The 2017 London Clown Festival is now open for applications until 28th February.
Following a successful crowdfunding campaign, the festival will be returning to the capital in May – proving once again that experimental comedy, at rates which are fair to performers and punters alike, is financially viable and artistically vibrant.
The festival was founded by Henry Maynard (Flabbergast Theatre, Tatterdemalion) and Dan Lees (The Establishment, Brainchild). Last year it was based in a transformed abandoned car park in Manor House, and sold over two thousand tickets for just a fiver. With potentially more venues for 2017, the festival looks set to become a fixture in the theatrical calendar.
From their website:
London Clown Festival is a festival of physical comedy and clown influenced contemporary performance exploring what Clown is to the modern performer and their audiences.
In recent years there has been upsurge in comedy and theatre of performers who have been influenced by the teachings of Lecoq and Gaulier many of whom have gone on to become celebrated award winning artists. However, Clown remains an enigma to the general public beyond the stereotypical image of the clown as found in circus performance, red nose, big shoes and squirty flower.
So much so that sometimes performers are reluctant to identify themselves as Clowns.
The influence of Clown is found everywhere once you know what to look for with performers as diverse as Tommy Cooper, Charlie Chaplin, Sasha Baron Cohen (Ali G, Borat), French and Saunders and Rowan Atkinson (Mr Bean) amongst many that use clowning in their performances.
We at London Clown Festival program an exciting, inspiring and eclectic mix of current performers who embody the principals of this timeless art form. In doing so we hope to share the joy and exhilaration of Clown with a wide breadth of audiences both young and old.
You can register here.
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