Cheer Up, Christchurch!

Project 222—our response to the lethal 22 February, 2011, earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Random Clowns (NZ) in association with Korporate Klowns (NZ) and
Red Nose Response (USA)

Random Clowns Project 222: Cheer Up, Christchurch!

Random Clowns is a Wellington-based troupe of entertainers established 25 years ago, in 1986, when an ad hoc group was assembled to participate in Wellington’s first ‘International Festival of the Arts’. Since then the Random Clowns company has participated in many events in Wellington and around New Zealand, and established links with other clowns such as Korporate Klowns in Dunedin.

After Christchurch’s second significant earthquake, the big shake on 22 February, discussion in our network turned to the question of how we could help Christchurch. (Some of us spend part of our time as Clown Doctors, providing therapeutic relief in institutions such as hospitals.) Our network includes the New Zealand contact for Red Nose Response, a charity incorporated in the USA. We have New Zealand clowns who have performed in Africa, Asia, Europe, North and South America and the South Pacific. Last March one participated in the UK’s Red Nose Day for the charity Comic Relief. Because we believe that ‘Laughter is the best medicine’ we think that what we do can be of value to the residents of Christchurch. Performers from Auckland to Invercargill have asked to be kept informed of Project 222 as it develops.

Random Clowns’ proposal is to assemble a troupe in Wellington at the start of October. (Sunday, 2 October, will be 222 days after 22 February.) We will put together a portable variety show to present in community halls, at schools, churches and other venues for audiences averaging about 100 people. We may spend a week performing the show around the capital to raise funds for our tour, and then we might spend a week, the first week of the school holidays, touring from Picton to Christchurch, still fund raising by teaching performance workshops and performing once or twice a day. (If we raise more money than the project needs, we will give the surplus to a Christchurch earthquake relief fund.) Our aim is to spend at least the final week of the school holidays touring Christchurch, performing twice a day without a set price for admission, but collecting donations for earthquake relief in Haiti and/or Japan. (Part of the Cheer Up, Christchurch! strategy will be to remind people that they still have the ability to help people who are worse off than they are.)

We have private funding to underwrite this project in case it does not raise enough money to break even. As part of the economic stimulus that Christchurch needs, we are not asking for gifts from Christchurch (except to other earthquake victims); as well as bringing laughter to the city we would like to pay fair prices for the venues and other resources we use while we are in Christchurch.

The Facebook group for Project 222 (including plans and reports).

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