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Men Don't Blush

 
Salvador Kent Review by Salvador Kent 3 Published: 26 May 2026 Museum of Alchemists - Divadlo Apropo Show Dates: 24 May 2026-28 May 2026

At the 25th Prague Fringe Festival, Men Don’t Blush played to an exciting sold-out audience at the Museum of Alchemists.

Jose Parra is a gentle and inviting performer

The show, directed by Jamie Wood, has plenty of interesting ideas, but they fall short of their potential to create great clowning. Jose Parra is a gentle and inviting performer who constructs four characters drawn from the artist’s life, albeit with varying success. The most interesting clown by a long way is Mr Valiente, a manospheric self-help guru whose material works well within the conditions of the space. Mr Valiente gives Parra excellent opportunities for crowd work, and his larger-than-life egocentrism makes for a funny buffoon. When the character does become vulnerable, it is moving and theatrical.

The other three characters simply do not work as well. Transitions between scenes come across as laboured. When faced with a snarky audience member refusing to stick to the bit, Parra seems scared of failure. One moment had Parra ask an audience member to think of the first thing he associated with a banana that wasn’t a banana. The audience member somewhat snarkily refused to say ‘penis’. An audience generating material for you to sink into the flop from, only to emerge vulnerable yet triumphant, should be a field day for a clown. Parra had the structure for this bit - indeed, he did end up sucking off the banana - but not before asking, ‘You didn’t think to say penis?’ It’s a fine response, but it made the show feel like a plotted piece of theatre and not, like the best clowning does, a unique experience constructed from an entirely new social contract.

This is not to say Parra is incapable of producing such a show. Men Don’t Blush has all the ingredients of a successful hour of clowning, but at Prague Fringe it must adapt and cut material that perhaps does not lend itself to the very difficult confines of the space. He might also benefit from switching on the house lights so he can see the audience’s faces and better judge which characters are functioning most effectively. This could inform some restructuring to make the show more clearly about his character’s journey.

Arcs of metamorphosis and redemption are currently physicalised in the creation of a black-nosed angel, but fragmented narratives are difficult to deliver through one performer. To see them explored through one or two constructions would be far more effective in communicating the show’s beautiful themes.

Men Don’t Blush has plenty of interesting ideas and, with some reworking to fit the demands of the venue and improve the clarity of the narrative, could become something really special, but it currently requires a slightly less convoluted hour.

Amir Nisi

Salvador Kent

Salvador Kent is an aspiring Director and Playwright in Edinburgh. He is especially drawn to experimental theatres including Clown, Postdramatic, Political and Ritual theatres - especially when formally playful. He is co-producer of Edinburgh experimental performance night @theatrelaboratory.

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Pick of Colchester Fringe for Prague Fringe. Co-created by multi–award-winning director Jamie Wood and Spanish artist Jose Parra, this Anglo-Spanish one-man show is a playful mix of comedy, visual theatre, text, and gentle audience interaction. Performed in English with nods to Spanish culture, it invites you to laugh, reflect, and celebrate being ourselves beyond imposed gender roles. We meet Ignacio, a Spanish man making gazpacho at home, who, after recovering from testicular cancer, begins to question what it really means to be a man. One tomato sparks a surreal journey into another dimension, where he lives two parallel lives: Tomás Valiente, a confident self-help guru, and Tomatito, a clown in crisis.   Full of humour and charm, the show gently challenges toxic stereotypes while offering a warm, interactive experience. It’s a playful, imaginative exploration of identity and gender, and an unforgettable experience that stays with you long after the curtain falls. Buy tickets 24.05. 19:45 – 20:45 25.05. 16:45 – 17:45 28.05. 18:15 – 19:15 Age Accessibility 14+ Language Easy English Venue Museum of Alchemists - Divadlo Apropo Add to My Calendar Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Su 22232425262728
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