The Night of the Mute Clowns

THE NIGHT OF THE MUTE CLOWNS

A Noite dos Palhaços Mudos (The Night of the Mute Clowns), by Cia. LaMínima, is an award‑winning stage adaptation of the comic album by the celebrated cartoonist Laerte. First performed in 2008, it has been staged hundreds of times across Brazil over the past 18 years. The production has opened or featured in some of the country’s leading arts festivals and presents a tragicomic pursuit of clowns in a society beset by the rise of the far right and marked by growing intolerance.

Cia. LaMínima is widely acclaimed by critics and audiences as one of Brazil’s most inventive and prolific theatre and circus companies. In 2027 the company will celebrate 30 years of intense activity, during which it has received many of the nation’s most prestigious awards, including APTR‑Rio, Prêmio Shell, Prêmio do Humor and APCA. The company is now focused on expanding its international career.

ABOUT THE SHOW

The Mute Clowns are city dwellers who devote themselves to the art of clowning. A sect, however, regards them as a dangerous threat and persecutes them in an attempt to eradicate them. One night, during a hunt for two clowns, the sect captures one of them and, in trying to kill him, manages merely to tear off his nose. The mutilated clown escapes and, unable to bear the shame, goes into despair. The second Mute Clown appears, realises what has happened and launches a bold rescue to recover his companion’s nose. Chases through shadowed streets mingle with magic tricks, musical numbers and other comic absurdities, exploring the conflicts between contemporary intolerance and the clown’s peculiar logic — if such a logic exists.

Like any good graphic narrative, the original cartoon A Noite dos Palhaços Mudos works as a storyboard of scenes and situations: not only to be followed but as a rich source of inspiration. Using physical comedy, the absurd and wordless humour, the production transposes urban intolerance into the irreverent world of the clown. It is based on the original comic published in 1987 in Revista Circo (No. 4). A recurring theme in Laerte’s work, the interplay between reality and fantasy turns the story into a “police noir” or “clown noir”, making it especially rewarding for performers.

Laerte’s distinctive line and humour guide the adaptation. The creative challenge has been to transfer those drawings to the stage frame by frame — through gags, mime and the alignment of gesture with music, lighting, props and costume.

“It’s a simple story that challenges the inflexibility of those who cannot grasp the relativity of cultures — something still all too common today. Persecuted relentlessly simply for existing, the characters echo the very nature of the clown, who must confront the breakdown of supposed absolute values to preserve their essence.” — Laerte

PRODUCTION HISTORY (selected)

2008 Premiere season, 1–29 May, Espaço Parlapatões, São Paulo (two subsequent extensions; additional season 17 Sept–11 Dec).
2009 Touring via Sesc’s Palco Giratório; season 11 Jul–30 Aug at Teatro Eva Herz (Livraria Cultura).
2010 Season at Teatro Cleyde Yáconis.
2011 Touring via Sesi Viagem Teatral (SP); season 15–18 Dec at Teatro Poeira (RJ).
2015 Circuito SP de Cultura — Prefeitura de São Paulo.
2016 Short season 3–5 Nov at Sesc Campos Limpo, São Paulo.
2017 LaMínima 20 Years repertoire shows — Sesi São Paulo; Sesc Campinas; Teatro João Caetano, São Paulo.
2018 Performances at Sesc Bom Retiro, São Paulo.
2019 Festival do Humor, Jundiaí.
2020 Performance at Sesc Santana, streamed online.
2021 Selected by Proac Expresso Direto 11/2020 for licensing on the #culturaemcasa platform.
2022–2023 Featured in LaMínima’s 25‑year repertoire showcases and special events (Sesc, Centro Cultural FIESP, Espaço Parlapatões, Teatro João Caetano).
2024–2025 Performances at Sesc programmes, Virada Cultural Paulista, Centro Cultural São Paulo; awarded Fomento ao Circo for a São Paulo season; touring Sesc units.
2026 Aldeia Sesc Ilha do Mel (Vitória/ES).

SELECTED FESTIVALS

Aldeia Sesc Ilha do Mel [Vitória/ES - 2026]
38ª Mostra de Teatro de Sertãozinho [Sertãozinho/SP - 2025]
Mostra: Estados da Palhaçaria, do Centro Cultural São Paulo [São Paulo/SP - 2025]
Sesc Festclown [Brasília/DF - 2025]
Semana do Humor de Jundiaí [SP/2019]
12º Anjos do Picadeiro [Rio de Janeiro/RJ 2018]
Fescete – Festival de Cenas Teatrais, [Santos/SP 2016]
CIRCOS - Festival Internacional de Circo do Sesc [SP/2013]
Festival Janeiro Brasileiro de comédia. São José do Rio Preto [SP/2011]
Festival Mundial de Circo do Brasil [MG/2010]
FRINGE – Festival de Curitiba [PR/2010]
Festival de Inverno de Ouro Preto e Mariana [MG/2010]
FILO – Festival Internacional de Londrina” [PR/2009]
2º Festival Internacional de Teatro de Dourados [MS/2009]
FIAC – Festival Internacional de Artes Cênicas da Bahia – Ano 2 [BA/2009]
Mostra Sesc Cariri de Cultura [CE/2009]
VII FEVERESTIVAL - Festival Internacional de Teatro de Campinas [SP/2009]
2009 FESTCLOWN” Festival Internacional de Palhaços [DF/2009]
XI Festival Recife de Teatral Nacional [PE/2008]
Goiânia em cena – Edição 2008 (GO/2008)
and many others across Brazil (2008–2019)

PRIZES AND RECOGNITION

Voted the 3rd best production of 2008 by critics in Guia da Folha.
Named Best Production of 2008 by BRAVO! magazine.
Prêmio Shell 2008 — Best Actor: Domingos Montagner and Fernando Sampaio.
Prêmio Cooperativa Paulista de Teatro 2008 — Best Conventional Theatre Production and Best Ensemble.

PUBLIC FUNDING AND COMMISSIONS

PAC Edital No. 8 — production of the new play A Noite dos Palhaços Mudos (Oct 2007).
Funarte Myriam Muniz Theatre Prize for A Noite dos Palhaços Mudos (Sep 2007).
Proac Expresso Direto selections (2021–2023) and Fomento ao Circo (2025).

CREDITS

Original story: Laerte
Adaptation & script: LaMínima and Álvaro Assad
Collaboration: Paulo Rogério Lopes
Direction & mime preparation: Álvaro Assad
Cast: Fernando Paz, Fernando Sampaio and Filipe Bregantim
Lighting: Wagner Freire
Costumes: Inês Sacay
Set design: Domingos Montagner
Props: Maria Cecília Meyer
Original music: Marcelo Pellegrini
Magic technical advisor: Volkane
Choreography: Sérgio Rocha
Director of Production and Communications: Lucianna Lima