Eric Boo is a Spanish comedian and clown whose comedy is rooted in the language of mime, play, and imagination.
In his performances, reality is transformed to make way for a playful universe where anything is possible. Eric invites the audience to become part of the game, let go, and discover a freer, more spontaneous, and more innocent way of seeing the world.
His goal is simple: to help audiences forget about themselves for a while, let go of expectations, and allow the child within us all to emerge.
A place where imagination becomes play, and play becomes laughter.
Eric Boo
A Clown of a New Generation
Eric Boo belongs to a generation of clowns who transformed the way contemporary clowning was understood. He did not come from the circus tradition or from a clown school. His training grew out of other forms of performance: mime, physical theatre, dance and, above all, street performance.
This combination allowed him to develop a fresh, spontaneous form of comedy, deeply connected with the audience. Like other artists of his generation, including David Shiner and Peter Shub, Eric Boo brought to professional stages the experience and freedom he had gained through years of performing in the street.
The Beginnings
In 1983, while completing his studies in Fine Arts, specialising in painting, Eric Boo discovered the world of mime through Christian Athanasius. It was a revelation. He found in mime a language of expression that came naturally to him and for which he seemed to have a particular talent.
He continued his training with Joan Fanecas, in Barcelona, and also attended various courses in physical expression and dance.
After completing his painting studies, he decided to pursue street performance professionally. For five years he travelled and performed in numerous European cities, developing an extraordinary ability for improvisation, playfulness and direct communication with the audience.
It was also a period of learning alongside other street artists and professionals. Among them was Johnny Melville, whose performance in Barcelona made a deep impression on him and had an important influence on his understanding of comedy.
From the Streets to the Big Stage
Years of street performance gradually shaped his character and a repertoire of original routines. His experience with very different audiences, in constantly changing situations, became one of the defining characteristics of his style.
During the summers of 1984 and 1985, he crossed paths with Peter Shub on the streets of Zurich. They developed a friendship, although conflicts also arose over similarities between some of their routines and characters.
In 1987, Eric Boo took part in the X Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain, in Paris. This marked a turning point and the beginning of his professional career on the international circuit.
Three years later, he arrived at the Moulin Rouge in Paris, where he would go on to build a long career, eventually performing for a total of eleven years at this legendary Parisian music hall.
An International Career
From that point on, Eric Boo has worked in a wide variety of shows and venues around the world: circuses, cabarets, musical revues, cruise ships, theme parks and major entertainment productions.
His unique way of combining mime, clowning, stage play and audience interaction has allowed him to connect with spectators from very different cultures.
In 1994, he was awarded a Silver Prize at the 2nd International Circus Festival of Genoa, Italy.
But beyond the awards and recognition, the true measure of Eric Boo’s career lies in his thousands of performances and in his ability to establish an immediate connection with the audience.
His speciality is simple to explain and difficult to achieve: making people laugh.
For decades, Eric Boo has brought his character and his distinctive comic language to stages around the world, while preserving the essence he learned on the street: spontaneity, improvisation and direct contact with the audience.