Get silly with clown Alistair Aitcheson as he expands what’s possible in audience-centric theater. Dig into why clowns can feel both joyful and unsettling, and how curiosity, audience trust, and failure turn a show into a shared act of play. In this episode, Alistair shares how clown training reshaped his interactive work, focusing on his show My Date with Pierce Brosnan, fresh from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The conversation also explores how clowning overlaps with drag, how audience participation becomes safer when the performer takes the risk, and why “every bug is a feature” might be the best clowning principle of all.

Key topics

• Why clown makeup can be uncanny, especially when it exaggerates the mouth and breaks normal facial expectations
• Alistair traces his path from making video games as a teenager to building interactive theatre experiences
• How clown training helped solve a design problem by teaching him how to connect directly with audiences and remove the “fourth wall”
• Why the clown should be the most outrageous person in the room so that the audience feels safe to take risks
• Compare clowning and drag as related forms that share curiosity, theatrical exaggeration, and a challenge to social norms
• How the clown sees the world as a blank slate, asking what objects are for and how they might be played with instead of assumed
• Clowning and software bugs are connected because failure creates surprises, and surprises are where the real magic happens

Resoruces

Alistair’s website

https://www.alistairaitcheson.com/

My Date with Pierce Brosnan

https://mydatewith.show/

Edinburgh Fringe Festival

https://www.edfringe.com/

More on clown makeup https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/gallery-london-houses-dozens-clown-egg-portraits-180968914/

Coulrophobia - Fear of Clowns https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21835-coulrophobia-fear-of-clowns

Holly Stoppit

https://www.hollystoppit.com/

If you spend 20 years going to Burning Man, you develop a perspective on this massive Labor Day spectacle. In this episode, Lara Pearson shares her insights into what keeps this extraordinary festival fun, alive, meaningful, and continually inspiring.

Key topics

• The evolution of Burning Man from 35,000 to 70,000+ participants and its increasing scale of art and fire displays
• The core principles that maintain its community-focused, leave-no-trace philosophy
• The dynamic relationship between play, ritual, and the sacred at Burning Man
• How Burning Man fosters genuine human connections amidst harsh desert conditions
• The influence of regional burns and decompression events in spreading the culture
• Practical insights on experiencing Burning Man virtually and preparing for the adventure
• The role of brand protection and community governance in safeguarding the event's ethos
• Personal stories of transformative moments, including iconic art cars and temple releases
• How the principles of Burning Man can inspire civic engagement and community in everyday life

Resources

Brand Geek - Laura’s law firm

https://brandgeek.net/

Burning Man 10 Principles - The guiding ideas of the festival

https://burningman.org/about-us/10-principles/

Burning Man Survival Guide

https://survival.burningman.org/

Fun Survey - An ongoing study of how peolpe play and have fun, sponsored by The Fun Question

https://forms.gle/V3ZQqYie9BsMd5iF6

Discover the surprising social and psychological effects of silent discos, from creating safe spaces for uninhibited dancing to fostering unexpected connections in a world obsessed with loud music. DJ and silent disco owner Mark Brudenell discusses how headphones can enhance personal expression and social bonding, challenging our assumptions about typical nightlife.

Key Topics

• The core appeal of silent disco: freedom, ambiguity, and choice
• How silent disco creates a safe space for uninhibited dancing
• The social magic: connecting strangers through shared music channels
• The culture of headphone LEDs and their role in social signaling
• The psychology behind feeling more free and intimate with headphones
• Practical uses: silent discos at festivals, weddings, and corporate events
• The future of silent disco, including potential renaissance and cultural shifts
• TWhy headphones reduce social anxiety and encourage boldness
• How silent discos challenge traditional notions of community and personal space
• Prankster moments and social experiments in silent disco settings

Resources

Totens, a town in England

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Totnes

Playposium

https://www.playposium.com/

Emile Durkheim's Collective Effervescence - Explore social theories related to communal joy

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collective_effervescence

Dive into the immersive world of escape rooms with experts David and Lisa Spira as they explore what makes these experiences captivating, from embodied storytelling to innovative design. Whether you're a seasoned player or new to the genre, discover why escape rooms continue to thrill and inspire.

