21.3.-29.3.2025
Red Pearl Clown Festival 2025
This feministically tuned festival combines international and domestic top-class clowns in unique atmosphere. The first Red Pearl Clown Festival was held in February 2012.
This feministically tuned festival combines international and domestic top-class clowns in unique atmosphere. The first Red Pearl Clown Festival was held in February 2012.
This year’s festival will take place 21.–29.3.2025. Performances on the Hurjaruuth stage (Cable Factory A staircase, 2nd floor; Tallberginkatu 1 A, Helsinki) and in the Turbine hall at the Cable Factory (Kaapeliaukio 3, Helsinki).
Languages of the performances vary. More information on each performance on its own program page. You may get a ticket package: Buy an adult ticket for 3-6 different performances and get a 20% discount!
Please note: Multi-ticket passes cannot be purchased for the open stage-style Clownery Lab sessions. The ticket revenue from the lab sessions will be shared among the performers.
The Festival Bar serves guests in Hurjaruuth’s audience foyer, right next to the Hurjaruuth Stage. The bar is open on all performance days (opening hours here).
Welcome!
Date
21.3.-29.3.2025
Tickets
26 / 16 €. Ticket package: Buy an adult ticket for 3-6 different performances and get a 20% discount!
Venue
Cable Factory: Hurjaruuth Stage and Turbine Hall
Suggested age
For adults
Other
Tickets for the Clownery Lab sessions cannot be purchased as part of a multi-ticket pass. The ticket revenue from the lab sessions will be shared among the performances.
Opening hours of the Festival Bar
Located in the foyer next to the Hurjaruuth Stage. Please note that we only accept card payments.
Fri 21.3. at 17–
Sat 22.3. at 15–
Tue 25.3. at 17–18
Wed 26.3. at 16–19
Thu 27.3. at 16–19
Fri 28.3. at 15–
Sat 29.3. at 16–
Welcome!
Epic Imbalance – Gözde Atalay’s Intensive Clown Workshop for professionals 22.–25.3. (in English)
Dance Theatre Hurjaruuth is organising a professional course in clownery as part of the Red Pearl Clown Festival in March 2025.
Course information:
- 4 days (Sat-Tue) 22.3.–25.3.2025
- Classes every day from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. (1 h lunch break)
- Location: Dance Theatre Hurjaruuth, rehearsal studio, 5th floor (Helsinki, Cable Factory, A staircase)
- Course fee: 220 €, invoices are sent by e-mail before the start of the course.
- Teaching in English.
Enrol for workshop 1.3.2025 at the latest: miia.pajarinen@hurjaruuth.fi
Workshop participants are selected by the Red Pearl Clown Council.
Epic Imbalance – Intensive Clown Workshop
The clown journey starts when you immerse yourself into the unknown aspects of your personality, connecting with your untamed‘other’inside – the one who enjoys the chaotic and unpredictable nature of life.
The clown follows his/her impulses and is eager to find his/her own unique solution for any problem that emerges through his/her poetic journey. He/she is a playful being existing in the HERE and NOW, full of surprises for us and for himself/herself. The clown does everything with pleasure and a sense of joy!
In this workshop we will develop the ability to accept chaos, failure and the completely unknown as vital elements within our creative process. We will awaken our bodies, our playfulness, our awareness, our simplicity and we will free ourselves from fear and judgment through games, movement exercises, improvisation, method of three sec. and collective singing. We will bring out our hidden, unlived qualities and create a playful dialogue with them. The red nose, which is the smallest mask in the world, will guide the individual clowns to emerge.
“Think about yourself at least once in your life otherwise you may miss the best comedy in this world.”
― Charlie Chaplin
About Gözde Atalay
Gözde Atalay is a physical theatre facilitator, director and actress born in Turkey and based in Athens. She has been performing since 2000 and graduated from the department of Istanbul University in 2004.
As a clown, she first trained in 2009 at EMCA (Municipality Circus School) in Spain, also engaging actively with other circus techniques. From 2011–2012 she taught in the social circus school for children “Cabuwazi” in Berlin.
