Performance Review: Mump & Smoot in ‘EXIT’

Mump (Michael Kennard) and Smoot (John Turner) are two clowns who hail from the Ummo universe and speak Ummonian. In EXIT they find themselves trapped in purgatory where they run into some pretty spooky shenanigans. 

Created by Kennard and Turner, the two clowns have been headlining shows since the 1980s. In a subversion of the stereotypical clown image, Mump and Smoot get into much darker antics than one would expect. Don’t think balloon animals and flowers squirting water, but rather dealings with the afterlife and attempted cannibalism. There’s a reason the show specifies it is not for children. 

In Exit, Mump and Smoot find themselves in a sort of purgatory after discovering their own deaths, and must find a means of escape to heaven. The tone, beautifully enhanced by a surrealist set, is delightfully macabre. The clowns kept me hooked the whole time, whether they were discovering their own dead bodies or eating rats. Kennard and Turner’s ability to take such a beloved image and horrifyingly twist it for the enjoyment of an adult audience is simply marvelous. 

The show is a masterclass in physical comedy. Both Kennard and Turner use elaborate gestures and emotional expressions to convey meaning to the audience. While English is sometimes thrown in with Ummonian, physicality plays a big part in storytelling. Whether they’re lugging giant bags around or re-enacting their own deaths, Mump and Smoot are always lively. Their physicality is one of the stand-out aspects of the show. 

As the show progressed, Mump and Smoot realized they often needed the help of the audience. The element of audience interaction helps engagement, and is simply hilarious. You wouldn’t believe what some people come up with when put on the spot by a manic clown speaking gibberish. 

Although the show is both deliciously dark and extremely funny, EXIT also manages to maintain a great emotional core. Smoot is a loveable character constantly vying for the stern Mump’s attention, and manages to invoke real emotion despite the absurdity of it all. In the end, I found I was simply rooting for their friendship to persevere. 

All in all, Mump and Smoot in EXIT is a wonderfully bizarre show. Ridiculous situations, the power of friendship, and a few loose body parts, Mump and Smoot have it all!