Being A Clown Character
By Randy Christensen
The vast majority of clowns have a great misconception of what clown character is and how it develops. (Do I have your attention now? I thought so...)
Numerous clowns believe that owning a host of props and having developed comedic dialog equals having a developed character. In essence, they’re stating that a developed routine is the same as having a developed character. Though developing routines helps one to learn ones character, it is not the same as possessing a developed character.
Even more mirth makers seem to believe that after living a first clown experience, that they’ve been “birthed” as a clown. They see their clown character’s entrance into this world to hold the same credence as a natural physical birth. A birth certificate is in order. They believe that once a clown biography is written, a specific traditional clown image is chosen, and a clown name is selected, that their character has arrived. Now it will only take care, feeding, and experience to become all that one can be as a character. Though care and feeding are important to character development, this analogy contains error. Please read on.
Clown is an art form. Just as a concert pianist begins with the basics; playing scales, finger exercises, learning timing, and understanding how to read notes; so the clown will wisely work on the basics of the art of clown. As a pianist, I can relate that playing piano is neither natural nor comfortable at first. But in time, through commitment and continual practice, a pianist finally becomes proficient at playing various traditional, and even original, pieces.
The majority of clowns find themselves in this same position. They’ve learned some of the traditional tools. They are comfortable with the fundamentals. They can poke around at the “keyboard of clowning” and receive great pleasure and pride from that. Fact is, their audience applauds and receives pleasure from the performance pieces they present. The clown has worked hard and may take pride and joy in the response he has received. Anyone who takes the time and effort to clown is to be commended.
But, there can be even more to the personal development of a clown character. Back to the piano analogy. I played recitals for years. I enjoyed it. After a enough years, even others enjoyed listening to me! I had a solid technical foundation. Without this foundation, I could never have moved to the level of performance that I had achieved. But, there was still more! As I’ve played piano now, for twenty-seven years, I’ve come to a point that I can “flow” on the piano. It’s no longer a conscientious exercise for me to play. Rather than playing piano, I now have become a piano player. No longer a person playing notes, but one who has come to the place of expressing himself through the art of music. I could never have reached this level without the prior laying of musical foundation.
Jose Rivera says, “Master the technique first, then use it to express yourself.” Once the technique becomes second nature, then one may express himself through the art form. This is true for any art form, including clowning. Once the clown reasoning, motivation, action and reaction becomes second nature, then a person is truly becoming a clown.
Clown character is a developmental process. The clown lives and breathes, evolving and changing with each moment of existence. Through lifespan, the performer finally moves from the point of doing clown things, to the point of being a clown. Clown character has to do with the “being”, rather than the “doing”.
Concisely, a developed clown character is not an act, but a person. A clown character may do an act: But, doing an act, even a magnificent act, does not make one a solid clown character.
How long does this character building take? Steve Rancatore, Leon McBride, and others state that a minimum of eight to ten years seems to be the time frame. My experience concurs.
The European school of thought encourages skill development and technique mastery long before public performance opportunities. The American school of thought encourages everyone to put on make up and costume and get out in front of the audience regardless of performance material. The European school encourages development of performance tools prior to engaging an audience. The American school generally sends forth clowns to an audience in hopes that they’ll find something engaging.
We Americans are often “microwave” clowns. We believe that if we pop our clown character into the oven for thirty seconds that we have a banquet meal to serve to our audiences. We’ve “developed,” we think. Sad to say, but often we are only “half-baked.”
Granted, a clown will never develop unless he places himself before an audience, often! Nothing replaces experience. What I dare to propose is that we choose to spend more hours in training, practice and preparation though. Nothing replaces the experience of eating a healthy good tasting meal. Unfortunately, we often forget that a gourmet meal requires much prior preparation. One cannot just throw it on the table!
I’m afraid that we often do a grave disservice to the art of clown as we teach First of Mays. In our discussion with younger clowns, let’s not mislead them into thinking that becoming a clown has a “birth date”, and then a person is “a clown.” It’s fine to celebrate beginning points. But there is more!
Encourage them to develop their clown techniques, abilities, and character. Don’t just give them a face, a name, and a prop and lead them to believe that’s all there is to truly being a clown character. It’s not. May we accept the challenge and priviledge of leading on the next generation of clowns through our example.
