>> I don't know how I would describe us.

We're physical comedians, but we're seriously investigating some principles of comedy, some principles of movement, some principles of object manipulation.

So you wouldn't call us clowns in the classical sense or in the general sense.

You wouldn't call us jugglers in the general sense.

You wouldn't call us dancers.

But we use all of those different techniques in whatever we're doing.

♪ ♪ [laughter] [applause] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [applause] ♪ ♪ [laughter] ♪ ♪ [applause] ♪ [laughter] [applause] ♪ [laughter] ♪ [applause] >> In the group pieces, it's a collaborative effort.

We have a certain idea we want to get across.

In the solos or duets that I do, when you see Michael and I juggle together, I really try and get an essence of fun across or that it's happening right then, that it's very believable.

♪ Celtic reel ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ Yee-ha!

♪ ♪ ♪ [laughter] ♪ (voice-over) >> When I do a front somersault, on the stage and I land the audience gets a feeling they just saw somebody rotate through space.

It's an acrobatic move; it's exciting.

There's a clear view under this person's body.

My comment is when I turn and trip and my head falls off, is that so you have an incredible skill, but then you're an idiot.

That's an interesting... an interesting vector.

I'm trying not to say, "Look, I can do this; you can't."

That's the impression I don't want to have.

It's, "Look, the character can do this, and now, he can't."

The poor guy is as human as anybody else.

♪ [steel guitar and banjo music] Oh!

♪ >> In the one sketch I do called "The Wheel," the character I'm portraying is really man versus machine, which, hopefully, everyone can identify with.

Everyone has had that conflict where they've tried to read a set of directions and by doing what is written there, you get yourself in a worse di lemma than you ever imagined.

Wear the proper safety equipment included in your kit.

♪ ♪ ♪ [laughter] ♪ ♪ [laughter] [guffaws] ♪ [laughter] ♪ [laughter] Oh!

♪ Number two: Wear comfortable, loose clothing and the cape included with your kit.

Follow the diagram on this page.

Familiarize yourself with the cape.

[laughter] Eh!

[laughter] [laughter] Wow.

[laughter] [gags] [laughter] [laughter] Pshhhh!

Da, da-da-da!

No problem.

Number one: mounting the unicycle.

Keep all your weight on the saddle.

Sit on the seat.

(laughter) Number two: mounting position.

Take your right hand.

Place it on the front of the saddle.

[laughter] Put your left leg around the seat-- [laughter] --bringing the left pedal into clear view.

[laughter] With your left instep, step firmly up on the pedal, keeping the seat in position.

[laughter] In the same manner, continue along with the right foot.

[laughter] Number four-- aargh!

[laughter] Number four: keep your back straight.

[laughter] Number five: keep your head back.

[thuds] [laughter] Keep--oh!

Mm!

Number six: and ride.

Yee-ha!

Yee-hee!

Ya...hoo.

Yahoo, yahoo.

[thuds] [laughter] I got it.

Keep your weight on the seat.

Take-- I got it.

Keep all the weight on the saddle.

Sit... on the seat.

Keep your left leg around the seat, bringing the left-- Step up on the pedal.

Step up on-- step up on the-- step up on the pedal.

Step up on the other pedal-- [laughter] --at the same time.

[laughter] [laughter] Oh!

[laughter] Ugh!

Ugh!

Ugh!

At the same time step up on the other pedal at the same time.

Lean slightly in the direction-- [laughter] Notice as you pass the point of balance.

[laughter] At the same time.

Step up on the pedals at the same... [slaps] time.

[laughter] [laughter] [laughter] [laughter] [laughter] [falsetto] Number seven... [laughter] problem-solving.

If all else fails, start the special engine with your kit.

[laughter] [on kazoo] Hun-nun-nun-nun-nun-nun- nun-nun-nun-nun-nun-nun Vroom-vroom-vroom!

Vroom-vroom!

Vrun-run-run!

Vrun-run-run!

Vrun-run-run!

Vrun-run-run!

[laughter] Vrun-run-run!

[falsetto] Aah!

Aah!

Vrun-vruuun!

Vrun-vruuun!

Vroom-vroom-vroom!

Vroom-vroom-vroom!

Vrun-vruuun!

[thuds] [laughter] [applause] [laughter] Uhn-nun-nun-nun-nun-nun Uhn-nun-nun-nun Toot-toot!

Uhn-nun-nun-nun-nun-nun Vrun!

Uhn-nun-nun-nun-nun-nun vrun!

Uhn-nun-nun-nun-nun-nun Vrun-vru-- [thuds] Uhnnnnn!

[laughter] [laughter] Now that you have mastered the unicycle-- [laughter] --you are ready to move on to more advanced stunts.

[laughter] [thuds] [thuds] [gasps and murmurs] [laughter] Vrun!

