My name is Paolo Sperduti, stage name “Otto il Bassotto”.
I am an entertainer, a Street Performer, an Italian Saltimbanco.
I come from a small village in southern Italy, known (but not really a lot…) as the Land of Balloons.
There, among hills and vineyards, the “Rocca” Family since 1902 produces balloons on the most varied forms, colors and dimensions, using just pure liquid latex, just as it had been gathered from the trees.
In my land, hundreds of families work in balloon production or with Balloon Art techniques… me too!
I started In 2002, for fun and to find a way to pay my University studies.
Ballons twisting and decorating elements (also very big sets!) were my favourites.
I also experienced balloons in comedy magic, improvisation and clownerie.
Busking with balloon-art was very exciting and i was projecting a real Balloon Show.
In 2010 I created “Palloncinerie”, a performance that was a mix of clown acts, magic tricks and stand up comedy. I was so exited!
I needed to try and try again so I started to travel all around Italy and than around the Word.
Cile was my first country. What a great experience! Cile’s audience gave me an extreme feedback. They was exilarated, I was really surprised and “Palloncinerie” was greatly appreciated also from the directors.
During this trip, spontaneously (I did not speak Spanish…) “Palloncinerie” turn out in a mute show.
It meant international possibilities! Wow
In 2015 a big wish to renew convinced me to work on the Show again, so I restyled “Palloncinerie” into “Rubber Head” with the fantastic Director “Domenico Lannutti”.
Until today (20 October 2021) I presented my show officially in Street Art Festivals, Theater Festivals and other entertainment events in 34 countries:
Argentine, Austria, Belgium, Bolivia, Chile, China, Colombia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Emirates, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Kuwait, Latvia, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Oman, Russian Federation, San Marino, Scotland, Serbia, Singapore, Slovenia, South Korea, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom.
It won 8 International Awards:
- “Jury Award” in Koblenz GauklerFestung 2019
- “Jury Award” in Dottingen WinzerFest 2019
- “Pave’ d’Or” in 25th “Festival des Artistes de Rue” in Vevey (Ch), 2017 (First award in Special Edition: the winners of last 25 years)
- “Jury Preis” in “Hein Mück Straßenkunst Festival” in Bremerhaven (De), 2016
- “Joint Winner of Audience vote” at “Hat Fair” festival di Winchester (UK), 2015
- “Public Award” at “Festival des Artistes de Rue” in Vevey (Ch), 2012
- “Glops Award” at “Festival des Artistes de Rue” in Vevey (Ch), 2012
- “First Award” in the Street Art Competition “Carichi in Strada” in Padova, 2012.
Official performances:
2019
“Alpi Hours Festival” Saint Gervais Les bains (Fr)
“Aufgetischt St.Gallen” St Gallen (Ch)
“Gauklefestung” Koblenz (De)
“Pervia Festival” Castel Tesino (It)
“Scarpatetti Arte” Sondrio (It)
“StraßenFESTIVAL” Werne – De
“Notte delle Streghe” San Giovanni Marignano (It)
“Reuring Festival” Purmerend (Nl)
“Festival d’Artistes de Rue” Delemont (Ch)
“Magic Mercado” Hamburg (De)
“Strade” Castel Guelfo (It)
“Festa Artusiana” Forlimpopoli (It)
“Theatre de Rue” Le levandou (Fr)
“Pervia Festival” Bieno (It)
“Figuriamoci” Valdobbiadene (It)
“Enciclopeday” Soragna (It)
“Tout près d’chez moi” Lutry (Ch)
“Settimana delle Clownerie” Predazzo (It)
“WinzerFest” Dottingen (Ch)
“Operaestate” Marostica (It)
“Kleinkunstfestival” Pinneberg (De)
“Fete de la Musique” Thones (Fr)
“Heisses Pflaster Festival” Vocklamarkt (At)
2018
“Festival des Artistes de Rue” – Vevey (Ch)
“Siam Street Festival” – Bangkok (Th)
“Tai Kwun Circus Plays” – Hong Kong
“Festival of Fools” – Belfast (Uk)
“Shenzen Window of the World” Shenzen (Cn)
“Theatrical Courtyard” Tula (Ru)
“Altstadtzauber” – Klagenfurt (At)
“Bamberg Zaubert” – Bamberg (De)
