CLOWNS CLOWNING A Brief History of Clowns HISTORY

CLOWNS & CLOWNING A Brief History of Clowns

HISTORY OF CLOWNS • Pygmy clowns performed as jesters in the court of the pharaoh in Egypt’s 5 th dynasty – 2500 B. C. E. • Ancient Greek clowns wore short, grotesquely padded tunics and socks. • Court jesters have performed in China since 1818 B. C. E. Ancient Greek Clowns from the farce called Phlyake www. clownbluey. co. uk

HISTORY OF CLOWNS • Their humor could affect policy in many cultures • 500 B. C. E. – China – – Emperor Shih Huang-Ti built the Great Wall – thousands died while building it – Planned to paint it – His jester: Yu Sze – jokes convinced him to abandon the plan – Yu Sze is remembered as a Chinese national hero! Traditional Chinese Opera Clown www. 123 rf. com

HISTORY OF CLOWNS • Ancient Rome had 4 wellknown styles of clowns: – Sannio – popular mimes who used grimaces – Stupidus – a mimic fool – usually bald – slapstick comedy – Scurra – lower class clown – with physical oddities – Moriones – silly and sometimes mentally challenged Ancient Roman Clowns www. clownbluey. co. uk

HISTORY OF CLOWNS • Montezuma’s court of the Aztec nation included jesters that were taken back to Pope Clement III. • Most Native American tribes had some type of clown character – Important social & religious role – Some were believed to cure diseases. Navaho Clown dailykos. com

HISTORY OF CLOWNS • Commedia dell’arte began in Italy in the 16 th century • The dominant European theatre • Improvised scenes • Stock characters and scenarios • Many comic characters – both masters and servants Commedia Stock Characters – Comic servants: • 1 st Zany – predecessor of Whiteface clown (Peirrot) • 2 nd Zany - predecessor of Auguste clown (Harlequin) • Fantesca – female clown (Peirrette) punchcoffee. com

HISTORY OF CLOWNS • Jesters were given freedom of speech • Often the only one to speak out against a ruler’s ideas • Their humor could affect policy in many cultures • In Medieval England, the last of the court jesters was Dicky Pearce he was the Earl of Suffolk’s fool, born in 1665. Dicky Pearce www. cotswolds. info

HISTORY OF CLOWNS • Shakespeare’s Clowns: Will Kemp – William Kemp & Robert Armin were clowns – 2 of 26 principal actors in the Lord Chandler’s Men acting troupe listed in the 1 st Folio – William was the 1 st clown in the group and a part owner • Played a version of an Auguste clown: a stupid county bumpkin • Known for his ad-libbing www. literarynorfolk. co. uk

HISTORY OF CLOWNS • Shakespeare’s Clowns: – Armin joined Lord Chandler’s Men when Kemp left • Played a court jester style fool • Probably the 1 st Feste (Olivia’s jester in Twelfth Night) • Wrote one of the 1 st histories of clowning to be published • Shakespeare changed his style of play when Armin replaced Kemp pathguy. com

HISTORY OF CLOWNS • Philip Astley created the 1 st circus clown: – Billy Buttons – 1768 – Scenario: the Tailor’s Ride to Brentford • A tailor, a poor rider, tries to ride a horse to Brentford to vote • Astley, as Billy Buttons, acted as the tailor circopedia. org

HISTORY OF CLOWNS • Joseph Grimaldi (1778 -1837) • He developed of the pantomime character: Clown • Clown nickname “Joey” after him… • The Father of Modern Clowning – Never performed in a circus – Elaborate tricks, special effects, and live action scenes – Usually appeared as a Whitefaced Clown clown-ministry. com

HISTORY OF CLOWNS • Amelia Butler: – Recognized as the 1 st female clown – 1858 – Toured with • Nixon’s Great American Circus • Kemp’s Mammoth English Circus clownschool. net • The next female clown was Lulu in 1939

HISTORY OF CLOWNS • Dan Rice – 1 st Modern Clown: – 1823 -1901 – Often make political commentary – Animal acts – “Uncle Sam” drawings based upon him – Highly paid and Philanthropic

CLOWNS & CLOWNING Types of Modern Day Clowns

WHITE-FACE CLOWN justclowningaround. org • All flesh is covered by makeup or clothing. • Face and neck covered with a coat of “clown white” greasepaint. • Features are then added on top.

