Palhaços sem lona: a palhaçaria nos espaços urbanos no século XXI

Abstract

In the intertwining of streets, where concrete becomes a stage and the hurried flow of the city is interrupted by laughter, lives the clown without a big top. Errant, irreverent, and master of a universal language, he reinvents the circus tradition by moving through the urban spaces of the 21st century. This investigation seeks to understand this migration from the ring to the street, exploring the paths that led the clown to occupy squares, corners, and avenues, where the audience is not captive but transient, and the show is molded to the temporality of the moment. With the consolidation of the modern circus, the figure of the clown was established as one of the central characters in art and communication. However, the transformation of the circus and changes in cultural dynamics have caused many clowns to seek new territories for their art. In this context, urban space emerges as a field of experimentation and resistance, where laughter becomes a political act, an invitation to pause and share. The research dialogues with authors such as Hermínia Silva (1996), who analyzes the circus in Brazil and the tradition of the circus-family; Lílian Castro (2017), who discusses the role of the clown in Brazilian theater; Lili Castro (2019), who works with the idea of multiplicity in contemporary clowning; Bolognesi (2013), who analyzes the art of the clown within the scope of the national circus, and Michele Cabral (2018), who investigates street theater as a space for encounter, communication, and resistance. These studies broaden the understanding of the transition from the traditional clown to the urban space, their strategies, techniques, and adaptations to this new context. Furthermore, the investigation is supported by interviews with two clowns, whose experiences with theater served as a basis for performing on the street and for the construction of their clowning practices. More than a study about clowning, this research proposes to be a dive into the essence of these artists who, without curtains or backdrops, face the improvisation of daily life. The street clown does not just entertain; he provokes, disarms, creates unexpected bonds, and redefines the city through laughter.