Events

Somerville is hosting a Pity Party so people can feel alone, together

Sad clowns are coming soon to Union Square in Somerville. The Boston Globe

By Ellen O'Leary @elle_mno

August 25, 2015

2 minutes to read

Everyone knows that misery loves company, but the Somerville Arts Council is taking that adage to a new level.

The Council is throwing a Pity Party from 6-8 p.m. on September 17 in Union Square. All are welcome to attend, don pajamas and frowns, and take in the misery of their fellow attendees and performance artists. To date, 1,800 people have confirmed their attendance on the Facebook event.

The idea came from Greg Cook, an independent producer who has contributed to the city’s ArtsUnion series in the past. Rachel Strutt, Somerville Arts Council’s cultural director, said Cook pitched the idea at a picnic earlier in the summer. She encouraged him to follow-through, and the Pity Party was born.

“The second he put it out there, the media and the public responded,’’ said Strutt. “It really resonated with people. I think it’s met with a mix of amusement and curiosity, but perhaps it also resonates with people because they do want to commiserate.’’

Yet even though the event has levity in droves—it will include performances of sad cover songs and plenty of ice cream—there’s a degree of authenticity. Amid roving sad clowns and performances of dreary poetry, there will also be booths with information about mental health.

“This event will hopefully not only convey the ongoing quirkiness and wackiness of Somerville, but will also shed some light on issues of sadness and depression,’’ said Strutt.

When pressed to describe the nuanced definitions of sadness versus pity, Strutt said she feels that pity connotes a desire to wallow. The community coming together should be fun and therapeutic, she said, and whether people actually discuss their problems or just get a kick out of wearing pajamas in public, the effect should be cathartic.

The event walks the line between earnest and ironic, exacerbating awareness of life’s miseries while simultaneously distracting from them. Those planning to attend the party seem to have grasped its cadence.

Commenters took to the event’s page to write, “This is the worst idea ever’’ and “I hope it rains.’’ Others were more serious, commenting that they can’t attend because of a chemotherapy appointment, or because they had to move away due to the high cost of rent.

Even with these very real admissions of struggle, there’s a tongue-in-cheek tone that’s impossible to miss. Clearly, Strutt said, there’s just something inherently funny about hosting an actual pity party.

There’s no better place to pull off this type of event than Somerville: the not-quite-Brooklyn-but-definitely-hipster city near Boston. So, go. You’ll probably have a terrible time.