The Lab at Fools Paradise   Wed 26 Feb 

The odyssey to seek love is a journey we all travel on, but how can we measure when we’ve arrived? We can relate directly to this heartfelt character in Tonight: a clown who wanted to be loved?, who searches relentlessly for a soulmate. This clown is so much engrossed in the playfulness that life presents, he is just as likely to miss out on any chance of a long-lasting connection. Or maybe not.

Like the string Ariadne gave Theseus, which he tied to the entrance of the labyrinth as he ventured into its depths, we are invited to leave our inhibitions behind and into a world of pure improvisation, where surprises are guaranteed, and anything can happen. As we make our path through the twisting passages, the scenes of possible relationships, we almost forget that the clown has ensured he could find his way back out.

There are many pitfalls and disappointments to be navigated along the way. Such simplicity in clowning is a sign of superior skill and much preparation, an excellence that relies on total willingness to trust the audience. The resulting joyful laughter is spontaneous and genuine.

With a set of simple props and a sharpie pen to write what cannot be spoken, since this is before-spoken theatre, the universal language of clowning, this show captures the central theme of all: can love triumph over fear? The audience were having fun, and I’ve rarely seen one more willing to join in.

This is classical European clowning at its best, when just a quizzical look or mumbled word can bring the audience to tears of laughter. Improvisation is always a risky business, with the response on a knife edge, but Barello’s beguiling nature has everyone in the palm of his hand – quite often literally.

Perhaps there are other question asked: do we have the fitness and stamina to persist and find true love? And is loving yourself the place to start? In the end we are each of us alone, but the need for love means that we may even find it there and then.