Clowns

About the work

….In that City
Where ways are lost
Clown turn into King
Prophet turn to clown….
Walt Whitman, Leaves of Grass

British-Israeli Hofesh Shechter is one of England’s most acclaimed artists. In Clowns, his first creation for NDT 1, Shechter explores the boundary between humour and cruelty. Set to stirring, hypnotic rhythms from music composed by Shechter himself, the dancers depict an explosion of energy, in which playfulness seemingly transforms into fighting and shooting. With Clowns, Shechter succeeds in gripping the audience from the very first moment and never letting go.

Credits

Choreography: Hofesh Shechter
Lighting design: Lee Curran
Set design: Hofesh Shechter
Costume design: Hofesh Shechter
NDT rehearsal directors: Lucas Crandall
Choreografie en muziek: Hofesh Shechter

Rehearsed by: Kim Kohlmann
Duration: 30 minutes
Premiere date: Sept. 26, 2024
Premiere location: Amare, The Hague
World premiere date: April 16, 2016
World premiere location: Zuiderstrandtheater, Den Haag

Original cast

Jon Bond, Matthew Foley, Madoka Kariya, Genevieve O’Keeffe, Omani Ormskirk, Kele Roberson, Theophilus Veselý, Nicole Ward, Sophie Whittome, Zenon Zubyk

Group of dancers create a layered tableau under spotlight, with performers standing, carrying and lying on the floor.

Genevieve O’Keeffe about 'Clowns'

“My first expierence of Clowns was as an audience member, seeing the work performed by Hofesh’s company in 2021.
I felt completely fascinated by the distinct physicality, free flowing yet contained and articulate. A language so generous in its humanity that you could forget the dancers were charged by anything other than thought.

Now performing the work, I feel my wonder may not have been so far off. Although we tune our bodies to navigate this specific world, our imagination and clarity of intent are the driving force.

It has been confronting in moments to distill each feeling, repeating lethal actions in as much detail as we dare to imagine, in an effort to find the sensation of violence with 100% belief and commitment while understanding that we are performing the clown performing the violence. A sort of inception of entertainment.

The piece asks us to insist upon each point we make, to be relentless in our pursuit of provoking a response. This is both an intention and a physicality, where we continue to tumble and reignite through the effort.
In moments it feels ambiguous if we are the puppets or the puppeteers? Is it really all just in good fun?

In performing Clowns I enjoy this cathartic relent and the need for surrender and commitment.
I let my mind flood with images and try to wire my senses to my own body, the music and the group around me sharing the experience.”