Hi all! Who here does physical comedy?? Pratfalls, goofy movements, etc........Just wondering how many of you are into the athletic side of clowning?
Punkin

I do some, and not always on purpose.

I don't see how you can Klown WITHOUT doing some physical comedy.

I agree on that TJ. It's more that some will be more physical than others or use it more consious than others. The degree of physical comedy can be layed different by what your strong sides are. I'm personally better in physical comedy than verbal comedy so I naturally tend to use it more than probably others who are verbally stronger although I'm not a silent clown.

I took a class at Clown Camp a few years ago and learned how to do it without hurting myself and others. I was hooked!

a great class to take on physical comedy is Avner Eisenburg's (Avner The Eccentric) class at the Celebration Barn in maine called "Eccentric Performing"

www.avnertheeccentric.com

Shoq........Avner is excellent!! Have you checked out his short video on the website?? He's kind of a hero to me........!! He learned from Jacques Lecog........have been reading a book written by him.......Avner is definately funny,funny!!!
Punkin

i took a two day workshop with him... he wrote my stage show

I use physical comedy, but no falls, unfortunately fell [not while clowning] and damaged one of my knees.

I took a physical comedy course through moosberger university in 1994 and use to do alot of it, however age and weight have taken over so I don't do much any more, I need to take another class on it again. I may look into that Avner course.

I would love to take a course from him........I'm in NY State and I know that the Celebration Barn is in Maine.......if there were someway I could book him for a workshop here, I would.......Need to consider that for future.....maybe I can get the funds together........wouldn't that be cool??
Punkin

Falls are great I just make sure Now when I go comando use pads and rib brace, at coai in texas broke a rib. other times contact juggling damaged retna in left eye, and clubing the corna in right eye

Nevada, Which COAI in Texas? Corpus Christi or the one a couple of years before that in Fort Worth? I was at both. I was usually helping Tricia at the Mooseburger booth or helping Cheri Venturi at her wig booth.

Hello all I just joined and I'm not a clown as of yet but I plan on using alot of physical comedy and I've come up with alot of skits already.

Welcome croberts

You have found a great site, you'll learn a lot here.

I mostly use physical comedy in my performances. I don't talk in the show so I have to get a lot of stuff across physically. Also, growing up watching Chaplin and Laurel and Hardy I can not comprehend my own clowning style without physical comedy!

I have never been taught it really. But watching those old movies you get an idea of what is funny about those falls and such that they do. Buster Keaton was of course a master and I am not sure anyone else on earth can survive the falls he took! (Except jackie Chan...)

I have never been taught it really. But watching those old movies you get an idea of what is funny about those falls and such that they do. Buster Keaton was of course a master and I am not sure anyone else on earth can survive the falls he took! (Except jackie Chan...)


why do i agree with you?

Good sense perhaps?

a great class to take on physical comedy is Avner Eisenburg's (Avner The Eccentric) class at the Celebration Barn in maine called "Eccentric Performing"

Avner the Eccentric (http://www.avnertheeccentric.com)

Thank you so much for posting this wonderful website. I am new to clowning and still in the character development stage. My main interest is in physical comedy clowning and I just looked on the website link that you provided and am so ecstatic that there is a workshop that will be offered in January 2009 RIGHT IN MY NECK OF THE WOODS....HAWAII. I can't believe it. It is so hard to get any training that is close to me and it is so expensive to fly to the mainland these days. I have already contacted them to see about availability for this event. Cross your fingers that there is space available. My only main concern is me not having ANY clowning experience. Having taken the course, will I be ok? Or will this be over my head? Nervous but excited....I hope I get a spot!

Aloha,
Nikole "Puppets"

I think that if you are serious and willing to invest yourself into the training (take the risk) that Avner would be happy to work with you.

My whole intro and lot's of in between gag's are physical comedy, I could say that it's 1/4 of all of my show.

through the years of training on different sports among others I learned: gymnastics, judo, wrestling, self-defense....

and I know how to fall down from any position on any surface and not to get injured or at least reduce the risk to a minimum..

I think, every clown should learn to do it, because it is one of the basics skill's for which we get a ton's of laugh, and appreciation.

every one who want's to deal with physical comedy, MUST TAKE, at least basic judo lessons (just to learn falls, and it woud take you 10-15 training sesions to learn it the right way)

so you could do your show without hurting yourself or any other..

by by 8-)

Bongo, I'm so glad you resurrected this thread.

I feel that as clowns we do not receive adequate training in physical comedy. Admittedly, I did not grasp the importance of physical comedy until I watched the pros at Moose Camp this summer and now I see how horribly deficient I am in this area.

I don't recall that most of the clown conferences I've attended even offer courses on the physical elements of clowning. And it's not something you can just learn from reading a book.

I guess I'm very lucky clown, because I tried the other day that skit I saw here on forum, where clown ties his shoe to a chair and can't untie it, and falls from it over and over and over again.
and I havent hurt my self and it was very funny..

