From coaching the Clintons in clowning to performing a virtuosic solo show that captivated Off-Broadway, Los Angeles performer Natalie Palamides is a force of nature in contemporary comedy. Her show Weer, a genre-bending exploration of a toxic romantic relationship where she plays both halves of the couple, is set for a UK return at London's Soho Theatre Walthamstow from 14 to 24 January.
From Egg-Laying to Off-Broadway Stardom
Palamides's journey to becoming the toast of New York's alternative theatre scene was unconventional. Her early work, like the egg-laying antics of Laid and the provocative gender exploration of Nate, hardly screamed mainstream appeal. Yet, her unique brand of physical comedy led to coaching Hillary and Chelsea Clinton for their series Gutsy and an acclaimed extended run at New York's historic Cherry Lane theatre, recently revived by A24.
That New York run attracted celebrity audiences including Drew Barrymore, Kevin Bacon, and Dua Lipa. Speaking from California while recovering from flu—"my body's revenge for that marathon three-month run"—the 36-year-old reflected on the physical toll. "It takes a lot of physical endurance to make it through the show," she said, noting her routine of biotherapy and red light therapy to cope.
Weer: A Rollercoaster Romcom Deconstruction
Premiering at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2024, Weer is a technical and comedic marvel. Palamides uses split-stage makeup and costume to embody both Mark and Christina, the two halves of a tumultuous couple. The show flashes back from a car accident to chart their three-year relationship, with Palamides flirting, arguing, and even abusing herself on stage.
She describes it as a warped celebration and critique of 90s romantic comedies. "I wanted to explore how in most romantic comedies we're fed, the relationships are toxic, but you still root for them to be together," Palamides explained. Her goal was to see if an audience would still desire a union between characters in a far more intense and explicitly damaging dynamic.
Inspired by a disappointing stage adaptation of The Notebook, she was determined to capture the cathartic tension of classic film romances. "I was determined that all those feelings you feel watching those movies would be there in my show," she stated.
Pushing Taboos: The Terrifying Next Project
Despite craving downtime, Palamides is already developing her next solo show for the Netflix Is a Joke festival in May. True to form, it promises to be even more challenging than her previous work. The new piece is based on a character who claims to be pregnant with the second coming, births a raw steak, beats it "until it's stopped crying," and then eats it.
"I'm fearful to do this, because I was raised Catholic," Palamides admitted. "It feels so taboo to delve into this area." This fear, however, is precisely her creative fuel. As a clown who trades in red flags rather than red noses, she continues to probe societal boundaries, whether dissecting gender norms in Weer or confronting religious sacrilege head-on.
Alongside her stage work and a voice role in The Powerpuff Girls, she is developing a Las Vegas clown cabaret, Lady Magic, and plotting a screen adaptation of Weer. On her unexpected status at the forefront of the clown boom, she simply said, "I just keep persevering and trying to make good art." For London audiences this January, that art offers a shocking, exhausting, and utterly unique theatrical ride.
