Little Lark of London

“Would you like to live forever?”

Having seen Paulina Lenoir’s character of the “internationally renowned poet” poet Puella Eterna at two different performances of Fool’s Moon, I was excited to learn that Lenoir would be performing a solo show, Paulina Lenoir: Puella Eterna, as a part of the London Clown Festival. The show brings us on the journey of Puella Eterna’s life, and not just a bit of it – we are given full access to her entire life, from her birth via Immaculate Conception to her death as an old woman. 

We begin with Lenoir as a baby, just starting to learn about the world and communicating through pointing. Then, she grows to become a toddler, crawling around on her knees. At the next stage of Puella’s life as an adolescent, Lenoir has creaking sound effects playing to represent the awkwardness of youth and growth spurts, a great bit. As she grows, Puella begins searching for what she has not found yet – love. This leads to her creating a love potion, a bit that I had previously seen at Fool’s Moon but still thoroughly enjoyed a second time. 

While the audience seemed a bit hesitant at first at the performance I attended, they quickly got into it, applauding each costume change and actively participating when called upon. As soon as the spotlight pulls away from Lenoir and the house lights come on, you can expect to be pulled into the show in one way or another. Audience members are brought on stage for a clubs cene, dancing along with Lenoir as she rebels against her mother. When singing a song to the tune of “Do Your Ears Hang Low?” the audience joins in, making for an unexpected but fun singalong. 

As the show draws to a close, the different stages of life must be sped up compared to the lengthy sections of adolescence. At one point, Puella realises that she needs to get a job, so she begins going up to audience members and asking them if they are working if they have a job for her. She ends up taking on the role of photography assistant, leading to an interpretative dance of taking pictures before nearly falling over in exhaustion and quickly quitting. When it is “menopause time,” as Puella calls it, she does an angry dance to Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring,” one of my favourite moments in the show, even though it is a bit brief. Eventually, as with life, all things must come to an end, but according to Puella, “My end is my beginning.”

What brings the show to the next level is its incredible costumes that are both absurd and gorgeous, perfectly matching the character of Puella Eterna as she grows up. The costumes make for some fun moments throughout the show, including one point where Lenoir is pulling off her gloves, revealing multiple layers of them that seem to be endless, much to her horror. One costume in particular, which allows Lenoir to transform herself into a baby using tiny hands and a curtain, is absolutelly hilarious and nearly had me in tears of laughter. 

Ultimately, Paulina Lenoir: Puella Eterna is a fantastic piece of work that celebrates all aspects of life in absurd and beautiful ways. While you may not be getting any traditional poetry, you are certainly in for a storytelling treat through Lenoir’s excellent clowning skills.

Paulina Lenoir: Puella Eterna ran on 11 July at Soho Theatre as part of the London Clown Festival 2024. For more information on the show, click here. For more information on the London Clown Festival, click here.