Waiting for the Clowns

 “Angajare de clovn”  aka “Old Clown Wanted” is a play written by the Romanian playwright Matei Visniec back in 1998 in Paris and which has been beautifully staged by the Municipal Theatre from Bacau on the 14^th of March 2013.

The three characters, Niccolo, Peppino and Filippo are played by three talented actresses who manage to create a tender atmosphere of what art should mean for all of us: freedom.

The tension among the three clowns struggling to get the only available opening is released through small presentations of their acts on stage. Who will impress the most? The one pretending he is hungry or the one pretending to be dying? Is life nothing but a stage? Are we all actors until we die? The play partly answered these questions…  and made us smile at the end, with sadness in the corner of our eyes… 

Here’s an extract from the play: 

FILIPPO: (Gradually recovering himself) Is it you? Really you?
NICOLLO: It is me! I swear it! Me!
FILIPPO: But how? But why?
NICOLLO: That's life!
FILIPPO: God, I'd never have recognised you. If you hadn't blown your nose I'd never have recognised you.
NICOLLO: Oh, get away with you! You'll make me cry.
FILIIPO: As soon as you blew your nose I felt a shiver. I felt you right in my soul. I smelt you. I said to myself that's him, the bastard! Nobody else snorts like that. (He hugs NICOLLO again and kisses him) You old devil! All your life you've been snorting like a trooper!
NICOLLO: (Wrenching himself away from the lewd embrace) Stop it! That's enough, you're ruining my face.
FILIPPO: (Wiping his mouth) What the hell is that? What the hell are you putting on your face?
NICOLLO: Nothing.
FILIPPO: No wonder you've got so many wrinkles if you put that shit on your face!
NICOLLO: Where have I got wrinkles? Where do you see wrinkles?
FILIPPO: Oh, it doesn't matter. You could at least be happy to see me!
NICOLLO: What? Not happy? I'm happy.
FILIPPO: Say something then, you miserable old git, tell me how you are. Don't you feel crazy? I feel like I'm completely crazy! I never thought I'd see you again.
NICOLLO: Why wouldn't you see me again? Why shouldn't you see me again?
FILIPPO: Well, a while ago there was a rumour going round that you were dead. How did you manage that?
NICOLLO: Who told you I was dead? I've been working at the Fantazio. Why would I be dead?