103 episodes

Philosophical and esoteric perspectives from a modern day Showman. Each season is different in its approach. S1 is essays. S2 is one book length attempt at Understanding Showmanship, S3 is conversations with remarkable Showfolk. The brand new Season 4 explores the relationship between Showmanship and Play.The host, Captain Frodo, internationally renowned circus performer, director, writer, husband and dad lays out, in great detail, his practical performance philosophy for performers who seek to deepen the conversation with their audiences and themselves. You can find him, and more of his writing at: www.thewayoftheshowman.com

the Way of the Showman Captain Frodo

    • Arts
    • 5.0 • 31 Ratings

Philosophical and esoteric perspectives from a modern day Showman. Each season is different in its approach. S1 is essays. S2 is one book length attempt at Understanding Showmanship, S3 is conversations with remarkable Showfolk. The brand new Season 4 explores the relationship between Showmanship and Play.The host, Captain Frodo, internationally renowned circus performer, director, writer, husband and dad lays out, in great detail, his practical performance philosophy for performers who seek to deepen the conversation with their audiences and themselves. You can find him, and more of his writing at: www.thewayoftheshowman.com

    102 - Jay Gilligan Questions Showmanship & Play episode 2

    102 - Jay Gilligan Questions Showmanship & Play episode 2

    In this episode Jay Gilligan asks me to explain and elaborate some details about a previous episode. The main part of this season (4) is the 30 episodes that explores and makes my argument for how the very deepest origins of Showmanship can be found in human play as well as building a powerful argument for this dual trait of Showmanship & Play lies at the heart of what it means to be a human being.
    The episodes deals with some very deep and philosophical ideas and my friend and co-host thought it would be good to make me explainmyself some more. For this I am truly greatful and I hope it is useful and interesting for you to Fellow Traveller.

    Link:
    This is a link to an essay by Henri Corbin about the Imaginal. It's called Mundus Imaginalis or the Imaginary and the Imaginal
    As I mention in the opening comments of the episode I confuse Henri Corbin with the wonderful french philosopher Henri Bergson. My mistake only goes as far as claiming I watched a lecture course on him, but that course was actually about Bergson, not Corbin. So, when it comes down to it I know more about Bergson than Corbin and this lecture course is why. Here is a link to that lecture series about Henri Bergson. Its from the excellent youtube channel Absurd Being.
    Support the show
    ...

    Now you can get t-shirts and hoodies with our wonderful logo. This is the best new way to suport the podcast project. Become a proud parader of your passion for Showmanship and our glorious Craft whilst simultanously helping to gather more followers for the Way.
    You'll find the store here: https://thewayoftheshowman.printdrop.com.au

    If you want to help support this podcast it would be tremendous if you wrote a glowing review on iTunes or Spotify.
    If you want to contact me about anything, including wanting me to collaborate on one of your projects you can reach me on thewayoftheshowman@gmail.com
    or find out more on the Way of the Showman website.
    you can follow the Way of Instagram where it is, not surprisingly thewayoftheshowman.
    If you find it in you and you have the means to do so, you can suport the podcast financially at:
    https://www.buymeacoffee.com/captainfrodo

    • 1 hr 41 min
    101 - Connect & Play - (Showmanship & Play 5 of 30)

    101 - Connect & Play - (Showmanship & Play 5 of 30)

    In this episode I seek general features of what happens in the Area of Interest, or in Shows. I talk about Nalle Laanela's book the Clown Manifesto and how it helped me understand that two key features of performance and Shows are Connection and Playfulness.

    links:
    Nalle's wonderful book the Clown Manifesto
    Support the show
    ...