(voice-over) >> It gives me a certain satisfaction... that the magic has happened, that you've brought all those pe ople together for an evening, that there's an applause that's, that's deep, and that there's a smile instead of just a laugh...in people, that you've tickled their gray matter, and that you've done it with your instrument, what you're made of.

And it feels like an incredible gift, them to us and us to them.

That's a real nice sharing when it's done well or when you've all been there for those same moments.

That's real lucky.

Vrun-nun-nun-nun-nun!

Vrun-nun-- [falsetto] Ah!

Vrun-run-run!

Uhhhn-uhhhn-uhhhn!

[pitch lowers] Uhhhhn!

Uhhhhhn.

[laughter] [falsetto] Vrun-uhhhhhn!

[louder] Uhhhhhn!

Vrun-vruuuuun!

Vrun-vruuuuuun!

[laughter] [laughter] Vrun-nun-nun-nun-nun-vrun!

Vrun-nun-nun-nun-nun!

Whoop!

[pitch lowers] Uhhhhn!

Uhhhhhn.

[louder] Uhhhhhn!

[thuds] [falsetto] Whoo-hoo!

[laughter and applause] >> Foolsfire has been, for the last 2 1/2 years or 3 years, an attempt for the three of us to enjoy trying to create new material, new performance pieces, based on our own specific interests-- my interests, Fred's, and Bob's-- coming together and extending the range of what one of us would normally be able to do into a totally different realm.

♪ [New Age music] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ (voice-over) I like to work with one object or one basic principle and focus in on that and explore that, and it's very simple or stark.

It doesn't have a lot of attached things to it.

I like to work with one ball or one stick, and it's taken me years to get to that point where I could allow myself that di scipline and that freedom.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I love to move.

I love to try different kinds of movement.

I was an athlete when I grew up, and I've been exposed to dance and mime and acrobatics.

Each has its own particular thrill to it or enjoyment.

In rehearsal and performance, I sort of separate the two.

I rehearse for myself and perform for the audience, and movement-wise, I enjoy both to a great degree, but the movement end of it is something that just has to be there for me.

There's no way to express what I want to do, what I have inside, unless I move.

♪ ♪ ♪ [slow saxophone music] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I started with touch as being a very basic element and then worked with-- I chose a crystal ball because it's a very neutral object to use.

It can be many different things to many different people.

And working with a couple of basic principles like that, I just needed to discover and have revealed to me through practice a vocabulary that I could then build and try to choreograph with.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ I'm very happy calling myself a juggler.

I'm happy to say I move around and that I'm a performer.

I don't think I'm a mime.

I'm not a dancer.

I just do what I do.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [applause] >> I think our show offers more than a good time because of the range of material and the sublime quality of some of the material and the slapstick quality of other pieces in the show that they can go away with a deeper warmth.

[chord blares] [scattered chuckling] [quiet laughter] [quiet laughter] [laughter] (voice-over) >> My greatest strength is in my use of the audience in the piece that I do solo.

It's, in a way, my signature, the working with the audience.

[laughter] [scattered laughter] [laughter] [honks] (voice-over) >> My interest in making sure that the audience is involved in what we're doing, whether it's an active participation on their part or a more subtle relinquishing of outer reality to really become involved in the reality which we're creating on the stage.

That's, perhaps, my strength.

[tooting and honking] [laughter] [honking] [honking and squeaking] [tooting] [pops] [laughter] [squeaking] [tooting and honking] [thuds] [laughter] [tooting] [laughter] [tooting and honking] [stomping] [tooting and honking] [laughter] [tooting and honking] [laughter] [tooting and honking] [exaggerated honking] [laughter] [slamming] [tooting] [tooting] [tooting] [laughter] [tooting] [laughter] [tooting] [tooting] [manic tooting] [laughter] [tooting] [applause] [intermittent tooting] [laughter] [exaggerated tooting] [tooting] [laughter] [tooting] [laughter] [tooting] [laughter] [tooting] [tooting] [laughter] [tooting] [duck call blaring] [laughter] [tooting] [laughter] [intermittent tooting] [intermittent tooting] [intermittent tooting] [laughter] [tooting] [laughter] [manic tooting] [laughter] [manic tooting] [laughter] [tooting] [tooting] [applause] [tooting] [laughter] [tooting] [laughter] [tooting] [laughter] [tooting] [squeaking and tooting] [laughter] [tooting] [laughter] [tooting] [laughter] [laughter] [tooting] [bell dings] [exaggerated toot] [laughter] [tooting] [bell dings] [exaggerated toot] [tooting] [tooting] [air whooshing] [laughter] [tooting] [air whooshing] [laughter] [tooting] bleat!

[laughter] [tooting] bleat!

toot!

bleat!

