One of the most acclaimed companies in Europe delights us in the Grec with a show full of laughter and poetry that pays tribute to the grandeur of the circus. Loyalty is the theme of a production that splashes a few drops of melancholy on its humour.
Was it a sudden epidemic? Has there been a tragic accident? You might not know what has happened when you enter this company’s big top, but you will soon realize that Danny Ronaldo is the only artist left alive. You will see the graves of his companions around the ring: that of the whiteface clown, those of the tightrope walkers, even that of the ringmaster. Yes, only the clown remains alive but even so he is not completely alone. Because, through the power of his imagination, he will bring each of his companions back to life, playing all their roles, with a warm sense of humour, to delight the audience. He will thus show us his loyalty, as enjoyable as it is at times unhealthy, to his late companions, but also to the circus and to this world’s traditions. Doesn’t this clown seem like the Japanese soldier who, having had no news of the end of the war, remained loyal to his country, alone on a remote island for more than 30 years? The war or, in this case, the show must go on, even if only one soldier – or one clown – is left alive.
This show is by a family circus troupe whose roots take us back to the travelling circuses of the nineteenth century but at the same time to the tradition of the Commedia dell’Arte. Today, the sixth generation of artists in this family combines the best of the circus and the theatre and uses a unique language. You will see them reinterpret the tradition in shows in which the emotions play a key role.
Author: Danny Ronaldo; Interpretation: Danny Ronaldo; Coaching: Lotte van den Berg, Steven Luca, Rafael, Jo De Rijck; Music: David Van Keer; Technical direction: Nanosh Ronaldo; Tour: Frans Brood Productions;
