“Over the last several weeks our goal has been to discover those qualities which make each individual uniquely funny. Often these are uncomfortable areas for the actors, perhaps even sources of shame…Rather than hide from these traits, the red nose dares the actor to lean into it – past the shame, even relishing in a celebration of our wonderful individuality.”

So reads the playbill for Juste: Red Noses, a performance that is essentially a live sketch-comedy show celebrating the art of clowning. For 80 minutes, 10 actors sing, dance, perform tricks and revel in the silliness inherent in a clown’s DNA.

Juste begins with the cast bursting on stage on roller-skates, scooters and tricycles, making goofy sounds and acting like the enjoyable madmen (and women) any good clowns should be. It’s as if they are saying “if you can’t take this, get out now.”  Fortunately, “It” this isn’t. The red-nosed performers bring a light, silly charm to the stage, gamely putting themselves in outlandish situations every step of the way.

It almost feels like a mix of a budget circus and a cabaret act. You have the strongman, the wannabe Shakespearean actress, the off-key singing, the martial arts master (you have to see it to believe it), and it all captures what it means to be a clown ‒making people laugh, having a good time onstage, embarrassing oneself and making it part of the act. Especially if you know the performers, it’s nice to see people unafraid to be completely free with themselves in front of an audience, and it may even inspire you to do the same.

Clowns may not be everyone’s cup of tea, and if you’ve been raised on images of Tim Curry devouring children, it may be hard to get invested in their acts. But Juste puts the clown’s lighter aspects on full display, entertaining the audience with their goofy actions and their fearless attitude. It’s a fun show that doesn’t take itself seriously in the least and is a nice diversion from the stress of midterm season.