Apocalypse Clown – Film Review
by Frank L.

Director – George Kane
Writers – Demian Fox, George Kane, Shane O’Brien
Stars – David Earl, Natalie Palamides, Amy De Bhrún

The film begins in a Residential Institution for children. The clown Bobo (David Earl) is trying to amuse them. Their response is one of disbelief and even disdain. He is at the end of his particular tether as he does not enjoy being a clown. In fact, he is pretty depressed by his lack of success both professionally and emotionally.

He attends the funeral of Du Coq, who was a clown of immense importance. The funeral is also attended by Pepe (Fionn Foley), a blue-haired clown, the Great Alphonso (Ivan Kaye), a very big over-the-top clown who is past his sell-by date, and a clown called Funzo (Natalie Palamides) who is a street-performer. Jenny Malone (Amy Debruhn) is a journalist who is at the funeral to report on the great event.  It is, however, disrupted by two human statues that cease being static.  A punch-up ensues and a night in prison follows for the eclectic collection of mourners.  When they wake up the next morning the world has changed. A cataclysmic event has taken place. There is no one around and nothing works. The only car that can move is Funzo’s little yellow car which charmingly has to be started by a hand crank. It is a car reminiscent of those used by clowns in a circus. The four clowns plus Jenny pile into the car in order to try to find out what has happened.

There are needless to say other problems of various hues, such as the Great Alphonso who wants to re-establish his career and Bobo who wants to rekindle his brief “romantic” relationship with Jenny. What keeps this unlikely caper together is the quality of the acting as the four clowns interact with each other and Jenny. Each of the four clowns plays up to their unlikely roles, with Natalie Palamides playing a blinder as Funzo whose antics are insane. Given the unlikely nature of the plot, it was always going to be tricky to keep the show on the road to create a complete comic whole but somehow it more or less works.

At the end of its 100 minutes, George Kane has created, along with his co-writers Demian Fox and Shane O’Brien, a fantastical world that has brought several smiles to the lips. Clowning has as one of its attributes the ability to highlight the absurdity of the world in which we live. Here is a world populated by clowns. It is not much more absurd than the world in the 21st century which we have created. Pondering that small thought, Apocalypse Clown might be worth a second visit.