Stage/Toronto Fringe 2024

What: Tonight! a clown who wanted to be loved?
Where: Tarragon Theatre Solo Room, 30 Bridgman Ave.
When: Thurs., July 11 at 1:45 pm; Fri., July 12 at 9:45 pm; Sat., July 13 at 3:45 pm; Sun., July 14 at 12:00 pm
Highlight: Italian clown Andrea Barello’s high-pitched, Muppet-like delivery of his character’s catchphrase, the word “OK.”
Rating: NNN (out of 5)
Why you should go: There’s a surprisingly high proportion of clown shows at this year’s Fringe, but Barello’s 50-minute, one-man piece might be the simplest and saddest.

THERE’S a surprisingly high proportion of clown shows at this year’s Fringe, but Andrea Barello’s one-man Tonight! a clown who wanted to be loved? might be the simplest and saddest.

The melancholy title hangs over the freewheeling, 50-minute piece, which begins with Barello in a doctor’s coat stumbling around the audience, measuring tape in hand. The show then welcomes a couple spectators on stage for extended periods to play Barello’s suitors.

It’s all very sweet, and Barello is clearly a skilled clown. The persona he puts on is endearingly shy; the only word he says with any frequency is “OK,” and even then his delivery is high-pitched and Muppet-like.

Being so reliant on improvisation and audience participation, Tonight! will vary significantly from performance to performance. The show I attended felt a little low energy, partly because the two audience volunteers exuded confidence, even seeming like performers themselves, when the fun of watching fellow audience members on stage is that they’re usually a little uncomfortable.

In a speech toward the piece’s end, Barello explains why the relatively lighthearted show might not live up to its sad title: over the creation process, he changed his mind about what he wanted to make. As refreshing as this honesty is, I was left wondering whether a sharper, more intentionally conceived production might better showcase Barello’s considerable talent.