Clowning Around

Following last year’s utterly delightful Circus, Barabbas are back in town with another circus-based show, Johnny Patterson, The Singing Irish Clown which plays at Project from November 4-14. Directed by Raymond Keane and written by Little John Nee, who also plays in the show alongside Roger Gregg and Bryan Burroughs, it pays homage to the forgotten genius of once celebrated circus performer Johnny Patterson from Co Clare, who started his circus life as a humble drummer boy and went on to achieve great things across the Atlantic, becoming one of the highest paid entertainers of his time. It wasn’t all plain sailing though, and Patterson met with a sorry end. Charting the highs and lows, triumphs and tragedies of an extraordinary life, the show was originally inspired by an exhibition of circus paintings by Jack B Yeats at the National Gallery. www.project.ie