About Me | Claudia Cantone

Claudia Cantone
Clown · Art therapist

When the Body's Experience Becomes Art.

Born in Rome in 1968, for seventeen years my identity was defined by a uniform. As an officer in the Italian State Police, I lived in a world of rules, stability, and security. Yet beneath that orderly surface, a deep unease was growing. I was tired, unhappy, and felt a vital need to find meaning beyond duty. I was searching for a breath of fresh air, and I found it where I least expected: in the theater.

The Starting Point: A Life in Uniform

In 1995, almost as a challenge to my own boredom, I decided to enroll in the "La Scaletta" acting school in Rome. On the day of the audition, I had nothing prepared: no monologue, no experience. I was there just to watch, convinced that no one would call me back.

The Call of the Theatre:
An Encounter of Destiny

But fate has the face of Gianni Diotajuti, the director, who called me to the stage. I didn't know what to do. He told me he didn't need a performance to see a student's potential. That 30-minute interview opened a door that would never close. For three years, I studied the secrets of acting, discovering an unexpected talent for singing, which would become my "precious treasure" for years to come.

Evolution: Comedy, TV, and Intuition

My search led me to comedy. Thanks to meeting Claudio Fois (an author and then my husband), I began studying comedic rhythms and creative writing. I discovered I had a broad vision, a natural intuition for directing and stage presence. In 2007, this path led me to a short stint with Serena Dandini's comedy troupe, "Fattoria dei Comici," and to television appearances on RAI 2 (Tribbù) and local channels (Seven Show).

But I felt there was an even deeper layer to explore. Claudio was fundamental in this transition: he helped me understand that my former life in the police force had become too narrow a shell.

Photo of Claudia Cantone in the Italian police

Artistic Training and Exploration:
The Construction of an Identity

I understood that the "red nose" wasn't a goal, but a starting point that required iron discipline. My training was a mosaic of international experiences:
The Masters of Clown: I studied intensively with giants like Jango Edwards, Leo Bassi, Laura Herts, Johnny Melville, John Towsen, Carlo Colombaioni, Virginia Imaz, and many more. From each one, I learned a secret: political ferocity, the poetry of gesture, and the sacredness of error.

The Body as Instrument: In 2008, I moved to Barcelona to immerse myself in the study of Dramatic Corporeal Mime at the Moveo school. I learned that the clown's body must speak even before their voice.

Voice and Spirituality: I never stopped studying singing. In addition, I integrated disciplines such as Reiki, Flower Therapy, Osho Meditation, and teachings from an Indian shaman of the Blackfoot tribe. This fusion of the sacred and the profane allowed me to develop a unique empathic sensitivity.

The Decisive Encounter:
Jango Edwards and the Awakening of the Clown

The real revolution happened in 2005. On the advice of my friend Sarah Amitrano, I attended a masterclass with Jango Edwards. In those 15 days, I understood that clowning wasn't just about comedy: it was a wild and profound language. I fell in love with the power of vulnerability. I made the radical decision: I left my secure job to become a "red-nosed" artist.

Stage Creation: From Barcelona to the World

Under Jango's guidance, I began testing my sketches at the "Cabaret Cabrón" in Barcelona, where "Zero Zero Clown" was born, a show about a clown who wants to be a secret agent and smarter than James Bond.

I founded the all-female company "Las Enclownadas" in Barcelona, focused on social satire.
I created the collective "Clowntime" in Rome, dedicated to pure improvisation.
I developed shows such as "The Adventures of Yaya Clown" and the poetic "Yaya in the Moon," "The Secret Annex," "Joker. Feminine Demiurge of the Occult," which satirically denounces gender violence, "Cage," a ritual toward freedom, and "Memorie Rifugiate," against war.

Clown as an Inner Path: Art Therapy

For me, being a clown means learning to laugh at myself. In 2016, I graduated as an Art Therapist, integrating clowning with meditation and bodywork. In my personal method, CREA.L.K.E.M.I.A., scars are transformed into "tickling butterflies." My workshops are a journey where the body is the primary means of navigating emotions and vulnerability. My training as a Gestalt Therapist helped me develop my methodology more confidently and clearly.

Teaching and Transmission

I was co-director with Jango Edwards at the Nouveau Clown Institute (N.C.I.) in Barcelona. Currently, I teach courses such as Clown Chi and Ivory Nose (or Buffoons), and I collaborate with clown therapy associations in Europe. I have also founded a volunteer association dedicated to clown therapy. I remain curious about learning and exploring the creative process.

A Choice of Truth

My story,my transition from police officer to clown was captured in the documentary "Fool of Life" (2014). It wasn't an escape, but a conscious choice: to relinquish control in order to learn to listen, to abandon the norm in order to embrace play, and finally to follow my true life.

I believe that laughing at ourselves is a miracle that reminds us of the beauty and value of life. Every time I step onto the stage, I "breathe" into the audience: my emotions are the raw material of the performance, and sharing them is my greatest gift.