I had luck in life with training too many sports, and learning them( I'm on last year of kinesiology faculty ), so my coordination and reflexes are on the envious level, and I try to use it as much as I can.

that is one of the reasons I learned to juggle in just 15 minutes, and in 2 day's I juggled with 3 balls like a pro with all of the tricks and 3-ball joggling way's..

so..
I think some people can learn physical elements just by watching, and reading, only if they have great background of basic and advanced coordination and reflex skills.

by by

Clowning without being physical, is like fish without the chips!

As I learned from this past weekend's show, physical comedy and the clown go hand in hand. I just wish the same was true with a lack of pain. I was so sore the next day...

I think one misconception that makes a lot of clowns say, "I don't do (or don't want to do) physical comedy," is the belief that physical comedy is: falls, slaps, pies and spit takes.
If we look at silent movie comedy of the early 20th century, we find this is not the case. While the earliest Keystone and other works do follow this formula as film comedy became more artistic with the aid of Keaton, Chaplin, Lloyd etc., this was no longer the case. So much of their comedy is knowing the right facial expression in response to their surroundings.
My Point.
Physical comedy is using your body for laugh. It doesn't have to be painful or messy to be "physical comedy." This post of course is just my opinion, and to me "physical comedy" is comedy through gesture, posture, movement, facial expression, emotional states, faililure, and on and on and on and on. So let's learn how to use our faces, arms, legs, body. How does our clown "look" when afraid? Surprised? Screwing up? Happy? etc..... That's physical comedy (by my definition anyway)
With that said I also am of the opinion that when done well... it's pretty funny to see a clown slapped, tripped and seltzered.

[QUOTE= So much of their comedy is knowing the right facial expression in response to their surroundings. [/QUOTE]

Audiences have to be worked with and taught. Get them laughing, and you have them. With kids, I usually start getting them giggling by walking into walls or letting a door slap me in the butt. In a short time I can get the same response by just shouting "Whoa" with with my finger pointing at my nose. They squirm just waiting for me to surprise myself with another bungle. Hands can really become comical adversaries. Kids trust people that make them laugh.

One of my favorite clowns to watch is Red Skelton. He has a way on doing physical comedy that is easy to learn without alot of movement. Sure there are times when he exagerates his moves but for the most part it is small subtle moves. Adjusting the microphone stand and hitting himself in the forehead...combing is hair and then sneezing real hard to mess his hair up again.....when doing Deadeye, gets his spurs stuck together....and opening a door only to hit himself in the face with the door. These to me are more important moves than falling down or doing a flip. The moves he makes are moves that normal people make but with a little something added. The man was a comedic genius. The Beast

PS: The Three Stooges were awesome as well..just watch Curly in the bathroom trying to fix the plumbing. Great stuff.

Clowning without being physical, is like fish without the chips!

Malt vinegar or no?

Beast......I agree with you about Red Skelton. This man made things funny without being dirty about it. When there would be something that seemed suggestive, he'd just give that "heh heh" look about him.

I remember the Silent Spot where he did the pantomime. He was great at that. And the sneezing with getting his hair messed up........what a riot.

Gertrude and Heathcliff........the two seagulls. Very funny stuff!!!!

Ya gotta love Red. Between him and Lucy, I got a clown education very early in life!

Punkin

I do I do!! I enjoy the pysical parts the best, its more fun expeccily when we get hit with pies lol

I use a TON of physical bits in my shows. Echoing Chance on this, I grew up watching Buster, Chaplin, Lauren & Hardy, Stooges, I cant do any show without at least falling over a few times. If you're looking for a place to learn without spending to much money, I'd have to recommend "The Physical Comedy Handbook" by Davis Rider Robinson, it goes with me everywhere I go. Lots of good, classic gags are found within it's pages and it only costs around $15. Also you can find a bunch of old silent films online and watch those for ideas.

I want to do more falls, trips and slips. Luckily, I'm doing so much better, physically, so I may be able to do so as soon as next month!

I've been working out like a fiend to try to get into decent shape, as far as the pain goes. Most of you know about my past condition. I still have problems, but I should be able to fall soon. Since I'm used to falling, it'd just be by design, for a change,lol!

Soo happy!

Zippy...just want to you remember, like it was said earlier in the thread, its not always about the falls, trips and slips. Just huge, outrageous movements will work just as good. Also you could try pulling off some "the clown almost falling or tripping" techniques and see how that plays.

Just a thought... I use a lot of "mishap" type physical stuff... trying to hit something with a big sqeaky hammer, it bounces back and conks me in the head.

I have a bit where one shoe gets tied around something, one where my hand gets taped up in a box. I am developing one with a fake barbell.

Making use of everyday actions like using chairs and doors and stairs can be a great source of gags, too.

Bump a nose!