Durham Fringe Festival 2025
Heading Into Night – a clown ode…(forgetting)
Performed by Daniel Passer and Directed by Beth F. Milles
Genre: Bouffon, Community Theatre, Devised, Mime, Storytelling
Venue: Assembly Rooms Theatre
Festival: Durham Fringe Festival
Low Down
Heading Into Night – a clown ode on…(forgetting) is really something special – that stands alone in time. The performer – Daniel Passer – and director – Beth F. Milles, are true heroes for creating such a unique empathetic piece of work that will be talked about for years to come – relatable, moving and surprisingly hopeful. I don’t have enough words and after watching this show, others too failed to place where they had seen such storytelling like this before – the amalgamation of the the subject matter and using a visceral clown as the driving force was a stroke of genius- to cover the ‘art’ of forgetting.
The forgetting being out of ones control – out of anyone’s control – when time slips away from you, as quickly as the landscape changes, that landscape being in the hands of – your dementia. Like quick sand for some or a prolonged decaying cliff side for others. But what Passer and Milles confirms so beautifully is how to be ‘present’ and how to see the humour, where you can and to remember – you still are here.
This work deserves to be recognised, celebrated and would hold anyone’s heart who has lost a loved one to this insufferable disease and would allow you to laugh and celebrate the successes of one man’s day to day life as he combats his ‘forgetfulness’ head on – in the different stages of his life that follow – impressively placed in poignant Acts, wrapped in moments of stillness, memorabilia and humour – Passer is a gifted physical performer – who shows you the clown – and then the human – who’s timing and presence with his audience is rare – I will never forget this performance.
Review
In recent years we have seen the evolution of the clown, but this was something unique – an idea that began in lockdown by the director Beth F. Milles, to evolve with performer Daniel Passer – a fresh concept that started something new – to explore the art of forgetting through laughter and immersive connection. We have all seen performances or known somebody who has experienced Dementia, Alzheimers or memory loss, and often this can be heartbreaking, with disastrous outcomes. But this …this will fall differently…In moments there was a fleeting anchor of realism to this beautiful spectacle from the comedic clown – familiarity and companionship.
One man’s hat was his companion – In Cast Away the film, Chuck Noland had Wilson and on a plain stage Marcel Marceau had his worn hat, with a single red flower – and on this stage the unknown man had his hat, his comfort – his identity – his memory.
Beginning with simplified repetition – we are greeted by Passer – the unknown man, totally unassuming sat on some simple chairs surrounded by boxes – all with the same dimension and colour – white.
“Have I been here before?”
Passer effortlessly plays the game with his audience, blissfully relying on their participation to remind him – yes – you have been here before. We are jogged of this memory by a simple audio of a bus passing Passer by, and his hopeful but confused demeanor each time he sits down on this chair. This stage in ‘Act 1’ seems manageable, however the man soon begins to notice each white box, seeking to know what is in it but never quite reaching the answers – with some items that appear confusing and some that seem familiar. If the whole premise was built on the concept of moving boxes, you might question – how will this work? But it does – each box is a gateway to a memory, a moment in time or a familiar item that in it’s own may not have any significance but with Passer’s intricate mime, and morphing emotion – you cannot help but be absorbed in his world and his need to hold on/remember.
Gabrieal Griego and Wei-Fang Chang together create a symbolic projection and video design for this performance that in moments has the essence of a videogame, and in other moments – feels like a trailer of one man’s life. The multi-media that supports the show is subjective to the man’s experience: his scans, facial recognition and a plane crashing – woven with questions and new Acts. I always wonder what it feels like to have memory loss, and as an audience we see and feel the ‘unknown’ mind field of this open statement. What Passer covers so well, is the desire to find, be brave and never forget – this is captured in his effortless slow motion running towards an imagined finish line – projected we can see faces, that become smaller – less visible – less tangible – and as he reaches the finish line we hear of a celebration that abruptly ends. You cannot help but reflect on the many people who become confused/or simply forget birthdays, spaces and faces of loved ones – this image was monumental in highlighting the many corridors people with dementia or memory loss have to travel through to find their way back – but there is hope that they can. Passer represents this hope in abundance.
Each time the man was ‘moved’ into a new space, a new box – whether tangible or through figurative mime – there was always a life-affirming hold to keep what he could, even when the odds were against him – whether it be: routine, his independence, his home, his pet goldfish, his sense of time, his sense of a loved ones voice – the hope never was lost. Instead you will laugh in this hour, find comfort in the present and take a trip to an old discotheque where you can embrace the feeling of touch – even if you can’t remember the name or the place – you will remember the feeling.
Heading Into Night – a clown ode on…(forgetting) continues to tour and will be heading to Edinburgh Festival. Remember, this will hit differently – and in the best way possible – a cathartic heartwarming collaboration not to be missed.
