Since its founding in 2008, Belgium-based Circus Krak has been redefining what clowning can be. What began with performances for street children in Southeast Asia and South America quickly evolved into a touring career across Europe. Productions such as Charlieston, Kiss!, and later VIVA RAPHAEL and KONTROL established the duo’s reputation for poetic clowning, with Dieter Missiaen performing and Els Degryse working behind the scenes as dramaturg and coach. Their tours reached audiences in Portugal, Denmark, Sweden, France, the Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium.
In 2020, the company deepened its artistic inquiry into the relationship between artists and audiences. Projects like NOTHING and BENCH INVASION invited direct engagement in public spaces, sparking conversations about presence, storytelling, and community. These works, noticed across Europe and even Canada, revealed a company unafraid to address social issues in an accessible, subtle and playful way – mainly in public space – thereby touching people’s hearts.
Now, Circus Krak brings its most personal performance yet: KINTSUGI. Drawing inspiration from the Japanese art of repairing broken ceramics with gold, the show becomes a metaphor for grief, resilience, and the beauty found in imperfection. The piece deals with loss and grief in an accessible and humorous way. After all, you may hide the man behind the clown, but you can never hide the clown behind the man.
Critical response underscores the emotional depth of the work. “Good clowning has the gift of saying so much without a single word. Dieter Missiaen is both traditional and innovative, adding new color to a niche within contemporary — yet accessible — circus. When the big emotions take over from the comedy in KINTSUGI, they hit hard,” wrote Tom P. in PZAZZ Theater & Circus Review.
Reviewers also highlight the performance’s raw authenticity. “It’s not just the clown’s soul that surfaces, but also that of his performer. Missiaen channels the rawest emotions through a filter of absurdism.” For audiences, that vulnerability resonates: “Anyone who has been shattered by the loss of a loved one will recognize much in the clown’s grieving process. Humor does nothing to hinder that expression — on the contrary, it helps break the taboos surrounding mourning.”
Beyond the clown’s inner world, KINTSUGI foregrounds audience connection. “What stands out is the relationship between Missiaen and his audience. Several times, he settles himself among the spectators. In this and other ways, he acknowledges their presence — yet amid his growing disarray, a profound loneliness emerges, one only Godot could relieve.”
At its heart, KINTSUGI is a poetic, comic treatment of grief that embraces the universal cracks in the human condition. A door on stage becomes a symbol of hope, anger, and acceptance, leading the audience on an emotional journey where laughter triumphs even in the darkest moments. Surrounded by a team of collaborators — including dramaturg Els Degryse, clowning coach Stef Geers, and movement coach Piet Van Dycke — Missiaen delivers a performance that is both intimate and universally resonant.
With KINTSUGI, Circus Krak continues its mission: to bring profound truths into public space, blending absurdist humor with emotional honesty. In doing so, they invite us all to recognize our own fractures, to find beauty in imperfection, and to laugh together through the inevitability of loss.
KINTSUGI tours in Belgium from now until the end of 2026.
All images are courtesy of Circus Krak.