Rob Mermin had a career as a mime clown for forty years, then in 1987 he started a circus company here in Vermont called Circus Smirkus. Three years ago he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease.
This is a story about movement, the loss of control of movement…catastrophe and grace.
About Rob
Rob Mermin trained in classical mime with Etienne Decroux and Marcel Marceau and has performed in European circus, theater, TV and film for forty years. He is an author, director, university lecturer, former Dean of Ringling Bros. Clown College, and founder of the award-winning international company Circus Smirkus (www.smirkus.org).
Rob’s awards include Copenhagen’s Gold Clown; the Bessie Award; Best Director Prize at the former Soviet Union’s International Festival on the Black Sea; the Lund Family Center’s “It Takes A Village Award”; the Vermont Arts Council Award of Merit, and the 2008 Governor’s Award for Excellence, Vermont’s highest honor in the arts. Rob lives in central Vermont.
To learn more about Rob Mermin, click here.
Thank you Tobin Anderson for your help.
And here’s a link to a book about Marceau written by an awesome central Vermont author, Leda Schubert!
EPISODE MUSIC
| TRACK NAME | ARTIST |
| La Ventana Main Theme | Nicolas Sorin |
| Clair De Lune | Nina Postolovkaya |
| Helena-Musette Waltz | Accordeon-Melancolique |
| Enivrante | The Best of French Accordion Classics / Recordings 1930 - 1941 |
continuing wisdom from rob merman! . how we navigate the juxtaposition of life’s highs and lows IS life .
thank you rob, and erica
What a beautiful piece about a beautiful person…
This is a wonderful piece, Erica. Very moving; he sound like a good man. The music was also a perfect compliment, or complement, maybe both. Congratulations.
Thank you, Erica. Wonderful.
Just loved this so very much. Thank you.
I think this is one of the best Rumblestrips of all and that is saying quite a lot.
The grace, wisdom and dignity of both Mr Merman and his friend and mentor Marcel Marseau came through with extraordinary power and authenticity.
Mr Merman’s description of the alley way meeting of Rudolph Nureyev and Marcel Marceau, two of the greatest artistic geniuses of our time nearly brought me to tears because of its sincerity and simplicity.
Mr. Merman’s description and his coping with a life altering condition is a lesson for all of u.
Erica, you have done all of us a great favor by offering us this piece.
EAH
I have just listened to this – for the third time !
I am more and more touched by it and have “googled” paradoxical kinesis.
This is a show that keeps on giving.
Thank you Erica. Thank you Mr. Merman and thank you Marcel Marceau where ever you are.
Thank you Erica and Rob for this insightful and remarkable podcast. Rob’s simple eloquence is especially stunning in this context; Erica thank you for giving him the opportunity to speak. Special thanks to the person who chose the music!
Rob Mermin and CircusSmirkus have been an important part of our family’s life for years(first our children and now their children). His sweet presence at a summer family reunion last year (I’m a semi-cousin) gave no hint of his current, remarkably managed situation. I am so grateful for this extraordinarily moving and (I hesitate but will use the word) uplifting-in all senses-connection with and about him that you have created. And now my challenge is integrating this into my work as a community child psychiatrist…
Erica, Thank you, thank you for this podcast of my friend Rob! I have blown bubbles with him with my students at Wonder and Wisdom in Greensboro. His gentle, quiet wisdom shone with my students and his wisdom shines here. Thank you for taking the time with his interview and offering it to all of us.
I just saw you tonight at the Peacham Library for the Art of Storytelling talk. You are a master. I am so excited to explore rumblestrip further. Thank you for your work.
This was absolutely wonderful. Thanks for this interview with a truly inspiring man. Rob’s attitude about the diagnosis he received is very moving.