Sabine Choucair is on a mission to spread a bit of light relief to Syrian refugees and vulnerable people across the world. A professional clown, she often dons a red nose and does funny performances to make people laugh and provide them with relief. Here’s her story, as told to May El Habachi.

A former TV performer, Sabine Choucair wanted more than just having a traditional platform.

“Being on stage wasn’t enough for me after a while,” she says, adding that it wasn’t until she learned the art of clowning while studying theatre in the UK that she discovered her true calling. “I found it [clowning] magical. I found the answer to why I really wanted to do theatre and how to use it with people,” she says.

Soon enough, Choucair and her friend Gabriela Munoz founded Clown Me In in 2008, a Beirut-based theatre company that performs and organises workshops for refugees and other disadvantaged communities around the world.

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS

Eight years since the Syrian war, more than 5.6 million Syrians have fled the country as refugees according to UNHCR. Half of the people affected are children, many of whom now live in Lebanon and other neighbouring countries, where temporary settlements have become home to tens of thousands of refugees who have stayed for years.

Having experienced civil war as child, Choucair understands the hardship that these children face every day.

“I know exactly how these kids feel and what they’ve gone through. Going to a refugee camp is very special for me,” she says.

But it wasn’t easy introducing clowning in Lebanon. People wanted her to do clowning for children’s birthdays while she wanted to use it for a social cause. She decided to invest her time and money into growing her company and making clowning a known art.

“I sent proposals to 70 different organisations to tell them about the importance of clowning.”

Her hard work paid off. Today, Clown Me In is one of Lebanon’s largest clowning groups, bringing performances to the people who need it the most. The group has performed around the world for Mexican, Lebanese, Palestinian, Indian, Moroccan, Jordanian, Brazilian, Greek and British communities.

“WE ALL NEED MORE JOY”

In November 2015, Choucair travelled to Lesbos, Greece to perform with Clowns without Borders, a non-profit clowning group, for the influx of refugees arriving to the island. It was by far, one of Choucair’s most painful moments.

“I broke,” she says. “It was so sad. People were not finding their relatives. We are also human beings, but it didn’t stop us from performing. On the contrary, it was important for us to be there, to bring joy to the people and children who really need it.”

There is usually a common feeling of hopelessness and despair in most refugee camps, explains Choucair. But when the clowns begin their performance, there is an instant change in energy, from stillness to joy.

“It’s magical despite the misery,” she says.

Clown Me In also uses clowning to raise awareness on social issues like children’s rights, education, early marriage and the environment. Now, they are working on organising a ‘trashion’ show to talk about garbage, which is not only a problem in Lebanon, but also in the Middle East and across the world.

The audience tends to be receptive to the ideas and messages being conveyed during these performances, explains Choucair.

“People listen more and pay attention when they’re not being attacked. They also accept things better when they’re happy. Play and laughter can do wonders.”

Recognising the importance of clowning, Choucair was recently invited to the World Economic Forum in Davos where she organised a workshop on dealing with loss and talked about the importance of play at work.

“It was an amazing experience! It’s not only important to be there, but it’s also important to be active and give the message out about the importance of clowning.”

With the global refugee crisis not going away anytime soon, Choucair believes that we need clowning today more than ever.

“We need more of this in the region and in the world, because we don’t have enough of it. We all need more joy,” Choucair concludes.