Cairoli, Porto and Carletto
Cairoli, Porto and Carletto
This solid comic trio was one of the best between the two world wars. Cairoli, affable and persuasive, was—despite his roundness—a clown of exceptional elegance. His makeup, that of a classical Pierrot, simply accentuated the curve of his eyebrows. Facing him was Porto, talkative, argumentative, always in motion around the ring; and Carletto—Cairoli’s son—who, at the beginning of his career, adopted a silhouette quite close to that of Bario: lively face and moustache, loose costume of a street wanderer.
Their acts, performed with great energy, especially highlighted the astonishingly comic nature of Porto. A skilled actor, this admirable auguste could give life to even the most insignificant gag! Carletto, still fairly young, nevertheless held his role with great liveliness. As for Cairoli, he was one of the rare clowns who could truly take part in a comic ensemble as a team member. For him, making people laugh was not difficult. Moreover, his knowledge of musical instruments often led him to revive—and improve—traditional themes.
The trio frequently headlined at Medrano and some of their successes have left us with great memories: La Boxe, Le Déjeuner fantôme, and Le Piano récalcitrant. Each act ended with an excellent musical finale, in which the two elder Cairolis—both perfect musicians—shone in the brass section. Jean-Marie (the father) also played violin in the most unexpected positions.
He had first worked as a duo with his wife, then with Antonio (Lozano), or, as a first experience, with Porto, who at that time still appeared under the name Sedmen. In 1934, Porto left his partners to form a duo with Alex. Jean-Marie then brought his other son, Filip, into a new trio that was more family-oriented than ever.
In 1947, the father-clown decided to retire. Filip had long since left for South America, and Carletto—who had become Charlie Cairoli—would become the most famous ring clown in the entire United Kingdom, star of the Blackpool Tower Circus.
Caption:
From left to right: Porto, Carletto and Cairoli
