Andrea Barello – Tonight! A Clown Who Wanted to be Loved?

“Tonight! A Clown Who Wanted to be Loved?” is a solo work by Italian clown Andrea Barello. The concept is simple: here’s a man. He’s a clown. And he wants to be loved. 

Andrea Barello succeeded at my favourite type of clowning. It’s clowning that makes you feel childlike joy. It’s clowning that’s a hop, skip, and a jump away from playing pretend, in a way that most of us probably haven’t done since primary school. This show endeared itself to me at about the three-minute mark, when Barello set the tone by immediately jumping down into the audience, bringing us along with him for the bit. 

And if that hadn’t hooked me: the moment I was pulled on stage as a character in the show would have done it. I was cast as The Clown’s first date, and I won’t spoil the jokes but this was immensely fun. Barello is an expert at non-verbal communication, and at making sure participation feels fun rather than forced. 

On one hand, the 5:30pm time slot is unfortunate, because I think this would play well to a later night audience. But on the other hand, there’s a family-friendly earnestness about this show. I truly think it could be enjoyed by younger audiences as well as adults. 

Like everything in this genre: this show won’t be for everyone. But I implore you to enter with an open mind, and a willingness to play along. And perhaps, you’ll leave with a feeling of warmth and a distinct sense that your life is better for having spent an hour in this room.