From the manifesto of Beat the Donkey, who play Cat’s Cradle Tuesday, March 8:
sometimes we are gladiators of sound.
sometimes we come from the jungle.
sometimes we walk concrete streets.
sometimes we roar and
sometimes we can only mumble.
meet beat the donkey.
ten people, twenty hands
and ten hearts
all beating an imaginary straw
leather lace painted
masked flying purple stellar donkey.
it means nothing.
Like the group led by composer and percussionist Cyro Baptista, the expression “Beat the Donkey” is Brazilian in origin. On the street, “Pau Na Mula” translates roughly to “let’s go, let’s do it.” On stage, Baptista and his wild troupe of musicians and dancers get at that mula non-stop. Tickets are $15. Show starts at 9 p.m.
