The pear in space! Photo by Jen Neads of No. 11 Productions.

Coosje (pronounced KOH-shuh), by New York’s No. 11 Productions, is a poignant, irreverent, whimsical musical that portrays the love story of artists Claes Oldenburg and Coosje Van Bruggen. The artist couple is best known for their large sculptures of everyday objects, including Typewriter Eraser, on view in the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden. The style of the play pays homage to Oldenburg’s zany, nonsensical nature, beginning with a black and white video of a “happening.” Before the video, the actor portraying Claes states, “If you don’t get it, you’re onto something,” which is good since there is no sense to be made of hat-wearing, bespectacled, goofy actors running around a corn field with swords and typewriters.

The rest of the play is a bit easier to understand, but still keeps its whimsical nature as Claes tries to woo Coosje, they partner on artwork and get married. Through the couple’s dialogue and silly interactions, we also learn about Claes and Coosje “the artists,” as they debate the importance of spontaneity and impulse versus planning and perfection. They later collaborate on work for cities worldwide, with “each sculpture a diagnosis for each place.”

Interspersed throughout the sweet love story and art history lesson, the play follows a pear (yes, the fruit) as it falls off of a fruit bowl still life and decides it wants to see the world. Actress Sina Heiß plays the pear in a bright green pear outfit, a big smile and eyes wide-open as she travels to Paris and around the world, meeting other fruit along the way, noting that “pineapples are just as prickly on the inside.” The pear is trying to find herself! (She is clearly a millennial pear, but she’s delightful nonetheless.)

What I loved about Coosje was its spirit—from the animated line-drawing background screens, to the silliness of a pear singing while holding a green suitcase, to the goofiness and enthusiasm of the artist couple making and debating art. It was fun and playful but intellectual and sincere. Quite refreshing.

Coosje is playing at the Goethe-Institut Saturday, July 12 at 2 p.m., Sunday, July 13 at 8:15 p.m., Tuesday, July 15 at 8 p.m., and Wednesday, July 16 at 8 p.m.