Chula The Clown y la Banda de Música del Estado de Guanajuato

 Julieta

* Programme subject to change

Through movement and without the need for words, this physical theatre solo, set to music by singer and composer Natalia Lafourcade, portrays the life of an elderly woman who coexists with her memories, as past and present intertwine in delicate, unexpected ways.

Julieta welcomes us into her home, the place where her entire world resides. It is a fluid space of time, where everyday life becomes the stage for transformations, for memories that resurface, and for simple moments that, when seen up close, reveal an unexpected beauty. Each gesture, each object, each pause opens a door to the invisible: to what has remained, what has faded, and what continues to change.

With Julieta, Gabriela Muñoz presents a deeply endearing character drawn from two very personal sources: her great aunt and her own experiences as a clown in care homes for the elderly. In those spaces, she discovered something profound and rarely portrayed: vitality, wit, and emotional richness in old age. Julieta is born of that discovery and transforms it into a figure full of humanity, humour, and sensitivity.

The piece is not rooted in nostalgia but in a keen observation of the everyday. It celebrates life’s cycles and the human capacity to adapt, showing how the passage of time does not erase —it transforms.

 

In co-production with Chamäleon Theater Berlin, TOHU Montréal, and Ruhrfestspiele Recklinghausen. With the support of FONCA and the MICC Working Group on Circus Commissioning.

Programme

Artists

Press quotes

“With a remarkable sense of aesthetics, Muñoz transports us to a magical world through her shows, performances, and visual storytelling.”

The Guardian

“She redefines the contours of clowning with Julieta, a piece of striking theatricality, sprinkled with gentle humour and boundless tenderness.”

Revue Jeu

“Muñoz succeeds in forging a deep connection with the audience, transporting them into an intimate and captivating universe.”

Le Circassian

When I think about aging, the stigma behind it, and the many physical transformations we go through to ‘stop time,’ I wonder —what does it mean to be old? Is it being over 50, 70, 90, 100? Or are we old because we drag our feet, have gray hair, stop dancing, or stop laughing?

Gabriela Muñoz

I loved being close to my great-aunt Julieta and feeling her walk every step that would take her to say goodbye to this earthly journey. I saw her, at 83 years old, go to the beauty salon with her group of friends —‘the widows of jazz,’ as they called themselves— to drink rum and coke and smoke cigarettes.

Gabriela Muñoz

I looked into her eyes through her thick glasses and had fun watching her blink rhythmically in sync with small movements of her mouth, stick her little hand out the window to check the weather, and then decide how to dress.

Gabriela Muñoz

“Little is said about aging. Few tributes are made to the elderly as they approach the final stretch of life.

Gabriela Muñoz

The idea of exploring old age not as decline, but as a phase of creativity, learning, and curiosity is powerful, and I love opening the door to reflection on what aging really means to me.

Gabriela Muñoz

The idea to make this piece arose shortly after I worked as a clown in nursing homes. I had a great feeling of joy listening to their full and energetic stories and the poetry behind life, aging, and metamorphosis seemed much more meaningful than how society portrays it. This tribute transcends the literal to accommodate the humor and nuances of a very full life.

Gabriela Muñoz

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