As part of this year’s Grimeborn Festival, Constella Ballet & Orchestra staged a new double-bill production, Clown of Clowns.

This operatic and balletic circus spectacular featured contrasting scores – Schoenberg’s Pierrot Lunaire and Leo Geyer’s jazz-inspired Sideshows. Musicians, dancers and conductor (and ring-master for the night) united on stage, in character and in costume at arm’s reach of the audience. From melancholy to complete chaos, the show spiralled out of control, presenting a dancing bear, mystic palm-reader and explosive fire-eater!

Clown of Clowns was a highly successful performance. The Express described how ‘Such rare artistic fun was a fine demonstration of the depth of talent to be found among young British musicians at the present time.’