Hannah Hamilton
The party is going down – in flames, that is. In this comedy drama we follow the conflicts and connection between two clowns, a magician, and their manager at the fictional Boogie Woogie Productions. They fear bankruptcy, change, and a beefy toddler named Brock.
Airborne Theatre’s Sweaty Clowns is a piece that ruminates on failure. It has moments of sincerity and humour, and certainly does not fail, but at times falls a little short of its emotional peaks. A very human story, it takes the whimsical context of a party company and shows a bleaker side to these childrens entertainers.
They fail to make themselves, each other, or the children they’re entertaining, very happy. Entertainment is a tough gig, especially for these performers, and the piece feels as though it is utterly disenchanted with the industry as it stands. There’s an interesting interplay between characters either adamant that their job is meaningful, or thoroughly disenchanted with the profession.
There’s not a lot of joy in this party company, although the audience finds plenty to entertain them through the character’s dry exchanges which lie in comic contrast to their colourful appearances. Whilst being utterly inept at their jobs, the audience witnesses a particularly tender moment of connection between the two characters behind the grease paint. The question of purpose shines brightest. When these clowns speak from the heart and lower their masks, they are at their most lovable.
Masks and pretension abound amidst the narrative, including the very lustful and dynamic magician. Played with very high energy, the magician stole the stage each of his scenes. A dichotomous character, the extreme caricature of a zany performer, this character got most of the laughs but not as much time to sincerely develop.
The piece explores the self-aggrandising performer, and the inevitable failure to meet expectations. Whilst there were some laughs, the drama is clearly a stronger suit in this performance. I would have liked to have seen this piece dig deeper into the misery, and sit longer with the more serious themes.
Featuring enjoyable transitions that made excellent use of lighting, sound, and economic storytelling to create a frantic atmosphere, this piece made clever use of stage devices to maximise its stage time. The occasional use of the audience as an additional character was very enjoyable, bleeding the story out into the real world.
The piece was entertaining, touching upon the anxieties most young adults can relate to. There is no joyful resolve, but the touching union of the characters is a pleasant end. It feels earnest in it’s assessment of these issues of personal and professional failure, seeking to find a place of peace in its own conflict. With a talented cast playing flawed characters, Sweaty Clowns is enjoyably bleak.
Recommended drink: Brown liquor, on the rocks, after a hard day of honking your nose.
Catch Sweaty Clowns at theSpace at Surgeon’s Hall from 7th to 18th August at 16.45 (50 mins). Tickets are available through the EdFringe Online Box Office.
Isobel Jacob
Abbie Lowe