The vast majority of clowns have a great misconception of what clown character is and how it develops. (Do I have your attention now? I thought so...)
Numerous clowns believe that owning a host of props and having developed comedic dialog equals having a developed character. In essence, they’re stating that a developed routine is the same as having a developed character. Though developing routines helps one to learn ones character, it is not the same as possessing a developed character.
Even more mirth makers seem to believe that after living a first clown experience, that they’ve been “birthed” as a clown. They see their clown character’s entrance into this world to hold the same credence as a natural physical birth. A birth certificate is in order. They believe that once a clown biography is written, a specific traditional clown image is chosen, and a clown name is selected, that their character has arrived. Now it will only take care, feeding, and experience to become all that one can be as a character. Though care and feeding are important to character development, this analogy contains error. Please read on.
Clown is an art form. Just as a concert pianist begins with the basics; playing scales, finger exercises, learning timing, and understanding how to read notes; so the clown will wisely work on the basics of the art of clown. As a pianist, I can relate that playing piano is neither natural nor comfortable at first. But in time, through commitment and continual practice, a pianist finally becomes proficient at playing various traditional, and even original, pieces.
The majority of clowns find themselves in this same position. They’ve learned some of the traditional tools. They are comfortable with the fundamentals. They can poke around at the “keyboard of clowning” and receive great pleasure and pride from that. Fact is, their audience applauds and receives pleasure from the performance pieces they present. The clown has worked hard and may take pride and joy in the response he has received. Anyone who takes the time and effort to clown is to be commended.
But, there can be even more to the personal development of a clown character. Back to the piano analogy. I played recitals for years. I enjoyed it. After a enough years, even others enjoyed listening to me! I had a solid technical foundation. Without this foundation, I could never have moved to the level of performance that I had achieved. But, there was still more! As I’ve played piano now, for twenty-seven years, I’ve come to a point that I can “flow” on the piano. It’s no longer a conscientious exercise for me to play. Rather than playing piano, I now have become a piano player. No longer a person playing notes, but one who has come to the place of expressing himself through the art of music. I could never have reached this level without the prior laying of musical foundation.
Jose Rivera says, “Master the technique first, then use it to express yourself.” Once the technique becomes second nature, then one may express himself through the art form. This is true for any art form, including clowning. Once the clown reasoning, motivation, action and reaction becomes second nature, then a person is truly becoming a clown.
Clown character is a developmental process. The clown lives and breathes, evolving and changing with each moment of existence. Through lifespan, the performer finally moves from the point of doing clown things, to the point of being a clown. Clown character has to do with the “being”, rather than the “doing”.
Concisely, a developed clown character is not an act, but a person. A clown character may do an act: But, doing an act, even a magnificent act, does not make one a solid clown character.
How long does this character building take? Steve Rancatore, Leon McBride, and others state that a minimum of eight to ten years seems to be the time frame. My experience concurs.
The European school of thought encourages skill development and technique mastery long before public performance opportunities. The American school of thought encourages everyone to put on make up and costume and get out in front of the audience regardless of performance material. The European school encourages development of performance tools prior to engaging an audience. The American school generally sends forth clowns to an audience in hopes that they’ll find something engaging.
We Americans are often “microwave” clowns. We believe that if we pop our clown character into the oven for thirty seconds that we have a banquet meal to serve to our audiences. We’ve “developed,” we think. Sad to say, but often we are only “half-baked.”
Granted, a clown will never develop unless he places himself before an audience, often! Nothing replaces experience. What I dare to propose is that we choose to spend more hours in training, practice and preparation though. Nothing replaces the experience of eating a healthy good tasting meal. Unfortunately, we often forget that a gourmet meal requires much prior preparation. One cannot just throw it on the table!
I’m afraid that we often do a grave disservice to the art of clown as we teach First of Mays. In our discussion with younger clowns, let’s not mislead them into thinking that becoming a clown has a “birth date”, and then a person is “a clown.” It’s fine to celebrate beginning points. But there is more!
Encourage them to develop their clown techniques, abilities, and character. Don’t just give them a face, a name, and a prop and lead them to believe that’s all there is to truly being a clown character. It’s not. May we accept the challenge and priviledge of leading on the next generation of clowns through our example.
Labels: clown development
posted by Randy | 12:55 PM
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