Laughing Matters - Panel Discussion - The Great Pagliacci
Date: 10 October 2026
Venue: The Playhouse, 5-7 Artillery St, Derry / Londonderry, Derry / Londonderry, BT48 6RG
The Great Pagliacci is a thought-provoking panel discussion exploring the relationship between comedy, creativity and mental health.
Can comedy really make us happier — or is there more to the story?
We've all heard the stories of the "tears of a clown" — but what lies behind the laughter?
The Great Pagliacci is a thought-provoking panel discussion exploring the relationship between comedy, creativity and mental health. Does personal experience of trauma, difficulty or difference shape a comedian's work? Can comedy help us process life's challenges? And is there a connection between the way comedians think and the way they create?
With a panel bringing together two comedians and two clinicians or wellbeing practitioners, the discussion will explore mental health, addiction and neurodiversity within the comedy community, alongside the potential of comedy as a tool for connection, expression and wellbeing.
The conversation takes its name from the famous "sad clown" paradox, in which a man seeking help for his depression is told to see the great clown Pagliacci — only to reveal that he is Pagliacci himself.
Join us for an honest, open and occasionally funny conversation about what happens when the person making everyone laugh isn't always laughing themselves.
AGE RANGE: Suitable for ages 15+
CONTENT ADVICE: Some moderate language, discussion of mental health, addiction.