Credits:

Performed by: Angela de Castro & Rachel Ponsonby

Choreography: Barry Grantham

Produced by: Contemporary Clowning Projects

“Prepare to be entertained. One blink and you are in danger of missing something ludicrously funny"
★★★★★ The Voice

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“A performance which comes straight from the heart."

★★★★★ The Scotsman

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A clown waits for his new date to arrive. Smart, proud and optimistic he waits longingly, impatiently ... waits ... and waits. In what seems an eternity he walks a tightrope between passion and despair. Will it all end in tears or laughter? The Gift is about love and loss, giving and loneliness. A heart-warming tale in the great tradition of Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin in which music and silence merge as passion and imagination take over. 'The Gift' will touch and delight audiences of all ages. In an era of so-called sophistication and cool, we need more than ever the simple, universal message of love, hope and truth captured in 'The Gift'.

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'The Gift' began as a thirty minute show in 1990, subsequently receiving a special grant from the Arts Council of Great Britain to develop into a full length show and premiering at the London International Mime Festival. 'The Gift' has been seen all over the UK and is now touring worldwide. Reworked with new material, this updated production is performed and directed by Angela de Castro, accompanied by a special guest classical musician, with choreography by clown and commedia dell'arte expert Barry Grantham.The new version of the show has toured in Finland, Sweden, Germany, Brazil and Belgium so far.

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Angela de Castro is one of the 18 clowns featured in the book: Clowns: In conversation with modern masters by Ezra LeBank, David Bridel.

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Angela de Castro is one of the most loved women clowns. She is a leading theatre practitioner, actor, teacher, director and speaker. Her performances and methodology have been well recognised in the UK and abroad, awarding her, among a few, a Lawrence Olivier Award (UK), the Golden Nose Award (Spain), the Nesta Dreamtime Fellowship, an Arts Foundation Fellowship and an International Fellowship by Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama for her contribution on the art of clowning.

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Theatre clowning is a life’s passion and way of life for de Castro. She doesn’t stop working. She is completely dedicated and committed to her work. She is always working on shows, directing and mentoring other companies, developing her own clowns’ personas and learning how to play the ukulele. When she has some free time, she can be seen browsing around street markets, riding her beloved motorbike and feeding the ducks in the park near her house.

 

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