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the Way of the ShowmanAuthor: Captain Frodo
Philosophical and esoteric perspectives from a modern day Showman. Each season is different in its approach. S1 is essays. S2 is one book length attempt at Understanding Showmanship, S3 is conversations with remarkable Showfolk. The brand new Season 4 explores the relationship between Showmanship and Play.The host, Captain Frodo, internationally renowned circus performer, director, writer, husband and dad lays out, in great detail, his practical performance philosophy for performers who seek to deepen the conversation with their audiences and themselves. You can find him, and more of his writing at: www.thewayoftheshowman.com Language: en-us Genres: Arts, Performing Arts, Philosophy, Society & Culture Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it Trailer: |
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165 - A Philosophical Map Of Showmanship - A live talk about my upcoming book
Episode 165
Monday, 30 March, 2026
What if showmanship isn’t just flair, but a way of seeing the world? We open up the first public talk about our forthcoming book, born from years of touring, early mornings, and 160+ podcast episodes, and share how a single poem became the spine for a philosophy of performance. As the lines were learned by heart, their meanings deepened, revealing a core image: the showman is the one who faces the other way, gathers a field of shared attention, and returns borrowed time as something refined.From that image, we chart four working maps. First, the live situation itself: performer, audience, and the emergent dimension we call the show. Second, the human being at the center—thinking, feeling, and willing—as both subject and material. Third, the anatomy of an act, where choices in rhythm, structure, tone, and risk make ideas visible. Fourth, the values under intent, the quiet logic behind why we elevate a volunteer or make a joke at their expense. Along the way, we read from a chapter that unpacks the true, the good, and the beautiful, reframing them as guiding stars for craft: truth as resonant inquiry, goodness as lived action that helps others flourish, and beauty as attention’s welcome, from Baroque fugues to black metal’s frost.To make it concrete, we imagine a three-ring circus under colored lights—blue for truth, red for beauty, green for goodness—where performers fail and try again, and sincerity becomes the real feat. We share practices you can use tomorrow: capture moments that resonate, look beyond your field for patterns, follow fear to find what you value, and translate insights into movement, text, and timing until they live in your hands. If you care about performance, creativity, circus, magic, or the craft of making meaning in front of people, this conversation offers language, tools, and a compass.If this resonated, subscribe, leave a five-star review, and share it with a friend who faces the other way. For updates on the book, follow The Way of the Showman on Instagram and stay tuned for what comes next.Support the show...After a long abscence our Merch Shop is back! Check out t-shirts, hoddies, and hats! Show yourself as a Follower of the Way of the Showman.You can also "listen" to the Way of the Showman at youtube.If you want to help support this podcast it would be tremendous if you wrote a glowing review on iTunes or Spotify.If you want to contact me about anyhthing ou can reach me on thewayoftheshowman@gmail.comYou can find out more on the Way of the Showman website.Follow the Way of the Showman on Instagram.If you're compelled to suport the showes and have the means to do so, you can suport the podcast financially at: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/captainfrodo
