By Sara Santora
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A popular Irish circus is currently experiencing a clown shortage as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the BBC reported Wednesday. The circus has been closed for more than 500 days amid strict lockdowns and hopes to find new talent in Northern Ireland before going back on tour.
David Duffy, co-owner of Duffy's Circus, told the BBC that many of Europe's performers returned to their home countries amid the pandemic. Now that Ireland is reopening, and the circus is gearing up to hit the road, he's scrambling to find clowns.
"Because all the circuses in Europe and in England have been up and operational for the past six months, that huge pool of EU artists are already back at work and up until last week we haven't been able to even get visas issued for non-EU artists and entertainers," Duffy said.
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"That's why we're trying to reach out for any of our folks at home who feel that they can give it a go," he said.
According to the company's website, Duffy's Circus was founded by shoemaker-turned-acrobat Patrick James Duffy. Last year, the company celebrated its 150th anniversary; however, because of the pandemic, Duffy feared that the circus's major anniversary would be its last, the Irish Times reported.
"There is a very high chance that we will not be coming back when we normally do in March. I would say there is a 20 percent chance of us ever reopening," Duffy told the publication at the time.
"It could very realistically be its last. I've never had to have that type of discussion before with my family, especially with my two sons Tom Jr., 27, and Jamie, 24, who have followed along into the business," he continued.
Fortunately for the family, the circus did survive the pandemic, and now, it needs clowns. But being a clown is no simple task.
"There's a lot more to being a clown than just putting on a big red nose and a big baggy pair of pants," Duffy told the BBC.
"You have to be able to poke fun at yourself, it's not about poking fun at other people," professional clown Noeleen Fries Neumann told the BBC.
Duffy added that clowns need to be "really, really adaptable."
"When you go into the circus ring and you've got 700 to 800 people looking at you, no matter what sort of mood you're in you have to light up that circus ring," he continued.
Unilad reported that Northern Ireland is due to lift restrictions in indoor venues on October 4. And according to Duffy's website, shows are due to start on October 22.
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