WHITE-FACE CLOWN my. opera. com • A direct descendant of the classic black & white Commedia dell’arte Pierrot Clown • French in origin • Considered the smartest clown • He is the “straight man” Never the brunt of a joke

Types of Whiteface Clowns Bobby Kaye (1908 -1983): www. allaboutclowns. com • Neat Whiteface – Small features using red or black – Carefully colorcoordinated clothing

Types of Whiteface Clowns Bozo the Clown www. allaboutclowns. com/ • Grotesque or Comedy Whiteface – Large features in a variety of colors – Outlandish clothing

Types of Whiteface Clowns (Rudy Llatge) www. allaboutclowns. com • European Whiteface – Uses bald-cap – Elaborate, glitzy costumes • In Europe: – Accents their ears with red – Uses their own hair or a black wig – Wears a spangled costume

AUGUSTE CLOWN • White around their eyes and mouth. • Covers the remaining exposed flesh with colored greasepaint. • May paint lower lip red or black Rafael “Chocolate” Padilla

AUGUSTE CLOWN • Often use exaggerated eyebrows • May wear a colorful wig, or a bald top with a fringe of colorful hair Lou Jacobs (1903 -1992) www. allaboutclowns. com

AUGUSTE CLOWN "Clown Bluey " Brattle • Costume is usually has very bright colors • Costume is frequently too large • Frequently the brunt of the jokes

HOBO or TRAMP CLOWN Emmett Leo Kelly, Sr. 1898 -1979 • Inspired by the homeless of the late 19 th century • White paint around mouth and perhaps around their eyes • Paint an artificial beard with greasepaint www. allaboutclowns. com

HOBO or TRAMP CLOWN Red Skelton (1903 -1992) • An American invention • Famous Tramps: – Charlie Chaplin’s Little Tramp – Emmett Kelly’s Weary Willie – Tramps are down-ontheir luck & unhappy • Famous Hobos: www. redskelton. com – Red Skelton’s Freddy the Freeloader – Hobos are “devil-maycare” –happy – looking forward to the future

CHARACTER CLOWNS • Character Clowns only really exist in clown competitions • Can be any type of clown • Costume depicts a recognizable occupation or hobby: – Cowboy – Doctor – Pirate – Hippie – Cop Kupcake the Clown as a Keystone Cop allaboutclowns. com • The Character should be based on the Clown’s personality!

CLOWN COLLEGE • Founded by Irvin Feld in 1968 • 1, 300 people have received diplomas • Many graduates with The Greatest Show On Earth® • Others perform on stage, in film and in other performing arts • Alumni originate from 9 countries and 44 states • The formal college closed in 1997. http: //meganandtimmy. com/clown-college. jpg Clown College information from Ringling. com

CLOWN COLLEGE Classes included: – character development – Improvisation – Makeup – Pantomime – gag development – Acrobatics & dance – prop & costume construction – physical skills of slaps and falls – stilt-walking & unicycling – juggling & choreography http: //clownalley. blogspot. com/

RODEO CLOWNS library. thinkquest. org “He has to be afraid of nothing and stand in front of the bull and distract him and he could be killed. The rest of the rodeo, he’s trying to make people laugh at him. ” Gail Woerner, Rodeo Historian • Almost all are Character Clowns – usually cowboys! • Both comedian and athlete • Also known as “bullfighters” • Trained & practiced animal wranglers • Primary job is to protect a fallen rider • Abilities can mean life or death for the fallen bull rider • They also entertain the audience with clowning activities and slapstick comedy reportingtexas. com

CIRQUE CLOWNS • Cirque du Soleil is a circus without animals • Cirque clowns tend to be mime-based instead of Barnum-type clowns • Alegria celebrates oldfashioned circus acts • Kooza celebrates the arts of acrobatics and clowning • All the Cirque shows have clown acts Alegria Clown Beyond-the-depths. deviantart. com