“Izmir Internation Fuari” – Izmir (Tk)
“StraKuFe” – Partenkirchen (De)
“Straßen.Kunst.Festival” – Wiener Neustadt (De)
“Hoog Festival” – Tallin (Ee)
“StansLacht Humorfestival” – Stans (Ch)
“Magie al Borgo” – Costa di Mezzate (It)
“Straßenkunstfestival” Wiener Neustadt (At)
“Spoleto a Colori” – Spoleto (It)
“Parkeggiamo” – Alba (It)
“Jugend Fest” Brugg (Ch)
“Ritmi e Danze dal Mondo” Treviso (It)
“Porta a Mare” Livorno (It)
“Art in the Park” Basingstock (Uk)
“Fete des Ecoles” – Geneve (Ch)
“Pays des Enfants” – Chateau d’ox (Ch)
“Paese dei Balocchi” Rosignano Marittimo (It)
“Happy Valley” Wuhan (Cn)
“Festivalu Divadlo” Pilsen (Cz)
“Belluno Balocchi” Belluno (It)
“Flaniermeile” Velden (At)
“Hela Messe” Laufenburg (Ch)
2017
“Carnaval Internacional de las Artes” di Barranquilla (Co)
“Dubai Marina Street Festival” di Dubai (EAU)
“Power Up” di Singapore
“Grand Celebration” di Muscat (Om)
“Festival Artisti di Strada” di Ascona (Ch)
“Festival des Artistes de Rue” di Vevey (Ch)
“Food For Your Senses Festival” di Luxembourg
“Divadlo International Teater Festival” di Pilsen (Cz)
“Bamberg Zaubert” di Bamberg (DE)
“Podgoričko ljeto” di Podgorica (MNE)
“No Kinder Festival” di Herzogenbourg (At)
“Altstadtzauber” di Klagenfurt (AT)
“Davos Promenade” di Davos (Ch)
“Kiel Artist” di Kiel (De)
“Festonika” di Perugia (It)
“Lago Film Festival” di Revine Lago (It)
“Sherwood for Kids” di Padova (It)
“Per Via Buskers Festival” di Pieve Tesino (It)
“Artinstrada” di Fiumalbo (It)
“S.M.Art. Festival” di Conegliano (It)
“Mezzanotte Bianca dei Bambini” di Pesaro (It)
“Desio dal Vivo” di Desio (It)
“Notte della Rotonda” di Senigallia (It)
2016
“Word Street Festival” – Global Village Dubai (EAU)
“Ansan Street Art Festival” (ROK)
“Mück Straßenkunst Festival” – Bremerhaven (De)
“Stockolm Street Festival” – Stoccolma (S)
“Coi Pie’ Descalsi” a Vascon di Carbonera
“Bamberg Zaubert” – Bamberg (DE)
“In Art” – Tivat (MNE)
“Altstadtzauber” – Klagenfurt (AT)
“Flaniermeile Velden” – Velden (AT)
“Keinkunst Weesen” – Weesen (CH)
“Straßenmusiksonntag” – Braunlingen (DE)
“Izmir International Fair” di Izmir (TR)
“Theatre Crapouille” – Fribourg (CH)
“Stramu Festival” – Wurzburg (DE)
“Barbatangheri” di Andalo
“Interlaken 2016” – Interlaken (CH)
“Festa Artusiana” di Forlinpopoli
“Natale delle Meraviglie” a San Marino (SMR)
2015
– DAB Dubay Street Festival en Dubai (EAU)
– Cest is d’Best en Zagrabria (Hr)
– Hat fair en Winchester (Uk)
– Festival del Cine en Giffoni (italia)
– Wortegemsen Feesten en Wortegem (Be)
– Blackandwhitetheatre Festival en imatra (Fin)
– Le cabaret dans la Rue en Fecamp (Fr)
– Shortenser Klinkerzauber en Shortens (De)
– Heechspanning en Heeg (Nl)
– Kiel Artist en Kiel (De)
– Muehlviertler Speckdackel en Hofis (At)
– Flaniermeile Velden en Velden (At)
– Busker Wien en Vienna (At)
– Pianoro Buskers en Bologna (It)
– Burattini e Marionette en Colle Umberto (It)
2014
– Theater Festival “FITICH” in Chiloè (CL)
– DAB Dubay Street Festival in Dubay (EAU)
– Festival Artistes de Rue de Sion (Ch)
– Veregra Street festival in Montegranaro (It)
– Alchemika Festival in Perugia (It)
– Flaniermeile Velden in Velden (AT)
– Carnaval Festival in Kuwait City (KWT)
– Shortenser Klinkerzauber Street festival in Shortender (De)
– La Strada Festival in Augsburg (De)
– Earth Sky Festival in Liepaja (Lv)
– Luna Calante Festival in Alba Adriatica (It)
– Braunlingen Strabenmusik Festival in Braunlingen (De)
– Siride in Baranzate (It)
– STRAMU Festival in Wuerzburgh (De)
– Night of Air in Amberg (De)
– Mazzumaja in Comunana (It)
– Giochinarte in Cave (It)
2013
– Festival d’arte di strada “Al Qasba Street Fiesta” en Sharja (UAE)
– Festival Internacional de Teatro Comunitario “Entepola” en Santiago y Salamanca (CL)
– Festival di Arti varie “La Rotonda del Pardo” en Locarno (CH)
– Festival d’arte di strada “Del Mundo” en Maasmechelen (BE)
– Festival d’arte di strada “Artistes de Rue” en Aosta (IT)
