The Show
A clown show about masculinity and what it means – in this world and beyond.
- Written & Performed ByGrant O'Connell
- Directed ByFrank Halbiger
About the Show
A boy dreams of becoming a knight. He falls asleep and transforms – he is the knight now, brave and bold and armored. Then the knight dies. The dream collapses. The boy wakes up, and his hero is gone.
What happens next is where the show lives. Using song, dance, and physical comedy rooted in clown tradition, Grant O'Connell invites the audience into a world of medieval characters and absurdist play. Through the knight's journey, the show probes what masculinity actually is, what we inherit from the people we look up to, and what we find inside ourselves when they are gone.
The audience does not just watch. They become part of the story – and ultimately, part of the answer.
What Audiences Said
"Grant is magnetic and holds the audience from beginning to end. I loved it!"
Mandy Keen
"That was the most fun I've had in an hour in months. Silly, expressive, vulnerable, and truly won me over time and time again."
Pax Myers
"Genius in the most absurd sense of the word. So moving and touching – Grant is magnetic in how he connects to the work and the audience."
Carli Wright
"So committed and present that we just can't take our eyes off of him. His movements are graceful and balletic – a wonderful contrast to his clown."
Meg Cheng
"The crowd interaction and camaraderie is such a rare experience. I truly feel like we all went on a journey together."
Pax Myers
"An optimistic ode to being your own biggest hero. Grant is a magnetic performer and had the audience rooting for him the entire show."
Maggie Monahan
All reviews at hollywoodfringe.org