Klara G

20.3.–28.3.2026

Red Pearl Clown Festival 2026

The Red Pearl Clown Festival, aimed at adult audiences, brings together international and domestic clown artists and clownery enthusiasts.

The festival features five unapologetic works by international clowning stars: Deanna Fleysher & Brooke Sciacca (US), Rosa Garland (UK), Diana Gadish (ES), Minttu-Maaria Makkonen (FI), and the performing arts collective M.P.A.C. (SE). This year, the festival takes place from March 20 to 28 at Hurjaruuth’s own stage and at the Turbine Hall at Cable Factory.

What happens when master auteur Vincent Prixx works on an experimental, homoerotic art movie with pretty boy Dylan Thruster and everyone in the theatre? What kind of performance is praised as a “masterclass in comedy” and “disgusting, daring and unlike anything else” and includes clowning, slime, live worms and tattooing amongst other things? And who is the world-famous rock god Spectacle? (Some have described the star as your wet daydream, the wit of every backstage, a casanova, the guitar hero that every man dreams to be, a c*m-s****ing d**k head…) All this and much more will be revealed at the Red Pearl Clown Festival!

The festival program also includes an open stage evening, Clownery Lab Sessions, where laughter is guaranteed! Pre-selected clowns will perform short excerpts from their own works in progress or finished performances. The evening is a great opportunity to get a broad glimpse of the kinds of performances currently being created in the world of clowning. Tony (Riina Tikkanen), the film director you might remember from Winter Circus Film, will be in charge of the evening’s proceedings and ensuring that the rules are followed.

On Friday, March 27, you are very welcome to come and try clown yoga at the Theatre Museum. The open-for-all clown yoga class will be led by Hanna Terävä Varis, a professional clown and certified yoga instructor (RYT200H).

The festival bar will be open in the Hurjaruuth foyer and will serve as a meeting place throughout the festival. It is advisable to arrive early for the FAIL AWAY performance on Saturday evening, March 28, as an hour before the performance, Hanna Terävä‘s clown yogi Mayananda-Hans will warm up the audience in the festival bar. After the performance, there is no need to step out into the cold outside, as Mayananda-Hans will also guide the audience in a post-performance release and transition.

 

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Date

20.3.–28.3.2026

Tickets

20-27 €. Ticket package: Buy a ticket for 3-5 different performances and get a 20% discount. Please note: Tickets for the Clownery Lab sessions cannot be purchased as part of a multi-ticket pass.

Venue

Cable Factory (Kaapeliaukio 3, Helsinki): Hurjaruuth Stage and Turbine Hall

Suggested age

For adults

Next performances

Festival Bar

The Festival bar serves as a meeting place throughout the festival. The Festival Bar is located in the foyer next to the Hurjaruuth Stage (Cable Factory, Door A, 2nd floor). Please note that we only accept card payments.

Opening hours 2026

Fri 20.3. at 16–
Sat 21.3. at 16–
Tue 24.3. at 16-
Wed 25.3. at 16-
Thu 26.3. at 17–18
Fri 27.3. at 17–
Sat 28.3. at 17–

On Saturday, March 28, the festival bar will open one hour before M.P.A.C.’s performance FAIL AWAY. Immediately after the bar opens, Hanna Terävä‘s clown yogi Mayananda-Hans will warm up the audience for the performance. So be sure to arrive early! After the performance, there’s no need to step out into the cold outside, as Mayananda-Hans will also guide the audience in a post-performance release and transition.

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CALL IT CHARACTER (DON’T CALL IT CLOWN) INTENSIVE

with Deanna Fleysher

21.-24.3.2026

Study clown and character with this international master, in this rare workshop!

Want to make your character unforgettable no matter what you’re doing on stage? Want to get laughs and love from the audience in a whole new way? Don’t call it clown, but between us, that’s what it is.

This workshop takes the participant through a journey based in clown and physical theatre to birth/hone an electrifying character rooted deeply in who you are. We will learn about your character’s unique connection to the audience, their mission, and their special brand of vulnerable ferocity.

Connect with your audiences like never before, and make them love you forever.

Course information:

  • 4 days (Sat-Tue) 21.3.–24.3.2026
  • Classes every day from 9.30 to 15.30* (1 h lunch break)
  • Course fee: 235 €, invoices are sent by e-mail before the beginning of the course.
  • Teaching in English.

Course takes place at Cable Factory:

  • Sat: Zodiak’s B2 studio, 2nd floor (B staircase, access also from A staircase)
  • Sun-Tue: Hurjaruuth’s rehearsal studio, 5th floor (A staircase)

*Tue 24.3. at 17 there is a possibility to perform in front of an audience. The showcase is held in the Turbine Hall stage in Cable Factory. The workshop participants and the teacher decide about performing. Hurjaruuth provides the stage and staff to the performance if needed.

Enrollment has ended.

More info about the workshop here

Feminist Clown Festival since 2012

Red Pearl was founded in 2012 as a feminist festival and remains so. Over the years, in addition to Finnish clowns, the festival has featured numerous internationally acclaimed performers such as Pepa Plana, Nola Rae, Deanna Fleysher, Tanja Simma, Stacey Sacks, Marta Carbayo, Angela de Castro, Gardi Hutter, and Colette Gomette.

The festival has served as a reminder that although most clowns throughout history have been men, Finland and the world are home to clowns of many genders. In 2021, the festival changed its name to Clown Festival Red Pearl. Not because equality has now been achieved in the world, but because the understanding of gender diversity needs to be better acknowledged. The festival will continue to focus on clowning by women and people of diverse gender identities.

At the core of Red Pearl’s values is the active promotion of equality and equity in the field of clowning and through the means of clowning, taking into account all genders and the many forms of discrimination. We follow the principles of a safer space in all our activities.

Read more about the Red Pearl and past festival programs!

Festival program 2026

27.3.2026

Clownery Lab Sessions

A night full of laughter! Red Pearl Clown Festival will host for the second time a clownery open stage evening. You can sign up for the evening with your completed or less completed clowning performance alone, as a couple or as a group.

Suggested age: For adults

Venue: Hurjaruuth stage, Cable Factory

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Next performances

March 2026