Originally written July, 2000

by Duffer

Well I just returned from the NW Comedifest hosted by Angel Ocasio & Karen Reinholt. It was the best time! I really grew from the experience! One of the things that was concentrated on is the character. Does your character have a real personality? Is your character funny? Does your character move and look like a clown?

Your best props are your face, body, heart and mind. You don't NEED all those fancy costumes, make-up, balloons, face-paints or magic props that cost you hundreds or even thousands of dollars! All you need is to know how to be a clown! You need to know how to move as a clown, use your face as a clown, create laughs as a clown, care as a clown and even know when you should not be in clown character. Everything else are aids to assist you in your goal. Balloons and face painting are not traditional clown skills, they are art forms that should only be a small asset to your clowning and not a main focus.

If you only have a clown image, that does not make you a clown. Clowns don't do funny things, they do things funny! Do you do things funny? I have seen clowns that have everything but a funny character. I suggest if you decide to do a simple make-up job, please have the character and physical being to back it up. Use your best props first, then go buy all the expensive tools to assist you.

Advancing clowns,

Duffer

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