There is one genre of comedy that has quickly become a favourite of mine – Clown Comedy.
No, I am not talking about some Ronald McDonald looking arse standing on stage and making water burst out of their flower pin. It’s much more than you might think. Last year, I witnessed a woman pretend to be a tugboat for an hour. It was wacky, hilarious, by far the best show I saw all festival.
That same year, every comic we spoke to suggested we go and see Furiozo. Unfortunately, by the time we heard about it, his festival run was over. Thankfully, Furiozo: Man Looking for Trouble has returned to the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, and I made sure to catch it this time.
Hailing from Poland, Piotr Sikora, this award-winning performer has created a unique, high energy, chaotically hilarious, mime-style clown show that completely blew me away.
The one-hour performance begins with Piotr’s alter-ego Furiozo, aggressively slamming his hands on a wall to the tunes of heavy punk rock. Stepping into the light, Furiozo is dressed in boxer shorts and a robe with the word “Furiozo” written on his chest in black marker. He’s even sporting a clear mouth guard, seemingly ready to fight anyone that crossed him. During the opening sequence, Furiozo did not speak a single word, but he grunted, growled, displaying anger and boundless amounts of furious energy. This theme would continue throughout the entirety of the show.
Piotr’s crowd work is exceptional. Even with the angry nature of his character Furiozo, it felt like a safe space, with each member of the audience that was selected participating without hesitation. At one point, I was pulled up on stage along with three others, to assist in introducing the show. Others were held at gun point with finger guns as Furiozo rearranged the seating plan and others even indulged in ‘illegal activities’ on stage with hilarious results.
However, there was one audience member that stole the show. This was Jamie MacDowell, who was randomly selected from the audience to play a recurring secondary character of the show. Jamie was given a bicycle helmet that was fitted with a police siren and flashing lights. The police chase that occurred was some of the funniest shit I have ever seen. Not only did Jamie play the character extremely well, but he also made use of the various props on stage in a clever way, seemingly even surprising and impressing Piotr himself.
With a clear storyline that’s easy to follow, Furiozo: Man Looking for Trouble has everything. It is a show about violence, crime, drug use, love, consent, reform, relapse and even inter-generational trauma, all without speaking a single word. The concept, the execution, it’s genius. Piotr’s uncanny ability to convey emotion and narrative so clearly with nothing but body language, mime work, facial expressions and angry grunting is truly masterful. It is insanely hilarious, deeply moving and is unlike anything I have ever experienced nor seen before.
Furiozo: Man Looking for Trouble is a masterpiece and Piotr Sikora is the best in the business. You need to see this! It is easy to see why this award-winning performer comes highly recommended by his peers, his unique, fierce yet heartfelt brand of comedy will leave you in hysterics and filled with emotion. I am so thankful that I was finally able to catch Furiozo at this year’s festival and would happily return again and again. It’s bloody brilliant.
Performing at the 2025 Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Piotr Sikora’s Furiozo: Man Looking for Trouble has a full festival season and there are plenty of chances to catch this incredible performer at work, playing at The Motley Bauhaus – Theatrette until April 20.
For more information and ticketing, visit:
https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/browse-shows/furiozo-man-looking-for-trouble
https://www.instagram.com/_furiozo_
Photography supplied.