As a physical theater performer, she studied with Hernan Gene and Gabriel Chame Buendia at “Chame and Gene Estudios Teatrales” in Madrid and with Thomas Prattki at the London International School of Performing Arts, where she completed the new full-time professional development program in 2014–2015 with a scholarship. She also trained with Mario Gonzalez, Giovanni Fusetti, Matej Matejka and Patrick Van Den Boom.
At the moment she is touring with her new show Nomad in Europe. She performed at the Ballhaus Ost in Berlin and at the Camden People’s Theatre in London in the show No Way Out with the company Flight of Escales from 2018–2019. She directed Queens at the festival Mujeres Que Cuentan in Santander in 2017, performed Nasreddin Hodja Tales at the 3rd Storytelling Festival of Athens 2016 and A Quiet Voice in the International Athens & Epidaurus Festival 2014. From 2012–2013 she was a performer in ZirCouplet -Variete Shows in Berlin and in a street performance for the International Festival Carnival of Cultures Berlin 2012 – to name just some of her performances. She is currently working with the company La Volada on a new show. Since 2006, she has been living and working in several countries, where she is performing, directing and teaching in various international projects.
Feminist Clown Festival since 2012
Most clowns have traditionally been male, but this festival serves as a reminder that first-class clowns of other genders can be found in the Nordic countries and all over the world.
First time in February 2012 organized “Red Pearl Woman Clown Festival” brought world-renowned clowns to Finland and Sweden. Dance Theatre Hurjaruuth, Helsinki, Espoo City Theatre and Regina Theatre from Uppsala jointly produced the festival, which presented acts from Brazil, England, Austria, Sweden and Finland.
Over the years many top-class clowns have been performing in Red Pearl, among them e.g. Pepa Plana, Nola Rae, Deanna Fleysher, Tanja Simma, Stacey Sacks, Marta Carbayo, Angela de Castro, Gardi Hutter, Colette Gomette…
Women clown festivals are organized worldwide, e.g. in Brazil, Spain and Austria.
In 2021 Dance Theatre Hurjaruuth changes the name of the festival to Red Pearl Clown Festival. Not because gender equality would have been reached globally, but in order to better take the diversity of genders into account. The festival will continue focusing on women and clowns from diverse genders.
Program 2025
21.3.-22.3.2025
Clémence Caillouel (FRA): The Requiem of Sophie Withman
Sophie Withman loves fame, romance and stories that end tragically.
Suggested age: For adults (12+)
Venue: Hurjaruuth Stage, Cable Factory
22.3.2025
Gözde Atalay (TUR): NOMAD
What happens when a Turkish immigrant, Ayşe, meets policeman Eric and the Paper Creature, an absurd embodiment of bureaucracy?
Suggested age: For adults (15+)
Venue: Turbine Hall, Cable Factory
25.3.-26.3.2025
Paulina Lenoir (SUI/MEX): Puella Eterna
A tale of birth, life and death told through the eyes of this generation’s most renowned couture poet, Puella Eterna.
Suggested age: For adults (16+)
Venue: Turbine Hall, Cable Factory
26.3.-27.3.2025
Emma Castrén (FIN): The Gynecologist
A gynecologist, Dr. Freon, dives into the patient’s uterus in a search for a solution to her painful ailments.
Suggested age: For adults (12+)
Venue: Hurjaruuth Stage, Cable Factory
27.3.2025
Murder Mystery of the Clowns
A low-threshold performance held in honor of World Theatre Day, where we get to experiment, tell the truth, be silly, lie, fail, and laugh alongside the clowns.
Suggested age: For adults (16+)
Venue: Turbine Hall, Cable Factory
28.3.2025
Clownery Lab Sessions
An open stage evening for clowns – run by two incorruptible clowns!
Suggested age: For adults (16+)
Venue: Hurjaruuth Stage, Cable Factory
29.3.2025
Gabriela Muñoz (MEX): Julieta
Julieta tells the story of a woman – full of experiences and quirkiness – and the multiple layers that old age brings.
Suggested age: For adults (15+)
Venue: Hurjaruuth Stage, Cable Factory