    Now you can get t-shirts and hoodies with our wonderful logo. This is the best new way to suport the podcast project. Become a proud parader of your passion for Showmanship and our glorious Craft whilst simultanously helping to gather more followers for the Way.
    You'll find the store here: https://thewayoftheshowman.printdrop.com.au

    If you want to help support this podcast it would be tremendous if you wrote a glowing review on iTunes or Spotify.
    If you want to contact me about anything, including wanting me to collaborate on one of your projects you can reach me on thewayoftheshowman@gmail.com
    or find out more on the Way of the Showman website.
    you can follow the Way of Instagram where it is, not surprisingly thewayoftheshowman.
    If you find it in you and you have the means to do so, you can suport the podcast financially at:
    https://www.buymeacoffee.com/captainfrodo

    • 41 min
    100 - the Clown and the New World - epic poem audio extravaganza

    100 - the Clown and the New World - epic poem audio extravaganza

    This is a celebratory episode along the lines of my previous audio poetic endeavours in episode 21 and 42. This is an epic poem which initially was called The Rime of the Ancient Merrier.
    Merrier |ˈmerēər|
    noun (mer•ri•er)
    1 one who brings happiness to others.
    2 a simple or special person, trad. considered blessed or touched by God.
    3 a fool or a clown
    ORIGIN Old English myrige [pleasing, delightful,] of Germanic origin; related to mirth.

    This ode to Caliope, (which is both the Muse of epic poetry and a steam organ played along the midway of carnivals) chronicals one lone showman making his Way through the world. After life falls apart in the old world he boards a ship to the New World but life does not become any easier, in fact it gets a whole lot worse before he even gets there.
    Follow it through to the end. Remember when the dark is the most complete we become able to spot even the tiniest lights.
    Support the show
    ...

    Now you can get t-shirts and hoodies with our wonderful logo. This is the best new way to suport the podcast project. Become a proud parader of your passion for Showmanship and our glorious Craft whilst simultanously helping to gather more followers for the Way.
    You'll find the store here: https://thewayoftheshowman.printdrop.com.au

    If you want to help support this podcast it would be tremendous if you wrote a glowing review on iTunes or Spotify.
    If you want to contact me about anything, including wanting me to collaborate on one of your projects you can reach me on thewayoftheshowman@gmail.com
    or find out more on the Way of the Showman website.
    you can follow the Way of Instagram where it is, not surprisingly thewayoftheshowman.
    If you find it in you and you have the means to do so, you can suport the podcast financially at:
    https://www.buymeacoffee.com/captainfrodo

    • 41 min
    99 - Jay Gilligan Questions Showmanship & Play episode 1 (94)

    99 - Jay Gilligan Questions Showmanship & Play episode 1 (94)

    In this episode we try something new. Jay Gilligan has listened to my new season about Play & Showmanship and he found that there were several points in the episode  he wanted to know more about. He recorded some snippets with some AI app that he has and he reads me the unedited transcriptions of these and we have a great and DEEP conversation about 
    the morals of Attention. 
    How paying close Attention actually shapes what it is - or at the very least your perception of it. 
    How you are and what you think will bleed through what you do in your act. 
    How we understand what we do is of the utmost importance for ourselves.
    What does Captain Frodo mean when he says that someone is "authentic" and how do we get to this point with our characters?
    About the importance of the ACTUAL ENCOUNTER. About really being present in the moment, the miracle of sharing time together, not apart but together.
    Support the show
    ...

    Now you can get t-shirts and hoodies with our wonderful logo. This is the best new way to suport the podcast project. Become a proud parader of your passion for Showmanship and our glorious Craft whilst simultanously helping to gather more followers for the Way.
    You'll find the store here: https://thewayoftheshowman.printdrop.com.au

    If you want to help support this podcast it would be tremendous if you wrote a glowing review on iTunes or Spotify.
    If you want to contact me about anything, including wanting me to collaborate on one of your projects you can reach me on thewayoftheshowman@gmail.com
    or find out more on the Way of the Showman website.
    you can follow the Way of Instagram where it is, not surprisingly thewayoftheshowman.
    If you find it in you and you have the means to do so, you can suport the podcast financially at:
    https://www.buymeacoffee.com/captainfrodo

    • 1 hr 4 min
    98 - the Nature of Shows & Geometry - (Showmanship & Play 4 of 30)

    98 - the Nature of Shows & Geometry - (Showmanship & Play 4 of 30)

    In this episode I make one more example of a metaphor of my own making. I believe this to be a particularly fertile example, by which I mean a deep and powerful metaphor. 
    Using the uncanny similarity of the geometry of triangles with the process of Showmanship. Looking at the two side by side I belive we can get insights into the nature of our Craft of performance that can be hard to picture and grasp only looking at it abstractly. In many ways the geometry of the triangle is like an explanatory illustration demonstrating pictorially what happens when a Showman presents his Material for an Audience and the phenomena of Show emerge between the two.
    Support the show
    ...

