Pleaser
A solo about people-pleasing, told through breaking, clown, mime and audience interaction.
What do we lose when we keep trying to be liked? What do we gain when we stop?
Pleaser is a solo physical performance by Cristian Boscheri about how people-pleasing is born, how it takes hold of the body, and how hard it is to loosen its grip. Through breakdance, clowning and an intimate stage setup, Cristian traces the desire to be good, helpful and approved of as it reshapes behaviour.
Funny, uncomfortable and sharply observed, Pleaser asks what happens when care turns into a strategy and approval into a negotiation, and what might shift when the disease to please loosens its grip.
“Meer dan een danssolo, meer dan een clownsact.”
“More than a dance solo, more than a clown act.”
Theaterkrant ↗- Duration
- 50 min
- Stage
- Minimum 6 × 5 m
- Language
- Non-verbal
- Age
- 16+
- Set-up
- 4 h, for light programming
- Breakdown
- 30 min
- Venue provides
- Foldable chair, regular ladder, standard amplification, one handheld mic
- Light
- Adapts to the venue's rig. Cristian brings his own light technician and cue operator
- 2–6 Jun 2026FringeMI, Milan
- 2 May 2026Theater Rotterdam, Circusstadpremiere
- 26 Feb 2026Korzo, Den Haagpre-premiere
Panama Pictures, ’s-Hertogenbosch · Maaspodium, Rotterdam · De Landing, Amstelveen · Volkstheater, Rotterdam · ADM Festival, Rotterdam · Amsterdam Fringe Festival · CircusBende, Amsterdam · Festival Boulevard, ’s-Hertogenbosch
- Writer, director, performer
- Cristian Boscheri
- Outside eye, clown coach
- Goos Meeuwsen
- Movement coach
- Shailesh Bahoran
- Early feedback
- Aurélia Brailowsky, Pepijn Ronaldo, Harvey Cobb, Daniele Romano
- Music
- Carlo Dini
- Light
- Erwin van Steenbuck
- Co-production
- Circusstad Festival, through Circunstruction
- Supported by
- Gemeente Rotterdam, Cultuurfonds, Amsterdams Fonds voor de Kunst, Fonds Podiumkunsten, CircusBende, Panama Pictures
- Contact
- [email protected]