Ben Kassoy's "Panic Attack" Brings Dance, Poetry & Uplift to The Edinburgh Festival
Saturday, July 6th, Los Angeles, CA
written by Entertainment Editor, Dan Ruth
Who knew that a solo performance about intrusive thoughts, centered around a performer reading their personal poetry could be so thoroughly entertaining? If you’re Ben Kassoy, it seems to come naturally, but unfortunately, so does crippling anxiety. Performing live however, is proving to be more of a remedy, and not a source of angst for him. Facing a quick turn-around, Kassoy ends his run of The Funny Thing About a Panic Attack at The Hollywood Fringe Festival and will soon board a plane headed for Scotland and The Edinburgh Festival. “This is the first time I’ve done a solo show like this, so everything was new and I’ve learned a ton, I was really happy with the way the show evolved and the response.” Along with being a published poet, Kassoy is also a writer of non-fiction and children’s books, an accomplished dancer in jazz, ballet, break and house, with a splash of improv, clown, and stand-up.
In 2021, as the dark days of lock-down and isolation began to give way, Kassoy emerged, newly inspired, armed with a book of self-penned poetry. He began doing readings in Los Angeles, New York and Portland to promote the book, now published by Bottlecap Press, and aptly titled, The Funny Thing About a Panic Attack. “Sharing real space with real people in real time was so gratifying. I began thinking how I could capture this feeling, but make it even bigger, more dynamic and effervescent? That was the basis that eventually evolved into this show.” For being relatively new to the genre, Kassoy has incredible instincts for acting; he and director Joanna Simmons have mounted a wild and fun experience for their audience, with an outstanding sound and light design, combined with high-energy modern and break choreography.
Ben Kassoy is frank and honest about his battles with anxiety, and how he managed to turn his fears and experiences into art. “The backdrop of Covid was very difficult for me, I think the isolation was really hard, having my life swept into the sea. I was living in New York, and then found myself living back at home with my family, then here in LA. My job fell apart, and all of this against a back drop of this global pandemic and our reckoning with race and racism, it was a very anxiety-inducing for me.” Kassoy, whose family is also genetically disposed to anxiety, used his time during lock-down to deep-dive into the art of poetry, a writing style he admitted was already a part of his makeup. With a world in isolation, gripped with new fears for the future, Kassoy believes that people who weren’t staying busy baking bread, were writing and finding new, creative outlets, both live and on social media. “I was the editor and chief of a non-profit for nine years,” shares Kassoy, “ I left in June, 2021 and thought, what do I want to do today? Everything was pointing to poetry; write poetry, read poetry, take seminars, take classes, so I put myself through my own version of an MFA. I also think the inauguration in January, 2020 with Amanda Gorman’s performance was huge. I think that inspired a lot of folks, especially young people.”
The Funny Thing About a Panic Attack is an inspired piece, indeed. With an uplifting blend of personal poetry, focused theatricality and dance, Kassoy brings his audience deeper and deeper into one of those warped states of anxiety, but don’t panic! Through an inspired performance, he brings his audience back in one piece, and that’s where the magic happens. Ben Kassoy is a compelling and charismatic actor, who, while making light of his own personal darkness, also manages to inspire empathy, which is an art in and of itself in today’s troubled and distracted, digital world. Asked if he could offer any hacks for those who suffer from anxiety or panic attacks, Kassoy laughs, "If I can get an ice pack in my hands, it somehow short circuits the feelings, and all of a sudden, you're not focused on the attack, you're focused on how cold your hands are!"
If talent, determination and charm were super powers, Ben Kassoy would fly alongside Superman.
The Funny Thing About a Panic Attack, performs at The Edinburgh Festival, Venue 186 ZOO Playground (Playground 3) High School Yards, EH1 1LZ, August 2-4, 6-11, 13-18 and 20-25. Music by Matt Lipkins, choreography by Julio Medina. For more information on Ben Kassoy, click here.
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