    Now you can get t-shirts and hoodies with our wonderful logo. This is the best new way to suport the podcast project. Become a proud parader of your passion for Showmanship and our glorious Craft whilst simultanously helping to gather more followers for the Way.
    You'll find the store here: https://thewayoftheshowman.printdrop.com.au

    If you want to help support this podcast it would be tremendous if you wrote a glowing review on iTunes or Spotify.
    If you want to contact me about anything, including wanting me to collaborate on one of your projects you can reach me on thewayoftheshowman@gmail.com
    or find out more on the Way of the Showman website.
    you can follow the Way of Instagram where it is, not surprisingly thewayoftheshowman.
    If you find it in you and you have the means to do so, you can suport the podcast financially at:
    https://www.buymeacoffee.com/captainfrodo

    • 50 min
    97 - Back in Las Vegas, now with Cirque du Soleil - Birthday Ramble

    97 - Back in Las Vegas, now with Cirque du Soleil - Birthday Ramble

    I didn't think it would happen. Not this birtday ramble nor that I would be back in Las Vegas, nor that I would be here with Cirque du Soleil! But I am back on all those fronts and yet again I am humbled by my own lack of ability to accurately predict the unfolding events of my life. BUT I am beyond grateful that it all conspired to be this Way.
    Support the show
    ...

    Now you can get t-shirts and hoodies with our wonderful logo. This is the best new way to suport the podcast project. Become a proud parader of your passion for Showmanship and our glorious Craft whilst simultanously helping to gather more followers for the Way.
    You'll find the store here: https://thewayoftheshowman.printdrop.com.au

    If you want to help support this podcast it would be tremendous if you wrote a glowing review on iTunes or Spotify.
    If you want to contact me about anything, including wanting me to collaborate on one of your projects you can reach me on thewayoftheshowman@gmail.com
    or find out more on the Way of the Showman website.
    you can follow the Way of Instagram where it is, not surprisingly thewayoftheshowman.
    If you find it in you and you have the means to do so, you can suport the podcast financially at:
    https://www.buymeacoffee.com/captainfrodo

    • 31 min

Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5
31 Ratings

31 Ratings

Vegas Mac ,

My only real regret in life

I’m mighty happy about how my life has gone up to this point. My only real regret is that I didn’t know about this podcast from Frodo until over two years after it began. I was hit hard by the shutdown. I know millions of people had it harder than me. (Probably billions of people, actually—the difference between a million and a billion is just one of the sparkling gems of knowledge I’ve acquired listening to this.) But I was so depressed by not being able to do my little magic show I mostly sat and read and ate. Not being in front of an audience weighed heavy on my heart. I wish I had been able to tune in weekly to The Captain and hear his voice of comfort and sagacity. Even if you are not a performer I think you will get something worthwhile from this. There is a lot to learn in the world and Captain Frodo is a guide of the highest order.

Domaskbz ,

Driving has never been so dangerous!

As I listen to an episode, my mind expands and grows. As I deepen into ideas and Frodo’s soothingly insightful voice guides me towards realizations and uncharted thoughts, I find myself veering a little to the left. I correct myself, and get back between the lines guiding us all safely towards our destination. Yet, the voice continues and the ideas continue and I veer a little to the right, almost taking an exit I didn’t intend to take! I correct myself back into the lines and continue on my way. But now I’m starting f to think, ‘what if I did take that exit?’ And this is precisely how I feel after each episode. As Th Way of the Showman guides me into new realms of possibilities, I start living a life where I correct myself a little less when I start going in new directions. All guides by the wisdom of Frodo.

Jelly Boy the Clown ,

This is The Way!!! Of the Showmen

Fun philosophical illumination!!!
Wisdom from a poetic performer who enjoys talking about the essence of what it means to make a show for an audience when the two become one!
Hooray for Captain Frodo and his 42nd show midsession fantastic finale.
42 and the all seeing Eye!

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