Cirque du Soleil Clown Daniel Passer directs
The Farce Awakens: Feydeau x 2 at the Odyssey

Two hilarious one–acts take marriage and relationships
to absurdity in high-octane Feydeau double bill

LOS ANGELES (October 1, 2026) — What could possibly go wrong? In the hands of Georges Feydeau, just about everything! Odyssey Theatre Ensemble presents The Farce Awakens: Feydeau x 2, an evening of two one-act comedies by the master French farceur, directed by Cirque du Soleil clown Daniel Passer. The production opens October 31, with performances continuing through January 17 at the Odyssey’s three-theater complex in West L.A. Three low-priced previews take place Oct. 28–30.

Wild plots and quicksilver wit characterize the plays of Georges Feydeau. Considered by many to be the greatest master of French comedy since Molière, Feydeau was famous for his mathematical precision in timing, door-slamming choreography, and themes of mistaken identity and marital chaos.

With Going to Pot and Stark Naked, Feydeau pulls out all the stops, plunging his characters into a dizzying, surreal whirlwind of complications. The two one-acts are part of the famous French vaudevillian’s “marriage” collection, written late in his career as his comedy grew increasingly anarchic. Domestic disagreements explode into madness and mayhem, as people pushed to their limits behave in increasingly outrageous, and hilarious, ways.

“These farces are high-octane in the vein of Monty Python, Fawlty Towers or Mr. Bean,” Passer explains. “Everyone is at their absolute wit’s end, and every attempt to fix things only makes them worse.”

Passer will direct the two one-acts in true repertory style, with each of the six actors — Rachel Avery, Justin Blanchard, Barry Del Sherman, Julie Mann, Ryan Nebreja and Kody Nelson — performing in both plays.

In Going to Pot (translation by Norman R. Shapiro), a chaotic domestic dispute completely derails a high-stakes business deal. Follavoine (Del Sherman) has invented an unbreakable chamber pot that he hopes to sell to the French military. But when a high-ranking official from the War Ministry (Blanchard) arrives for a demonstration, their meeting is utterly disrupted by Follavoine’s wife (Mann), who is consumed by a domestic emergency: their seven-year-old son (Nelson) is severely constipated. Antics spiral further out of control with the arrival of the official’s wife (Avery) and her “cousin” (Nebreja).

In Stark Naked (translated and freely adapted by Charles Marowitz), Ventroux (Blanchard again) is a prominent politician who can’t seem to persuade his wife (Avery) to put some clothes on — not even in the presence of their servant, Victor (Nebreja), or as they prepare for a visit from an important local dignitary and political rival (Del Sherman). When a local journalist (Nelson) shows up, Ventroux realizes that his political aspirations may be headed for complete ruin.

The laughter will continue between the plays with a comic interlude of original sketches about the madness of relationships.

“The whole evening is a great excuse to laugh and have a good time,” says Passer. “The plays are purely designed for joy — for the audience, that is, at the expense of the characters.”

The creative team includes scenic designer Drew Foster, sound designer Leon Rothenberg and costume designer AK Snyder. Lighting design is by Vortex Lighting. The stage manager is Katie Chabot. The casting director is Scott Nelson, and the graphic designer is Luba Lukova. The associate producer is Lisette Lee. Beth Hogan and Bart DeLorenzo produce for Odyssey Theatre Ensemble.

Passer was a comedy and clown act designer for Cirque du Soleil’s critically acclaimed Zarkana, and a comic performer and clown contributor for Franco Dragone’s spectacle Le Rêve. Other credits include plays on Broadway and around the globe at venues such as Radio City Music Hall, The Beacon Theatre, The Goodman, The American Repertory Theatre, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Madrid Stadium, Moscow Art Theatre and The Kremlin. He collaborated and performed in the opening ceremony installation for Burning Man with a world-class ensemble of aerialists, acrobats and dancers. Passer was recently seen at the Odyssey in the West Coast premiere of Heading Into Night, his “almost one-person, almost silent” show that he co-created with director Beth Milles.

Founded in 1969 by the late Ron Sossi, a visionary leader of Los Angeles’ intimate theater movement, the Odyssey Theatre Ensemble has spent more than five decades championing fearless, adventurous work. Today, the company continues that legacy with productions that challenge audiences and ignite conversation.

Performances of The Farce Awakens: Feydeau x 2 take place on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. from October 31 through January 17, with no performances November 27–29 or December 21–January 7. Two additional performances will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 18 and Wednesday, Jan. 13, at 7 p.m. Prior to opening, there will be three previews on Wednesday, Oct. 28; Thursday, Oct. 29; and Friday, Oct. 30, each at 8 p.m. Ticket prices range from $20 to $38.

The Odyssey Theatre is located at 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90025. For more information and to purchase tickets, call (310) 477-2055 or go to OdysseyTheatre.com.

Details for Calendar Listings
The Farce Awakens: Feydeau x 2

WHAT:
Odyssey Theatre Ensemble presents The Farce Awakens: Feydeau x 2, an evening of two high-octane one-acts by master French farceur Georges Feydeau that blend madness, mayhem and unexpected twists to reveal the often amusing frustrations of relationships and married life, as people pushed to their limits behave in increasingly outrageous and hilarious ways.

WHO:
• Written by Georges Feydeau
• Going to Pot translated by Norman R. Shapiro
• Stark Naked translated and freely adapted by Charles Marowitz
• Directed by Daniel Passer
• Starring Rachel Avery, Justin Blanchard, Barry Del Sherman, Julie Mann, Ryan Nebreja and Kody Nelson
• Produced by Beth Hogan and Bart DeLorenzo
• Presented by Odyssey Theatre Ensemble, Beth Hogan, artistic director

WHEN:
Oct. 28–Jan. 17
Previews: Oct. 28–30
• Wednesday at 8 p.m.
• Thursday at 8 p.m.
• Friday at 8 p.m.
Performances: Oct. 31–Jan. 17
• Fridays at 8 p.m. (dark Nov. 27, Dec. 25, Jan. 1)
• Saturdays at 8 p.m. (dark Nov. 28, Dec. 26, Jan. 2)
• Sundays at 2 p.m. (dark Nov. 29, Dec. 27, Jan. 3)
• Wednesdays at 7 p.m.: Nov. 18 and Jan. 13 only

WHERE:
Odyssey Theatre
2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90025

TICKET PRICES:
$20–$38

HOW:
OdysseyTheatre.com
(310) 477-2055 ext. 2

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