Kym Priess on Jim Julien
Dear Jim,
First off, I love a pre-show sitch—no attachment to a grand reveal. I personally get obsessed with that in my own work, but you were already out there IN IT when I walked in a few minutes early!
There onstage was an older gentleman in a long white lab coat, bald head, cool dual-colored mullet, and black-rimmed glasses. I thought I was late, but NO—you were simply captivating the already-full audience with your curious presence.
A homemade sign sat on the table, counting us down to showtime. Clock marks zero and then we’re IN!
I’ll be honest—with the title, one thing was already on my mind: I’m highly allergic to cats. Not that there were real cats there!
With your strong hip-scientist vibe, you intrigued us with DIY planet models that reminded me of homemade solar systems from childhood. Then suddenly we’re in a jazz history lesson, complete with DIY black-and-white jazz greats, which you gracefully placed atop mic stands.
(Sidenote: you use the same portable rechargeable disco lights as I do with Loser Lion.)
Charles Mingus, at least through the portrayals you presented, reminded me of a mixed-race Johnny Knoxville meets The Big Lebowski. I learned about him living in Watts, Los Angeles, where I reside—well, not Watts, but LA. Double bass. His temper. Hmmm.
The one-dimensional puppets depicting the jazz greats made me think about the tour-ability of the show, because I am ALSO always obsessing about logistics.
Jim, indeed, you are a great teacher. Often when people share information, it’s easy to space out. With you, I genuinely wanted to know more and more—perhaps because I could see the joy it brought YOU to share this information with US.
At one point I’m thinking: WHY JAZZ? WHY CATS?
Very Brechtian.
It sort of felt like a science experiment.
And then—the reason, aka THE TITLE, reveals itself: Charles Mingus wrote a PAMPHLET on toilet-training your cat?!
The whole impetus of the piece?!
I mean, I HATE the smell of kitty litter, so this is genuinely useful information IF I were ever a cat owner.
The display of this whole situation on the cardboard moving contraption was spectacular. Then suddenly we’re into shadow puppetry, watching the cat attempt to be potty-trained using the Mingus method.
The biggest lesson I took away from the kitty:
DON’T RUSH THE KITTY. YOU MIGHT THROW HIM OFF OR CONFUSE HIM.
I think about rushing a lot in my life. A yoga teacher of mine once said, “Rushing zaps your strength.”
And it does!!!!
And here it was, proven through kitty training.
Looking back at the notes I scribbled in the dark, without my readers on, the last thing I wrote was:
“Enrich lives so much.”
Cats? Shit? Jazz? Not rushing?
Maybe all of it.
Philly Fringe is over, but I hope I get to see you again, Jim, professing more about the quality of life.
Thank you.
With love,
Your pal Kym
Kym Priess is the creator / performer of Loser Lion Party Bus, a part of Cannonball.
Jim Julien is the creator/performer of Mingus and TOILET TRAIN YOUR CAT at Studio 34.
