And Then The Rodeo Burned Down ★★★★

Pick-yourself-up-by-your-boostraps perseverance and personal identity are the core themes of And Then the Rodeo Burned Down, an intensely physical two-person show that’s kicking up dust at Ars Nova, the Hell’s Kitchen theater that promotes new theatrical talent. They’ve certainly discovered a talented duo here: Xhloe and Natasha, who’ve been collaborating for over a decade and could easily moonlight as Hollywood stunt performers.

These acrobatic partners bring a whole corral of characters to life, including a cowboy, a bull, a rodeo clown, and one very strange character that mirrors the actions of the clown with slapstick aplomb. “Stop. Stop that,” the clown fumes as this doppelganger mimics his every move. “I’m just like you. But also different. I’m your shadow,” the character responds.

Both actors take turns playing the clown and shadow (and the other sundry characters), adding to the madcap feel of the fast-paced absurdist production. Trap doors slam shut, cigarettes fall from the sky and our players dominate the small theater-in-the-round stage — stomping, dancing, lassoing their way through the story.

The shadow asks a lot of stupid questions, but ones that cause the clown to reflect on his own choices and career trajectory. Ultimately, the clown aspires to be a cowboy. But it’s unclear that there’s a realistic path to the goal. And in the meantime, he finds himself defensive about his current role. “Well yes, eventually I do wanna be a cowboy but being a rodeo clown is actually really cool too and really hard, and like not as easy as it looks, it’s probably way harder than being a shadow.”

Above all, the clown insists he’s happy and “the rodeo is the best place in the world.” The shadow isn’t convinced and neither is the audience, which might find itself asking questions about their own life choices. The shadow’s many questions have an overarching theme: What’s the cost of pursuing the thing you love? And is it worth it?

Existential questions aside, the show must go on … until it stops … and then starts all over again. About midway through, the play gets meta as the duo remove their garish clown makeup for a spell. To avoid spoilers, we won’t go too much into what happens here. But suffice it to say the struggle is real and seemingly neverending.

Rodeo has been under development since 2022, when it debuted to much acclaim at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. It’s fitting that the New York City-based duo Xhloe and Natasha finally get a fully-realized hometown production. Yee-haw shoutouts to scenic designer Emmie Finckel, who sets the mood with a period circus-tent feel, and co-costume designer Christopher E. Ford who evokes classic Western Americana with whimsical flair. Think 10-gallon hat (but in pink), a Gene Autry-style jacket, and of course chaps (these in a cartoonish cow print).

Does the rodeo really burn down? And if so, who started the fire? These are questions audiences will still ponder as they leave the theater.