Toronto Fringe Review: Tonight! a clown who wanted to be loved?

Andrea Barello marks his Toronto Fringe debut with his first solo show, Tonight! a clown who wanted to be loved?. Barello spends the hour ensuring both he, and the audience, have a delightful time while he searches for love. 

This show is a joy to watch. At various points I realized I was laughing hysterically at Barello’s simple delivery of a monosyllabic word. Much of his performance involved little talking, choosing only select words and phrases, often used repeatedly in a scene or throughout the show. His select phrases seemed like a combination of basic pleasantries and banal filler words (the ones typically used to fill silences).

Similarly, Barello opts for using regular, everyday objects instead of oversized props and the results are quite inventive. This is all to say that much of the hilarity of the performance came from Barello relishing in the mundane aspects of daily life. 

A key component to the show is the audience’s involvement, meaning that every show is a little different. I walked away with the distinct feeling that the audience truly co-creates the show.

Despite the generally lighthearted tone of the show, it does have some moments of vulnerability, providing us a glimpse into Barello the artist, rather than just the character he presents.

I was expecting to see a clearer narrative, but the whole experience was so fun and playful to watch that it didn’t necessarily need one. At a certain point I stopped looking for a story and just basked in the atmosphere. 

It may sound cliché, but I think this is a really solid choice to go with your whole family. There were children in the audience, and both them and the “grown ups” were equally delighted. There were some moments that also reminded me of watching Mr. Bean with my grandparents and extended family, which we could all enjoy without speaking the same language. Indeed, I think this will also be a great Fringe show to take any friends or relatives who speak little, or no, English.

Tonight! a clown who wanted to be loved? is on now until July 14 at the Toronto Fringe. Show times and tickets.