Playing the fool

Moscow will turn into the capital of laughter for ten consecutive days during the “2nd World Congress of Fools”, which kicks off in the Russian capital on October 9.

It’s the brainchild of Slava Polunin, one of the planet’s most unconventional clowns.

The “leading fools of Europe and America” will take part in “2nd World Congress of Fools”, featuring a series of workshops and performances at the Natalia Sats Children's Musical Theater.

Johnny Melvillle

The absolute must-see is from Polunin. The Russian clown with the soul of a poet has best described his theatre as a “theatre of ritual magic and festive pageantry" and a “wedding cavalcade” in which he tries “to marry everyone to everyone”.

So expect the unexpected, imagine the unimagined and laugh yourself to tears. Improvisation is key to what he does; there are no identical performances by Polunin.

One of the most-highly anticipated guests at the “fool’s get-together” in Moscow is British star Johnny Melvillle, who has been entertaining international audiences for 36 years. He says he’s performed “for Her Royal Highness the Queen of Denmark, Princess Margriet of Holland, Olympic athletes, Russian spies, German riot-police, African bushmen, American soldiers, Mexican Indians, Paris debutantes, surgeons, film-stars, politicians, rock festival crowds, peace-activists, prisoners, pensioners and kids”…

“The Beast of British Comedy”, Chris Lynam, will also show off his sense of humor in the Russian capital. His shows are peppered with pyrotechnics and acrobatics, as well as “outlandish operatic and orchestral overtures (alongside multi faceted diva, Kate McKenzie), a sousaphone with a mind of its own, and anything else which may spring to Mr Lynam's unnecessarily large and vivid imagination.”

American clown Peter Pitofsky, who believes a clown should be like a "kid in the sandbox having fun", will also demonstrate his skills at the Congress.

Among Polunin’s French guests this year are Michel Sarunac and the award-winning clown-mime Julien Cottereau, who’s won comparisons with Charlie Chaplin.