Zagreb Clown Festival

With the character's roots stemming back to the ancient theatres of Greece and Rome, passing through the fools employed in the courts of medieval kings and the Commedia dell'arte, right up to today's Joseph Grimaldi-inspired white-faced Circus clowns, the clown has been part of our cultural and social expression for thousands of years. Organised by professional theatre group Triko Cirkus Teatar, who specialise in the new circus-style, this is the first international clown festival in Croatia. The three-day event kicks off on March 12 in Triko Cirkus Studio (Vlaška 92) with 'Absolutely Reliable', a solo show performed by Ralf Wetzler which deals with the question of what makes someone's identity. On March 13 in Triko Cirkus Studio, there's a repeat of the much-lauded 'Mistero Buffo', a monodrama starring Dražen Šivak. March 14 will be more suitable for younger viewers. 'Black Petra', presented at 11am, is a story about two friends who slowly turn into dark caricatures of themselves following their explorations of the virtual world (yes, it's for kids, but only if they are above the age of six). Later, at 8 pm and in Travno Cultural Centre (Božidara Magovca 17), catch 'Migracije iz Kroacije' (Migrations from Croatia), a show employing dance, theatre and puppetry displaying that 'Migrations are women, migrations are movement'. The final day, March 15 will see the festival end with a climax of four events. The free lecture 'Where it all came from: Joseph Grimaldi and the Harlequinade' by Dr John Towsen is offered at Travno Cultural Centre at 5.30 pm. A twelve-minute clown-dancing sketch 'She was a Boy' takes place at 7.30 pm before you have chance to visit 'Bad Clown Island' at 8 pm, both in the same Travno Cultural Centre venue. Bad Clown is from a big family of unadjusted people. He is searching for primal, primitive and basic laughter to disturb and wake both the living and the dead and he will use any means necessary to achieve that goal. Last but not least, 'Palunko's Wife'. What was her name? She was detailed in the famous Croatian fairytale of Palunko the fisherman, noted for telling him stories, cooking him a meal and even giving him a son. But what is her name? Maybe this play will have the answer? Apart from the free lecture on Grimaldi, 'Black Petra' tickets costs 30 kuna, 'Palunko's Wife' 45 kuna and all other performances 50 kuna. All events are non-verbal or offered in the English-language.