To paraphrase Stephen Sondheim, this is one clown you should send in, for a good time and some soul-healing laughter. Aziz Gual has been working his magic for decades, graduating from Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Clown College and working with “the greatest show on earth,” as well as traveling all over the world as a performer. In this hourlong show (ideal for parents with fidgety youngsters), Gual uses his formidable talents to create a world that is remarkably easy to get lost in. There is the obligatory, bulbous red nose that honks as if it had a mind of its own; the saggy pants with a gigantic pocket that traps his hand; the stepladder he effortlessly balances on his nose; the saw he plays with a bow, like a violin; the balls that appear out of nowhere, which he juggles with mind-boggling dexterity; and the playful tune he renders on an accordion. He also knows how to work the crowd, and engages audience members during a few segments. It isn't all smiles: There are a couple of interludes where a dark melancholy sets in, and this otherwise cheerful clown turns pitifully sad. But for the most part it's old-school clowning without techno frills, and with plenty of laughs for all ages. 24th Street Theatre, 1117 W. 24th St., L.A.; Sun., 11 a.m. & 2 p.m.; through April 28. (213) 745-6516, 24thstreet.org.

Sun., April 21, 11 a.m. & 2 p.m.; Sun., April 28, 11 a.m. & 2 p.m., 2013

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