in Memory of Ottavio Canestrelli

[C Christian]

I am sorry to have to report this but my friend Ottavio has past from this earth into the afterlife. I do not have all the details nor do I think this is the proper place to announce this. But if you want more information please contact me.

Last I heard he was doing OK in Chicago but enjoying being with his daughter. He had his One man show called "A Clown without a Circus" and had decent reviews. and when I would call him he always would have a bad joke to tell me. This is from his last bio he gave me....

Ottavio Canestrelli was born and raised in the circus he started performing at the tender age of 4 with his brothers; soon Ottavio became the Star performer in his family's teeter-board act. He also had a hilarious comedy "Knock-about" act with his twin brother. After many years of traveling and performing throughout the US, Canada and Mexico the Pietro Camastrelli Family (as they were called) entered adulthood. As a result they went there separate ways. Ottavio perused a career in acting and earned a degree in theater. But he found himself yearning for the physicality of the Circus. Thus, returned with new skills as a solo artist. Recreating himself as a physical Comedian of yesteryear such a Buster Keaton
his skills are:
Ladder Act
German Wheel
Juggling
Comedy Chair Act
Teeter-board
Solo Trapeze
and countless others

My prayers are to his family and daughter...
A stage light has gone out and that light happen to a be funny man who I consider to be a friend. I will miss him.
Chris Christian

https://www.chrischristian.biz

[C Christian]

Ottavio's Website

I thought you might want to see his website before it goes down

http://www.ottaviocomedy.com/index.html

[jeep caillouet]

Nicely said. I wish I had met him.I'm sure I could of learned something from him to have enhanced myself as I go down my guffy little road of life.

[scot]

http://yesterdaystowns.blogspot.com/2008/01/in-memory-of-ottavio-canestrelli.html

http://www.myspace.com/ottaviocanestrelli

Ottavio was a complete buffoon. He always seemed out of control, but no one gets hurt. His brain worked like a non-stop slap-stick routine and I would laugh at his logic and envy his innocent vulnerability.

I can't explain the tone he used when telling me this short story, but there was no embarrassment. Only disappointment.

Ottavio liked a girl at the sushi restaurant (as far as I could tell, he liked all girls at all sushi restaurants) so he took her flowers. She said "I can not accept these. These are death flowers!" they were traditional funeral flowers in Japan. From that point on, she avoided him.

Canestrelli absorbed life. positive, negative and inconsequential. He lived a full life and died on his terms.

[aerialhoopgrrl]

I really miss Ottavio. He trained at our space for the last 6 months or so, and we'd often be there together, working seperately, occasionally sharing a joke or asking an opinion. We were going to work on flips on powerrisers together.

He was so so kind-hearted, and it saddens me so deeply that he didn't realize how many people love him. His absence has left a void in this community--a big, resonating hole where he used to be. He was meant to perform at a show I saw last night, and this was the first place his absence was truly magnified. The kids from Circesteem made a memorial for him, that brought me to tears.

There was nothing phony about Ottavio, and that's just how I like my people. I don't even know what else to say.