[laughter] [tooting] [laughter] [tooting] [laughter and applause] [tooting] bleat!

[bell dings] [exaggerated toot] [tooting] bleat!

[tooting] [exaggerated toot] [exaggerated bleat] [laughter and applause] [bell dings] [exaggerated toot] [laughter] [tooting] [tooting] [exaggerated toot] [exaggerated bleat] [tooting] [laughter] [exaggerated toot] toot!

[laughter] [exaggerated bleat] bleat!

[laughter] bleat!

toot!

[laughter] [tooting and bleating] [laughter] (voice-over) >> For me, an artist has to develop an objective eye, which is a little like your camera.

It stands outside of what's going on, and it looks at everything.

It's like the captain of the ship.

And so when I'm on the stage, part of me is totally involved in what is going on, and part of me is totally involved in the larger environment, which includes the audience: how they're responding, where I want to take the timing.

Do I want to change the timing?

In the clowning, do I want to respond to that individual's loud laughter or that strange laugh in the back row?

Do I want to respond to the baby that is crying?

If I've responded to the baby once, do I want to again?

All these decisions are going through my head very quickly, and I make my choices accordingly.

[tooting] [laughter] [tooting] [laughter] [laughter] [laughter] [bell dings] [exaggerating bleat] [laughter] [bells ting] [exaggerated toot] [applause] [tooting] [laughter] [tooting] [tooting] toot-toot!

[laughter and applause] (voice-over) >> I speak all right, but I don't think I have a great speaking voice, so I've tended to get further away from that.

I'm more and more physical and less verbal on the stage.

I can certainly run off at the mouth, but on the stage, I was just as satisfied using my body to communicate, so I moved toward that, and the clowning came after that, really.

[tooting] [tooting] [bell dings] [exaggerated bleat] [laughter] [rhythmic tooting] [bell tings] [tooting] [bell dings] [exaggerated bleat] [rhythmic tooting] [bell tings] [bell dings] [exaggerated bleat] [rhythmic tooting] [bell tings] [bell dings] [exaggerated bleat] [rhythmic tooting] [bell tings] [bell dings] [exaggerated bleat] [rhythmic tooting] [bell tings] [bell dings] [exaggerated bleat] [laughter] [manic tooting] [tooting] (voice-over)>> I want to continue performing, continue creating new work.

I have a lot of new ideas, and I think there is a rush to try and put some of those ideas out and see what they lo ok like before it's too late, before you can't do that anymore.

[intermittent tooting] [tooting] [laughter] [tooting] [laughter] [laughter] [tooting] toot-toot!

[laughter and applause] [tooting] [laughter] [intermittent tooting] [tooting] [manic tooting] [laughter] [intermittent tooting] [laughter] [tooting] [laughter] [tooting] [bell dings] [tooting] [exaggerated toot] [tooting] [laughter] [tooting] [faint ding] [laughter] [bell dings] [exaggerated bleat] [rhythmic tooting] [laughter] [manic tooting] [rhythmic tooting] [manic tooting] [laughter] [rhythmic tooting] [manic tooting] [laughter] [bell dings] [exaggerated bleat] [rhythmic tooting] [bell tings] toot-toot!

[applause] [applause] [intermittent tooting] [intermittent tooting] [tooting] [intermittent tooting] [exaggerated toot] [laughter] [exaggerated toot] [gasps] [balloon flutters] [laughter] [laughter] [tooting] [tooting] [exaggerated toot] [tooting] [applause] [tooting] [applause] [applause] [laughter] [tooting] [intermittent tooting] [exaggerated tooting] [snaps] [intermittent tooting] [laughter] [tooting] [laughter] [balloon squeaks] [balloon flutters] [laughter] [laughter and applause] [manic tooting] [applause] [applause] [applause] [tooting] [laughter] [tooting] [laughter] [intermittent tooting] ♪ [melancholy concertina music] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [applause] ♪ [energetic music] ♪ (Berky) It's very obvious, I'm sure, that we are very, very different people, and...I think that the reason it works is that we're also sensitive enough to each other's personality that we give each other room.

We have great fights sometimes, but it's generally, it's almost always in the interest of the three of us.

It's not in the interest of any one of us.

So that allows us to continue.

♪ ♪ [laughter] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [applause] ♪ [classical music] [applause] ♪ (Moschen) Probably the strongest element we each contribute is support for the others because there's no way to hold a group like ours together, since we're such strong, different individuals and have such different backgrounds, unless we really gave a lot unselfishly to the group.

(Garbo) Foolsfire is a wonderful collaboration between two of my very good friends.

And the product that the three of us have together is much greater than any of us could have as a solo.

♪ [techno pop music] ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ [applause] ♪ [applause and cheers] [applause] [applause] [applause] [applause] [applause] [applause]