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The return of the clowns

The language of laughter
22 March 2005, 18:00 PM
LIFESTYLE
By Fayza Huq
22 March 2005, 18:00 PM
The "Clowns without borders" are back in Bangladesh this March to perform for deprived children and families. This company of seven French circus artists brings laughter and festivities to the underprivileged in Dhaka, Chittagong and Jessore. The language of laughter serves as a respite for children suffering from traumatic experiences. This visit is at the request of Terre des Hommes (Italy), Save the Children, Bangladesh Institute of Theatre Arts (BITA) and ARISE (National resources for improving Street Children's Environment).

The artistic team consists of Jean-Benoit Mollet (juggler, comedian and leader), Aline Muheim (clown), Delphine Lanson (clown), Julien Cassier (juggler, acrobat, clown), Claude Veysset (clown), Pascal Versini (musician) and Rima Abdul-Malak (project coordinator).

In Dhaka the clowns are performing in several places such as a slum school in Rayerbazar, Tongi Kishore Unayan Kendra ("Correction Centre" for boys) and the Centre for Rehabilitation for the Paralysed (CRP). They will also organise workshops with the children and the educators of Partners-Bangladesh centre in Mirpur.

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In Chittagong they are organising workshops with Bangladeshi artists working with the Bangladeshi Institute of Theatre Arts.

In Jessore they are spending a few days in Jessore Kishore Unayan Kendra , where some artistic workshops will take place , in collaboration with Save the Children, UK.

The group's financial resources come from donations, sale of T-shirts, cards and videos. The clowns won the Marie-Paule Eisele Prize for the Rights of Children 1997.

The "Clowns without borders" have performed in Croatia, Bosnia, Rumania, Albania, Moldavia, Gaza and the West Bank, South Lebanon, India (Chennai, Gujarat and Pondichery), Guatemela, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Argentina.