The Art of Clowning (review)

It isn't easy, being a clown. As most theatre artists agree, tragedy's easy—comedy's the tough one. Whether as a playwright, director, actor or designer, it seems that there are people who can make other people laugh apparently without effort and there are others who cannot. As a director, I have found that naturally comic actors are difficult to find, regardless of the humor in the text or the staging. As the title indicates, this book focuses on the art of clowning, and serves as a hands-on guide for anybody wishing to search for, find, and explore her/his "inner clown.”

Mr. Simon, a professor of acting at the University of California, Irvine, has been "clowning around” for many years, performing and conducting workshops throughout the US as well as abroad. He has also formed a clown troupe called "Clownzilla,” based in Los Angeles. In other words, this (master) clown knows whereof he speaks. As he reminds us, clowns and clowning have been a fixture throughout history, whether as characters in plays or festivals or as popular entertainers. Simon's anecdotes about famous clowns, especially those who can be seen on film, like Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin, expand the reader's vision of the distinct clown personas. Clowns, as we know, come in every variety and shape, configured by the clown her/himself.

Divided into six chapters and an afterword, Simon's book informs readers from the first page that this is a training regimen and sets out to guide the reader through a variety of exercises, beginning with the proverbial red nose. This is not to say the reader must perform the exercises, but, as the book progresses, one might get the urge to buy the red nose. Lesson number one is "Clown Etiquette”: do not put on your nose in front of a mirror and certainly not in front of your audience. "Of course,” writes Simon, "everyone knows on an intuitive level that you are an actor wearing a clown nose, but in the interest of promoting clown purity, it's best to appear unto yourself and others solely as a clown” (10). I enjoy the expression, "clown purity,” which underscores the seriousness of Simon's intentions: there are rules and it's best to follow them, he advises us early on.

Second lesson: clowns must always be aware of someone watching. Some of the acting exercises are useful in (nonclown) acting classes; most are specific to the art of clowning. Above all, Simon's lessons are not easy, especially for the person who wants to embark on the road to clowning alone. The directions are written in a clear and mature style that does not condescend to the would-be clown. In this regard, the book is an excellent resource for the person who wishes to learn by doing (the only way). I fear, however, that, should a reader rely solely on Simon's lessons, she or he might be stifled by the lack of someone watching. Ideally, the clown should have a trainer (like Simon) to guide her through the various exercises. Clowns cannot clown alone; they need an audience of at least one person, commenting, laughing, or even crying as they evolve ever-so-carefully from only a red nose to the various stages of clowning.

Simon challenges the serious student to find her "inner clown,” just as we all have an inner child within us: that creative force that has no boundaries and can put a tin can into any number of uses with great creativity. Thus, while some exercises could come right out of any book on improvisation, the focus here is on discovering what kind of clown you are by following the exercises with abandon, unfettered by adult reasoning. As the book progresses, the reader/trainee learns how to add elements beyond the red nose. Next comes the use of props, and singing and dancing as a clown-in-process. "Clowning is always about trying, failing and persevering...