Key Topics:

• Origins of escape rooms
• The core of a good escape room: embodied story and player immersion
• Shift from lock-and-key to creative narrative-driven experiences
• The importance of collaboration over competition in escape room design
• The blending of immersive theater, video games, and storytelling techniques
• Regional variations and genre classifications within escape rooms
• Elements of quality: set design, signposting, player onboarding, and Chekhov's props
• The role of time constraints and adaptive difficulty for player retention
• The appeal of escape rooms: fantasy adventure, social bonding, and real-world adventure
• Practical tips for newcomers: how to choose the right escape room and have a memorable experience

Resources:

Room Escape Artists

https://roomescapeartist.com/

The Reality Escape Convention (Recon)

https://realityescapecon.com/

Morty App

https://morty.app/

Live Cinema: Zone 51

https://livecinema.fr/en/#/

Top Escape Rooms Project

https://terpeca.com/2025/

Lisa and David on Marriage Therapy Radio

https://marriagetherapyradio.com/2026/01/27/ep-409-no-one-wins-alone-lessons-in-partnership-from-escape-room-experts-david-and-lisa-spira/

Chekhov's gun

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chekhov%27s_gun

What makes baseball parks special? Hear it from the man who has visited every major league park in America and hundreds of other parks as well. Step up to the plate with Paul Hamann, an avid fan, author, and expert on ballparks. Discover the stories, features, and cultural elements that make these parks special and how they can inspire you to have even more fun with the sport of baseball.

Main Topics:

• Why baseball parks are called parks instead of stadiums
• Paul's personal quest to visit all major league and minor league ballparks
• What makes a ballpark memorable: architecture, location, stories, and community
• The importance of place in creating fun and meaningful sports experiences
• Features that define great ballparks: views, history, unique design elements
• The potential for sports stadiums to borrow storytelling and heritage strategies from baseball
• The debate: spectacle versus tradition in sports venues

Resources & Links:

Paul’s Ballparks - A Substack documenting Paul’s views and reviews of baseball parks

https://paulsballparks.substack.com/

Fenway Park — Iconic stadium with the Green Monster

https://www.mlb.com/redsox/ballpark

Target Field — Example of modern stadium design blending tradition and fun

https://www.mlb.com/twins/ballpark

Banana Ball — A new world of entertaining of baseball

https://thesavannahbananas.com/

Amy Mann's Super Ball — Paul’s walk-up song

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuJB-P9TuWE&t=5s

Explore the simple yet profound act of noticing with Patti Cryer, yoga therapist, joy seeker, storyteller, people gatherer, life observer, and sharer of small moments of attention and delight. Discover how collecting the small details around you can become a playful practice that enhances well-being, mindfulness, and connection.

Resources & Links

Patti Cryer on Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/patti.cryer/

The Art of Noticing, by Rob Walker

https://draw-down.com/products/the-art-of-noticing

Kama: The Joy and Pleasure of Life – Sanskrit concept about finding joy in everyday moments

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kama

Discover why mini golf isn’t just a casual pastime but a vibrant culture full of design, storytelling, and community. Robin Schwartzman and Tom Loftus, aka Mr. T and the Pink Putter, share their love for the game that combines whimsy, nostalgia, and strategic play—bringing light to its accessibility and magic.

Resources & Links

Robin Schwartzmann & Tom Loftus: A Couple of Puts - https://acoupleofputts.com/

Puttcast - https://acoupleofputts.com/puttcast/

A Couple of Putts Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/coupleputts/

A Couple of Putts on Atlas Obscura - https://www.atlasobscura.com/itineraries/unique-mini-golf-courses-world-tour

A Couple of Putts on Holey Moley - https://acoupleofputts.com/2019/08/30/even-the-losers/

A Couple of Putts Mini Golf Design - https://www.minigolfdesigners.com/

Putt-Putt Golf: A Historic Mini Golf Brand - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Putt-Putt_Fun_Center

Dr. John Sharp explores the true meaning of fun, its role in perception, culture, and society, and how embracing vulnerability and play can transform our lives. John shares his insights on game design, aesthetics, social change, and the importance of play as a humanistic act. Discover fun as a mode of experience that engages and connects.

• The relationship of fun and taste to games
• The conceptualization of fun as an aesthetic and cultural experience
• How fun compares and contrasts with beauty in art and design
• The role of vulnerability in playful experiences
• Misconceptions and resistance to the idea that fun is serious and valuable
• The importance of recognizing failure and uncertainty in play

Resources

John Sharp Parsons Profile - https://www.newschool.edu/parsons/faculty/john-sharp/

Fun, Taste, & Games: An Aesthetics for the Idle, Unproductive, and Otherwise Playful - https://ftgbook.com/

Works of Game: On the Aesthetics of Games and Art - https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262029070/works-of-game/

Games, Design, and Play: A Detailed Approach to Iterative Game Design - http://www.gamesdesignandplay.com/

Iterate: Ten Lessons on Design and Failure - https://direct.mit.edu/books/book/4324/IterateTen-Lessons-in-Design-and-Failure

Bernie DeKoven - https://www.deepfun.com/

Raph Koster, A Theory of Fun - https://www.theoryoffun.com/