– Festival d’arte di strada“Murenschalk und Gaukelei” en Bruck An Der Mur (AT)
– Festival de Teatro “Parktheaterfestival” en Lokeren (BE)
– Festival d’arte di strada “Street Art am Sparkassenplatz” en Innsbruck (AT)
– Festival d’arte di strada “Straatfestival Ovezande” en Ovezande (NL)
– Festival d’arte di strada “Internationales Gauklerfest Interlaken” in Interlaken (CH)
– Festival ”Flaniermeile Velden” en Velden (AT)
– Festival “Fantastival” en Oss (NL)
– Festival di Arte Urbana “Spoleto a Colori” en Spoleto (IT)
– Festival “Basker Fest Na Belefu” en Belgrade (Serbia)
– Festival “Nuit des Fees” en Leysin (CH)
– Festival de Arte Callejera “Callearte” en El Quisco (CL)
– Festival de Arte Callejera “Callearte” en Monte Patria (CL)
– Festival “ Festival International D’Artistes de Rue” en Delemont (CH)
– Festival de Teatro “PUF Burattini senza confini” en Udine (IT)
– Festival “Altarte” en Modica (IT)
– Festival “Cucu’ Festival” en Roana (IT)
– Festival “Shakabum Day” en Cuneo (IT)
– Festival dell’aria “Luftmuseumsfest” en Amberg (DE)
– Festival “Martesana en Piazza” en Cassina de Pecchi (IT)
– Festival de Teatro “Theatre Crapouille” en Fribourg (CH)
– Festival de Teatro “Pirologias” en Villa Bosch (AR)
– Festival de Teatro “Octubre Callejero” en Moreno (AR)
– Festival de Teatro “Festival Del Borde Teatro” en Las Flores (AR)
– Festival de Teatro “en General Rodriguez (Arg)
– Festival “Non solo Clown” en Monza (IT)
– Festival “Veregrantour” en Montefalcone y Monterubbiano (IT)
– Festival “Tirano Buskers” en Tirano (IT)
– Festival“Freitag-Abend Spektakel” en Kirchzartener (DE)
– Festival “Scarpatetti Arte“ en Sondrio (IT)
2012
– Festival “Festival des Artistes de Rue” en Vevey (CH) www.artistesderue.ch
– Festival “Kulturufer Friedrichshafen” en Friedrichshafen (DE)
– Festival “Gaukler und Kleinkuntfestival” en Koblenz (DE)
– Festival de Teatro “Zurcher Theatre” en Zurich (CH)
– Festival Internacional de Teatro Comunitario “Entepola” en Santiago y Salamanca (CL)
-.Festival “Brouwsels Op Straat” en Eke-Nazareth (BE)
– Festival“Murenschalk und Gaukelei” en Bruck An Der Mur (AT)
– Festival “Spettacolo Brunnen” en Brunnen (CH)
– Festival “La luna nel pozzo” en Caorle (IT)
– Concorso “Carichi in Strada” en Padova (IT)
– Festival “Callearte” en El Quisco (CL)
– Festival “Callearte” en Monte Patria (CL)
– Festival de Arte Urbana “Spoleto a Colori” en Spoleto (IT)
– Festival “Come d’Incanto” en Ardesio (IT)
– Festival della Diversita’ “Gran ballo delle differenze” en Bologna (IT)
– Festival “Figuriamoci” en Alano di Piave (IT)
– Festival”Festival Ala” en Cerckno (SI)
– Festival “Giardini Segreti” en Piacenza (IT)
– Festival “Casola è una favola” en Casola Valsenio (IT)
– Festival “Non solo Clown” en Monza (IT)
– Festival “Saltinbanco” en Vittorio Veneto (IT)
– Festival “FestivalBuskers” en Monselice (IT)
– Graffiti Festival “Blumberg Street Art Festival” en Blumberg (DE)
2011
– Festival “Baby Buskers” in Vicenza (IT)
– Festival “Mojoca Festival” in Moio della Civitella (IT)
– Festival “Staranzano Buskers” in Staranzano (IT)
– Festival “Bondone in Strada” in Monte Bondone (IT)
– Festival “Cortinarte” in Solofra (IT)
– Festival “Modena Buskers Festival” in Modena (IT)
– Festival “Rughe d’Artista” in Amaroni (IT)
– Festival “Festival Artisti di Strada” in Monforte d’Alpone (IT)
– Festival “Favolarte” in Aiello del Sabato (IT)
– Festival “Festival Artisti di Strada” in Trecchina (IT)
– Festival “Burattini e Marionette” in Codega di Sant’Urbano (IT)
– Festival “Tanto di Cappello” in San Vito di Leguzzano (IT)
– Festival “VitaVita” in Civitanova Marche (IT)
– Convention di giocoleria Malo Juggling Festival” in Malo (IT)
– Festival “Fantasia e Magia” in Limone sul Garda (IT)
– Festival de Arte “La Valle e la Luna” in Sarezzo e Villa Carcina (IT)
– Festival de Arte “Artheria Pulsazioni d’Arte” in Larino (IT)
– Festival di fuabe “Favole al Balcone” in Belluno (IT)