Downloaded by [New York University] at 04:32 09 August 2016 Clowns Clowns: In Conversation with Modern Masters is a groundbreaking collection of conversations with 20 of the greatest clowns on earth. In discussion with clown aficionados Ezra LeBank and David Bridel, these legends of comedy reveal the origins, inspirations, techniques, and philosophies that underpin their remarkable odysseys. Featuring incomparable artists, including Slava Polunin, Bill Irwin, David Shiner, Oleg Popov, Dimitri, Nola Rae, and many more, Clowns is a unique and definitive study on the art of clowning. In Clowns, these 20 master artists speak candidly about their first encounters with clowning and circus, the crucial decisions that carved out the foundations of their style, and the role of teachers and mentors who shaped their development. Follow the twists and turns that changed the direction of their art and careers, explore the role of failure and originality in their lives and performances, and examine the development and evolution of the signature routines that became each clown’s trademark. The discussions culminate in meditations on the role of clowning in the modern world, as these great practitioners share their perspectives on the mysterious, elusive art of the clown. Ezra LeBank is the Head of Movement for the Department of Theatre Arts at California State University, Long Beach. He has published articles in the Journal for Laban Movement Studies and Total Theatre Magazine. He performs and teaches across North America and Europe. Downloaded by [New York University] at 04:32 09 August 2016 David Bridel is the Artistic Director of The Clown School in Los Angeles and the Director of the MFA in Acting in the School of Dramatic Arts at the Uni- versity of Southern California. His plays I Gelosi and Sublimity are published by Original Works Press. This page intentionally left blank Downloaded by [New York University] at 04:32 09 August 2016 Clowns In Conversation with Modern Masters Ezra LeBank and David Bridel Downloaded by [New York University] at 04:32 09 August 2016 Add AddAdd Add Add Add Add AddAddAdd AddAdd AddAdd First published 2015 by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN and by Routledge 711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business © 2015 Ezra LeBank and David Bridel The right of Ezra LeBank and David Bridel to be identified as authors of this work has been asserted by them in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe. British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Bridel, David. Clowns : in conversation with modern masters / David Bridel & Ezra LeBank. -- First Edition. pages cm 1. Clowns--Interviews. I. LeBank, Ezra. II. Title. GV1811.A1B75 2015 791.3’3--dc23 2014037149 ISBN: 978-1-138-77992-1 (hbk) ISBN: 978-1-138-77993-8 (pbk) ISBN: 978-1-315-71975-7 (ebk) Typeset in Baskerville by Taylor & Francis Books Downloaded by [New York University] at 04:32 09 August 2016 Contents Preface vii Acknowledgements x 1 Origins 1 2 Nola Rae 11 3 Aziz Gual 22 4 Larry Pisoni and Lorenzo Pisoni 29 5 Micha Usov 42 6 Slava Polunin 47 7 Avner Eisenberg 54 8 René Bazinet 66 9 Barry Lubin 76 10 Jango Edwards 87 Downloaded by [New York University] at 04:32 09 August 2016 11 Peter Shub 95 12 David Konyot 104 13 Dimitri 114 14 David Larible 122 15 Oleg Popov 132 vi Contents 16 Bello Nock 136 17 Angela de Castro 143 18 Geoff Hoyle 154 19 Bill Irwin and David Shiner 163 20 Reflections: David and Ezra in Conversation with Phil Burgers 177 Appendix of terms 186 Index 201 Downloaded by [New York University] at 04:32 09 August 2016 Preface We are clowns. Clowning has always been a mysterious art to us. Every time it seems there is a method to it – how to make a bit work, get a laugh, generate a revelation, invite an audience into a particular way of seeing – as soon as we think we’ve stumbled upon the answer to something, the proverbial rug is pulled out from under us, and we find ourselves lying on our backsides, scratching our heads. Sure, there are several timeworn structures that have good odds of finding the funny, but, in our experience, the notion that there are rules to clowning strikes us as … unlikely. We are also clown teachers. Leading our students into the unruly world of the clown, we have long grap- pled with this paradox: How can one teach a form that resists method? What in this ephemeral, illogical, and topsy-turvy discipline of clowning can be captured, formulated, and passed on to those who have the desire to learn it? There are many companion texts that have helped us absorb and articulate the practice of clowning, rich and rewarding books including manuals of commedia dell’arte lazzi; clown and physical comedy exercise compendiums; histories of mime, clown, comedy, the stage, vaudeville, and the circus; explorations of character archetypes; and treatises on humor theory. And yet we have continued to feel the absence of a certain essential voice, some guiding document that could support and develop our own studio practice and provoke new creativity in the classroom, on the street, on the stage, and in the ring. We pondered. If we were to add to the literature on clowning, to contribute Downloaded by [New York University] at 04:32 09 August 2016 something that could be of value to ourselves, our fellow professionals and clown aficionados, and especially for our students, what would it include? We reflected on the clowns we love, those who have deepened or advanced the form, reached wide audiences, achieved extraordinary levels of excellence and influence. What distinguishes the most impactful of modern clowns? As we grappled with our questions, we came to a realization. The clowns who are masters are themselves. They make something wonderful out of who they truly, deeply, and simply are. They don’t hide or conceal themselves in clown character, to appear as someone else, or someone good, or someone right. Yes, they borrow routines, shtick, and ideas from one another and their predecessors, and, true, they frequently belong to a long performance lineage and have learned, as apprentices, specific viii Preface techniques that perpetuate a certain tradition. And yet whatever material they perform, whatever character they present, they enter into their clown persona as a way of being more generously themselves than they might be under usual cir- cumstances. Every time we watch one of them, we don’t view a form or a char- acter or a concept. We see, simply, them. It follows that the book on clowning, the guide we are seeking for ourselves, should seek to capture, one clown at a time, what makes these individuals tick; what their stories consist of; and how they have translated the conventions of their artistic discipline into their powerful and singular voice. We realized that we didn’t have the capacity to express these ideas effectively unless we went directly to the source. Clowns: In Conversation with Modern Masters engages 20 modern masters of clowning in conversation about their origins, inspirations, techniques, and philo- sophy. The “Origins” section of the conversations shines a spotlight on each clown’s youth, investigating the causal factors that led each of our subjects toward the world of clowning. We examine their first encounters with clowning, traces of clowning, circus, or related areas in their family history, and key moments that laid the groundwork for their eventual profession. In “Inspirations,” we trace the onset of the clown’s career, exploring the crucial decisions that carved out the foundations of their style and perspective. We discuss the role of teachers, men- tors, and performers who shaped their development, as well as the twists and turns that landed them in unexpected situations where their careers changed direction. In “Techniques,” we dig through the rich terrain of trips and slips, pratfalls and pies, characters and scenarios that shaped each clown’s technical palate, taking into account both inherited techniques and original trademarks. We explore the content of their signature works, paying special attention to acci- dental moments, or failures, which led to significant discoveries. In “Philosophy” we discuss how each clown’s work has evolved. Our clowns look back on long careers in order to compare past discoveries and triumphs with the current and future chapters of their careers, and of the field as a whole. We discuss their perspectives on clowning as an art form, and where they believe the future of clowning is headed. By highlighting these four central areas in each clown’s life and work, the conversations can be read either as a collection of differing thematic assessments, or as a master narrative that tells a clown’s story from beginning until this – – Downloaded by [New York University] at 04:32 09 August 2016 moment. The exchanges frank, forthright, and funny delve into the history, family, culture, politics, aesthetics, and intentions of our subjects, reflecting their personalities, and teasing out the personal quirks and oddities that make our clowns hilarious, vulnerable, compelling, cruel, exciting, and uniquely human.