Working Class Clown | Tommy Misa

Working Class Clown is a new work by Samoan (Toamua)/ Australian writer, performer and artist Tommy Misa that embodies the transcultural spirit of the fool and their ability to speak truth to power.

Taking inspiration from Samoan clowning, weaving and architecture it layers a story of grief, joy and riot, inspiring us to spiral up from the residue of the past and rebuild new worlds together. A collage of memory, performance, poetry and song, Working Class Clown asks what is possible when we create in togetherness? In Laughing Memory of Mefiposeta Misa.

Performance times

• Wed 22 Oct, 6-7.15pm

• Thurs 23 Oct, 6-7.15pm (Auslan interpreted)

• Fri 24 Oct, 6-7.15pm

• Sat 25 Oct, 3-4.15pm

• Sun 26 Oct, 2-3.15pm
  

View full Liveworks Program here

Content warnings

This work contains themes of grief and loss, references to death and dying, and references to physical violence.

Tactile tour

Tommy Misa is welcoming people who are blind or have low vision to register for their Tactile Tour, available 30-minutes before their performance on Friday 24 October. During the Tactile Tour patrons will be given a guided opportunity to touch and examine elements of the set before attending the performance. Register Here.

Creative team

Writer and Performer, Tommy Misa

Set Design, Tommy Misa

Sound Design, Nadeem Tiafau Eshraghi and Ripley Kavara

Performance Guide, Emma Maye Gibson

Costume, Katie-Louise and Lilian Nicol-Ford

Original Compositions, Michael Misa

Script Editor, Michael Kennedy

Voice of Creation Story, Sereima Adimate Aka Stelly G

Voice of Gussy: Imbi

Working Class Clown is presented by Performance Space as part of Liveworks 2025. 

Commissioned by Performance Space for Liveworks Festival 2025 and presented by Performance Space.

Working Class Clown has been co-commissioned by City of Melbourne through Arts House. The work was originally commissioned by the Biennale of Sydney for the 24th Biennale of Sydney and presented by Performance Space and the Biennale of Sydney. Early development of Working Class Clown supported by Create NSW.

Photography by Joseph Mayers