Review: Julia Masli’s ‘ha ha ha ha ha ha ha’ Sparks Laughter & Connection in Pasadena

Audiences can expect a high likelihood they may find themselves doubling as show participants in a 70-minute marvel where the comically absurd meets the heartfelt in ha ha ha ha ha ha ha — a one-woman exercise in unique experimental theater led by its lone official cast member in Julia Masli, an improvisational prodigy from Estonia. Beyond being a solo affair (at least on paper), this is a predominantly unscripted journey, directed with savoir faire by fellow performance-artist extraordinaire Kim Noble, where the community of theater is fully embraced and currently taking place at the Pasadena Playhouse through Sunday, November 9th.

When Masli first appears in the stage-right wing, Alessio Festuccia’s foreboding sound design suggests that, at a minimum, something significant is about to transpire. Far from scary, but rather intriguing, is the immediate visual which can be best described as a bohemian alien from outer space with raggy (and baggy) blue attire, bowling shoes, and a helmet contraption reminiscent of an antenna which, in this case, emits radiant blue light. (The out-of-this-world costume design is by David Curtis-Ring, Annika Thiems, and Alice Wedge.) Even wilder, a gold mannequin leg functions as Masli’s left arm, where a microphone is lodged at the end of this extremity, the purpose of which is to prompt audience involvement. In the first several minutes, Masli, who purposely speaks softly, and with a low but no less caring affect, might induce assorted bystanders to match her quirky vocalizations — inclusive of several comedic pauses, glances, and awkward beats — to punctuate instants that range from the subtle to unmistakably direct.

In short order, the audience realizes the entertainment value that follows is contingent on their willingness to put themselves out there, be vulnerable, and risk saying something that might be banal or, worse, unfunny. Nevertheless, this is a voyage into the unknown and, as such, a communal non-judgmentalism colors the room, thanks to the apt lighting design of Lily Woodford, which glows among its protagonist (Masli) and supporting characters (the audience). Soon thereafter, for the next hour or so, Masli proceeds without a safety net, canvassing the auditorium and ambling from aisle to aisle, asking “Problem?” It’s a concise question but one that elicits an impressive spectrum of answers. For instance, one may lament they’re homesick, another may grieve not being able to pay the exorbitant cost of dental surgery despite having insurance, another may have a comparatively more frivolous dilemma of not knowing what to wear for Halloween and, even more minor in comparison, another may disclose they’re tired or cold.

The beauty of this show is that no singular performance is the same as the one before it or the one that is to come. The combined breadth of extemporaneity on display by Masli and her unwitting cohorts invariably yield disparate results. Still, regardless of the responses she receives, Masli has a knack for connecting themes through humorous callbacks and, better yet, uniting strangers in the audience who might in theory take down each other’s contact information to meet at a later date. Interestingly, Masli also has a talent for aligning just the perfect prop — be it a bottle of water, lighter, portable shower, full-size bed, and broken chair — with a statement, offhand remark, or serious struggle precedingly expressed by individuals she’s ostensibly never met before.

Suffice it to say, the endearing Masli is exceptionally adroit at finding order within oodles of randomness, steering mere words into important conversations that evoke thought, joy, and laughter. This is not a reality born overnight as Masli trained at the École Philippe Gaulier in France, a famous clowning school. A lighthearted and earnest joker, as much as she was a star pupil, Masli moreover earned the 2019 Malcolm Hardee Award for Comic Originality and nominations for top prizes at the 2023 Edinburgh Comedy Awards and 2024 Melbourne International Comedy Festival. And prior to Pasadena, Masli honed her idiosyncratic twist on live theater to satisfied audiences in London, Melbourne, and New York.

In point of fact, how could hordes of people, who unsuspectingly purchase a ticket to a show sporting heavy ambiguity, not be content by show’s end? Whether theatergoers are coming in with lofty or absent expectations, they’re not only being entertained, they are living steadfast in the moment with Masli, sharing a discrete block of time dedicated to problems and solutions offered by its host and manifested almost miraculously by attendees who don’t have to work too hard to complement each other. Although problems can run the gamut, the solutions are underscored by one common denominator: understanding. If benevolence is the natural next step, then all the better. Overall, as easy as it is to think the opposite — and certainly there is enough empirical evidence — ha ha ha ha ha ha ha proves the good in humanity spotlighted and lived in live time. It helps that Masli’s approach to crowd participation is not unlike a skilled therapist who liberates and empowers spoken and physically expressive actions that are equal parts practical and artistic.

Notwithstanding its deeper messaging (supposing that’s not for you), this production, if nothing else, promises unconventional, unpredictable theater that is unlike anything ever seen. With the heartwarming alchemy of Masli’s clowning and predilection for upending performance norms, combined with the whims of its audience whose replies and confessions inform the trajectory of any given performance, ha ha ha ha ha ha ha is a daring and delightful addition to Pasadena Playhouse’s ongoing 2025-26 season.

Cover image caption: Julia Masli stars in ha ha ha ha ha ha ha at the Pasadena Playhouse in Pasadena, CA. Photo by Jeff Lorch.

ha ha ha ha ha ha ha, featuring Julia Masli, runs through Sunday, November 9th at the Pasadena Playhouse. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit pasadenaplayhouse.org.