th 1995 - Archa Theatre, Prague, Czech Republic
* November 25th 1995 - Archa Theatre, Prague, Czech Republic
* November 28th 1995 - Archa Theatre, Prague, Czech Republic
* November 29th 1995 - Archa Theatre, Prague, Czech Republic

## Related releases

* *Dot.Com* (2000) Contains a performance of Wanda
* *Kettles Of Fish On The Outskirts Of Town* (2003) Contains Everyone Comes to the Freak Show & Herman
* *Prague And Beyond (2003),* an album that collects various Freak Show live material, released as part of the 2003 Freak Show 2xCD box set. Collects rehearsal audio as well as live.
* *Freak Show DVD* (2006) collects various Freak Show Clips, sold with copies of the 2006 re-issue of *Freak Show*.

## External links and references

* Freak Show Live at The Residents Historical
* Freak Show Live at RZWeb (archived via archive.org)

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 http://2002.archatheatre.cz/english/archiv\_a/freak\_show\_a\_01.htm#sipka\_n3
2. ↑ Freak Show pREServed booklet, Jim Knipfel, 2021
3. ↑ https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/450231240059256842/825121109863038986/FreakShowTicket.png