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I frankly like the part where the tiger attacks the trainer, the elephant goes on a rampage and tears down the big top, a fire starts and the crowd stampedes and kills forty-six people. ....But that's just me.

One must consider the above reply rather sick but if that is this persons humour it is not clowning!

Clowns are not the best part of a circus but they are certainly a very necessary part to break up a show and keep it light. Good clowning is necessary bad clowning is best left out altogether!

In Europe there is no real tradition for what is called 'track clowning'. These were singular clowns that made short comic interludes outside of the main ring during fixings. Only Billy Smarts toured a track in Britain. More popular in America. Most European circuses have just the central ring that should require a troupe (or family) of clowns to present set slapstick acts. Again, Billy Smarts engaged a large family of 12 who performed two 20 minute 'acts' of great comedy.

All shows should have comic interludes of some kind and we know that Ice Shows have done this, also Variety Show (Vaudeville Shows) always had the top comedian to break up the performance and keep it light - the 'clown' in effect.

One should and must appreciate that children have a vastly different attitude to what is funny to what adults think is funny and producers should be most careful with show humour to make sure that the comedy can reach both adults and children. Very good clowning does this (I have also seen some terrible clowning!)

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17y ago

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