A wild-eyed mime in an ill-fitting thong appears in the audience at the Prop Thtr, 3502 N. Elston Ave. The crowd can’t help but laugh at the invasion of their personal space, especially when he starts reaching for people. It’s part of the plan though—it’s “The Wild Party Variety Hour.”

“The Wild Party Variety Hour” is one of three theater productions in a new run of shows by theater troupe Silent Theater Company. The troupe’s appreciation for ’20s theater and silent film is evident in their current selection of plays. Both “The Set-Up” and “The Wild Party” are based on novel-length poems written by Joseph Moncure in the late ’20s.

“The Wild Party,” directed by Tonika Todorova, follows a group of vaudeville and burlesque entertainers as they party the night away. It stars modern-day burlesque performer The Lady Jack. Todorova said the vaudeville tradition is still relevant to today’s theater, despite its age.

“Theater today somewhat becomes hokey,” Todorova said. “When I go see a live production, I get the sense I’m being talked at. It’s a here-I-am-on-stage-talking-for-you type of thing. People try to forget the audience, when in the end, it is about the audience.”

The idea for the variety hour came from “The Wild Party” and will feature acts in the vaudeville and burlesque spirit, along with other modern entertainers. In total, six acts were performed at the Sept. 5 premiere show, including guitarist Dave Fink, actor Brian Parenti and slapstick silent act the Oona Tramps. Different acts will be featured each week with the exception of The Lady Jack, who will perform at every show.

Troupe members Nathan Paul and Marvin Quijada host the show and hold auditions for any performers that want to participate in “The Variety Hour.” Quijada said they have plenty of people asking to audition and new acts scheduled to appear along with possible returning ones. They don’t want just vaudeville acts and prefer a variety of quality performances, Quijada said.

“We want everything,” Quijada said. “We want the vaudeville, we want the singers and we want the stand-up comedians … It has to be an act that is well rehearsed and ready to put up. We’re not just like, ‘Well, you need some work.’ If you’re coming here you have a product.”

Troupe member Scott Coyne said Silent Theater Company began at the Columbia theater Department when Todorova was a student there.  She created the play, “LULU” in a workshop class and then decided to make it a professional production. “LULU” had no spoken dialogue—speech was pantomimed by actors with the words projected on a screen behind them. Todorova said the reason for the success was the range of the expression silent theater affords actors.

“There’s slapstick comedy and farce,” Todorova said. “At the same token it can be incredibly pertinent in a moment being held still. There’s that silence that just holds in the air and makes it incredibly powerful.”

It proved so successful that its run was extended in Chicago and then followed by a 4-month tour. The troupe took a year and half break when they returned, but now they’re back and ready to perform. Whether the troupe will go back on the road with their new shows is another question. Todorova said they would have to fit 40 or 50 people in the one bus they have if they wanted to. She said that many people would be “insane.”

“The Wild Party Variety Hour” will be performed at the Prop Thtr, 3504 N.Elston Ave., every Saturday at 10:30 p.m. until Oct. 4. Times and dates for both “The Set-Up” and “The Wild Party” can be found at SilentTheatre.com under Current Events.