Les Witloof, Sous Pression

Review in Issue 17-2 | Summer 2005

Two clowns, the clothes (and noses) they stand up in, a little fewer than 99 red balloons, beer, rope and paper bags, a giant box, a piano, curtains and a stage: a little world, revelling in the little things to huge effect. Thierry Craeye and Daniel Van Hessen enter and in the manner of true clowns, do nothing. Far from it. In all their smiles and clownly lowliness, they are inviting us in. With childlike glee, reaching out and gently curling their fingers around our hands: big and small ones alike. To hear laughter from both adults and children is to confirm the role of the clown: they let us be a child, whether or not we are one.

The plight of Sous Pression is, however, adult orientated – a search for the perfect pint. As beer falls from the sky (it makes sense) both clowns (quick clown and slightly slower clown, the latter always a step behind his partner) gaze heavenward with hope. Only quick clown reaps favour. French and English meet in colloquial Clown-ish. Skill is seamless. It happens in the manner of a cartoon. One of the two sets up a game to win vantage over his partner. Planting a heavy object in a paper bag, he persuades his clown comrade to kick it. No more than a feather is found. Our affable initiator then checks the bag: a canon ball drops out and falls on his foot. Poor Clown. Sous Pression glows from start to finish. Once a smile has spread it never leaves my face. I leave thirsting for more.

Presenting Artists
Presenting Venue
Date Seen
  1. Jan 2005

This article in the magazine

Issue 17-2
p. 26