— Paul Friswold

Bouffon is a particularly French strain of theater that mines comedy purely from mockery. It's influenced by low-culture burlesque and high-culture commedia dell'arte, and in the hands of New York company Ten Directions, bouffon has been honed to a very sharp point. Local theatrical ensemble YoungLiars brings Ten Directions to St. Louis for a weekend run of, an interactive parody of Tennessee Williams'. Tom, Amanda and Lauren Wingfield are a perverse family of white-trash anti-clowns. Each night they welcome a new gentleman caller, to be played by a member of the audience. The show is not recommended for young audiences. Theis performed at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday (March 7 to 9) at the Centene Center for Arts and Education. Tickets are $20.