Love stories are as old as time, especially ones of star-crossed lovers. Lancelot and Guinevere from King Arthur’s Round Table, Heathcliff and Catherine from Bronte’s Wuthering Heights, Gatsby and Daisy from Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby, Vronsky and Anna in Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina….

….And Lala and Sosa. Though you may not think of Lala and Sosa as lovers, they certainly had their first kiss, just like Romeo and Juliet. With the one-man show, LALA, we have chosen to imagine Lala and Sosa’s romance, before the marriage, before Sosa became a nagging adulteress, before Lala became a rotund simpleton. All the jokes about the old couple aside, they deserve that we celebrate their devotion to each other. Surely one day long ago, they fell in love!  Like all youth in love, they dreamt of each other, courted each other, had clandestine meetings….However, our love story has a few extra twists and turns, and unlike other star-crossed lovers, a happy ending.

Our story plays out against the rich cultural heritage of Kikinda, in the Banat region, full of abundant folklore. The tamburica tickles our heartstrings, wooden spoons beat the rhythm of conflict and bravery, village life abounds, and certain traditions are put to the test.

Though LALA is played by an actor alone, there are many characters. It is brought to rollicking life by a single red-nose clown, in the great tradition of Buster Keaton, Charlie Chaplin, and Grock. This choice of theatre clown makes our young Lala even more naïve and lovable. He’s brave and true and innocent. He loves his village and his family….and Sosa. The style of theatre clown makes the story immediate and larger than life. Accessible to all publics, this fast-moving, comic show is entirely visual. LALA is designed to bring Lala and Sosa into our hearts, and to enliven our love for Kikinda.

Lee Delong