What inspired A Life in Her Day?
I spent a few years working on a show of the same name about an actress who moves to New York for an acting career and finds work as a clown. She is never satisfied with what she considers a lesser career until she finally understands the power of the clown and the depth of the art of the clown. This was my personal journey, and once I accepted this path, I was able to create a clown show. And I mean clown in the sense of a personal character who is an exaggeration of myself in the world, confronted with all of the foibles and follies of life, not a red-nosed circus clown. I started with some of the old show waking up in the morning and going about my day and created the world of this character rather than the story of an actress. Much of the material in the show comes from assignments in workshops with my director, Avner Eisenberg.

What are some of the challenges in doing a solo show?
It’s lonely out there! On stage, back stage, at the airport, in the studio, on the internet searching for work, building sets, tech rehearsals. What is a challenge can also be a blessing. I am my own boss, who makes most of my decisions based on my needs and I have autonomy over what I do. My successes are mine and they give me a strength in my life I may never have found otherwise. And I have the opportunity to create a wonderful relationship with my other partner, the audience.

Do you make any adjustments to the show to better suit audiences in different countries?
There are moments in my show that are culturally very American. While I don’t mind them not being fully understood, I don’t want to lose the attention of the audience for too long. Therefore I move though those moments a little faster than I might with an audience who understands more fully. There are very few words in the show, so when English is not the first language, I try to learn a few words of the language from the country that I’m in. People love to hear me speaking their language and it creates a wonderful bond between us.

What makes your show universal?
The pathos of the clown is universal. I find that much of the physical business of the show is understood anywhere and everywhere. It’s the details that distinguish it as American.

Other than this show, are you working on any other projects?
I am currently working here in Thailand with my friend and colleague Rima Miller. Though we are working solo in this current show (Rima is doing a comic introduction for A Life In Her Day), we’re developing a new show about two retired vaudevillians—kind of an “Odd Couple” theme. We’re also co-teaching physical comedy at the Patravadi High School. I also tour worldwide with my solo short comedy variety numbers. In the US I work with a company from Dallas, Texas called The New York Goofs and in New York with the Big Apple Circus Clown Care Hospital Program entertaining hospitalized children as “Nurse Nice”.

Catching up on stage with Hilary Chaplain at "A Life in Her Day "