Clownitis: In 2002, I saw ' My life is like a Yoyo' by Angela de Castro. In this one-woman-show Angela told the story of how she became a clown. She described clowns as beings who have the freedom to be over-the-top anything... over-the-top clumsy, over-the-top forgetful, over-the-top romantic. This set me off dreaming of better over-the-top futures full of extraordinary possibilities and since then I have kept a little place in my heart for my future clown.
5 years later, thanks to a Travel Bursary from the Arts Council, I went to Cardiff to train with Angela de Castro herself on the acclaimed 'How to Be A Stupid' workshop. This experience made me so thirsty for more that I enrolled in further workshops with John Lee, Clown YoYo, Angela Knowles, Ray Keane (Barabbas), and Philippe Gaulier, the 'Tormentor'. I am still on the journey.
Part of this journey is 'Clownitis' a clowning exploration group who meets in Dublin every Monday from 8 to 10pm in the Dublin Food Co-op.
: In November 2009, Clownitis made a short film called 'The Kitchen' for the Mutant Shorts Film Competition 'Mutant Rooms'. 'The Kitchen' stars Michael Phelan as 'the man', Caitriona Ni Threasaigh as 'the woman', Adam Wilson as 'the sink', Nina Tanis as 'the bin', Fiona Dowling as 'the food processor', Adrien Dussart as 'the fridge', Cian as 'the toaster', John Dunn as 'the cooker' and Richard Kane as 'the hoover'. The film was directed, shot and edited by Fiona Dowling and produced by Eleonore Nicolas.