Here Comes Almost - Noah Seltzer on Queerness, Clowning and Making Their Edinburgh Fringe Debut with Here Comes Almost

New York performer and clown Noah Seltzer makes their Edinburgh Fringe debut with Here Comes Almost; a playful, vulnerable and absurd solo clown show about loneliness, queerness and the desire to connect. Following “Almost” a figure constantly reshaping themself into someone the world might love, the show spirals through clowning, dance, song and physical comedy as questions of self-expression, authenticity and acceptance are explored. We caught up with him to find out more.

The show suggests we spend so much time creating a version of ourselves that other people might love, that we can lose sight of who we actually are. When did that idea first start taking shape?

I think this idea came into focus when I started learning clown. Clown has this way of stripping back all the masks one usually wears and revealing something truer underneath. It was one of the most difficult things I had done, but through this training, I came into deeper contact with a more tender, alive, and playful self. 

I still catch myself shaping who I am in certain ways to be liked or loved. I think that's a very human impulse, and I don't believe there's anything inherently wrong with it. But becoming aware of when we're performing can be incredibly freeing. It gives us the chance to reconnect with ourselves and, in turn, connect more honestly with other people.

What made clown feel like the right form for this story? Clowning often relies on the audience as much as the performer. How much does Here Comes Almost change from one audience to the next?

One of the wonderful things about clowning is that each show is unique, tailored to the room. Unlike traditional theatre, which happens in the "there and then," clown happens in the "here and now." Sometimes I find connection and sometimes I struggle all the way through. It’s a great experiment each time, but it’s wild fun to be able to bring my most ambitious self to the audience each night. 

'Almost' approaches every setback with even more optimism than before. What is it about characters who refuse to give up that makes them so funny and, perhaps, so moving?

I think it's deeply human to be endlessly optimistic. We all have this instinct to believe that the next attempt might be the one that works, even when every piece of evidence suggests otherwise. It’s a little irrational and can be completely ridiculous, but that's what makes characters like Almost so funny. They fail spectacularly, pick themselves up, and throw themselves back into the world with complete sincerity. There's something wonderfully ridiculous about that but also deeply relatable.

Without giving too much away, is there a moment in the show that you're especially excited to share with Edinburgh audiences?

There’s a moment in the show, where in order to solve the epidemic of loneliness, I attempt to make everyone in the audience feel seen. I’m not going to give away what happens, but it’s really fun and ridiculous, and I love all of ‘Almost’s’ attempts to see others.

What do you think live performance offers that digital connection can't? 

Whenever I leave a good show, I feel truly nourished, and sometimes even connected to the others in the audience. When I sit at home and scroll on social media, I usually feel strange and tired after it. Moreover, Social media responds to certain types of opinions and attitudes that are algorithmically and culturally popular.  Live performance responds to the humans in the room. Human relationships are complex and nuanced - live performance allows ambiguity and plays within that, changing each night depending on the other living, breathing individuals in the room. 

If audiences leave Here Comes Almost with just one feeling or thought lingering afterwards, what do you hope it is?

I hope they feel that there is simple, peaceful hope for a more human, connected, and intimate world. Also, I hope their lingering thought is: “I have to tell everyone I know to come see this show!”

Here Comes Almost will be performed at 9:30pm at Zoo Playground from 7^th – 30^th August.

Booking link: https://zoofestival.co.uk/programme/here-comes-almost/