This is what the Performa folks describe as a “whimsical” piece. Whether or not it lives up to this billing will depend on what you look like after you’ve participated. The piece is exactly what it says: free haircuts by children aged 8 to 12 from M.S. 131 in Chinatown. I’ve never met the infamous Darren O’Donnell, but his piece immediately slashes the average age of the artists we’ve recommended and (although he has done this one before) encapsulates key elements that any performance festival must have: absurdity, community and audience participation, unpredictability, and the possibility of getting artist and organizers into serious trouble. I’ll be going along. Hope to see you there as well.

[Many Performa events are free. Prices, where listed, are for full-price tickets. Cheaper tickets are usually available for students, seniors, children, and Performa and collaborating organization members. Further details of prices, locations, and times are available here.]