"Send in the Clowns" is a song written by Stephen Sondheim for the 1973 musical A Little Night Music, an adaptation of Ingmar Bergmans 1955 film Smiles of a Summer Night. The song is a ballad from Act Two and is sung by the character Desiree Armfeldt. The "clowns" in the lyrics and title do not specifically refer to circus clowns, but rather to a theater reference meaning "if the show isnt going well, lets send in the clowns". The song has been recorded by many artists, including Frank Sinatra and Judy Collins.