No clowning around for Galway man bringing laughter to children in crisis

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Written by Avril Horan

Wednesday, 11 July 2007

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No clowning around for Galway man bringing laughter to children in crisis
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"The children we encounter are traumatised. Many have had to leave their homes because of war, have lost parents through HIV/AIDS, or are suffering from the disease themselves. They just don't know how to be children any more and we help them to be young again," he explains.

Jonathan is part of the local Gombeens Theatre Troup who will be performing in this year's Galway Arts Festival.

He says working abroad to help children in crisis is "bigger and more intense" than performing at the festival.

"We have to perform at ten minutes notice to a crowd of 5,000 people with no amps, lighting or stage," he explains.

"When we are abroad there is a language barrier and, while we are good at learning the basics, we concentrate on visual acrobatics. It's a very physical performance with juggling, slapstick comedy, and a lot of interaction with the children. We give the kids a chance to perform, a chance to become the star," he says.

Jonathan admits clowning for the children in crisis can be heartbreaking. It takes a team effort to cope with the harrowing sights they encounter on a regular basis. In many cases, the children involved have never seen a show or performance in their lives.

"You always make a connection with a child," he says.

"In many ways you become their Dad for a few hours. I could have five or six kids hanging off me; they don't want to say goodbye.

"We see some incredible things. We were in the only AIDS clinic in Lesotho and it's shocking to see so many young people dying from the disease. We have intense meetings every evening to talk about what we have seen.

"We are all there for each other and we get an awful lot back. It's so rewarding," he says.

Later this year, Jonathan and the Irish Clowns without Borders are planning a trip to the refugee camps in Uganda. They have also been asked to go back to Nepal at the end of 2008 and would like to travel to Palestine.

However, he also hopes to work with children in Ireland and is in talks with the Irish Traveller Movement and asylum seekers.

"It's one of my dreams to have a parade in a halting site!" he says.

Jonathan is currently fundraising for Clowns without Borders and can be contacted through their website clownswithoutborders-ireland.com.

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