Now, this may be something from the show creator and producers that has come to be reflected in what we see when RB&B finally hits the touring circuit with their "latest and greatest" show. I personally feel that the biggest error that company made was ending their "Clown College" and looking to outside sources for developing trained clowns. Not that the sources aren't out there, they are. But, the in-house development and training offered something to the folk who passed over those sawdust floors steeped in tradition that a lot of these outside schools and conferences just don't have. In fact, most of the best teachers and instructors found at these outside sources all have come from inside the halls of the RB&B Clown College for their training. (At least, the American teachers, that is.)
The last two years the clown pool has been shallow. This year, there were some great sketches with the current alley traveling with Larible. The clown car bit, as well as the construction sequence, well, both were great...but, still seemed to "Be missing something" in their overall delivery. Even the maestro of mirth himself (Larible) seemed underplayed this year than he had in previous years. Not to be negative on what I saw on the arena floor, but, a lot of it was feeling tired and old.
Last year, sadly, was even worse. There were no major clown sketches. The walk-arounds were minimal, the scenes of the mirth- makers were primarily used in the pre-show hour on the sawdust's floor. However, last year's troupe of alley mongers was far more "on" than this year's troupe in that pre-show and during the show in the performance I went to.
During the pre-show, there were (maybe) three of the paints on the floor who were up and interfacing with the guests who tried to talk or meet them. A couple were walking around with seriously dour looks
on their face that would tell a person, "don't even come up to me." A few others (including one whose costume and face and otherwise I found the most inspired of the batch) had a attitude about them that placed them leaning on the back rail of the rink and chewing the fat with the other members of their clan, making it seem as if they were taking a coffee and smoker break moreso than being there to entertain and interface with the guests who attended.
That having been said, the professional fools who did work the ring in the pre-show set were dynamite. They were of the third of the clowns during the pre-show hour who were actually out there and working the house with a level of spirit and enjoyment. In reflection, the previous show (even the one of a couple of years prior) had a great warm-up crew who were everywhere and everyplace for every guest who came through that door. Sadly, the previous shows (especially noted the one of summer 2002 here in California) the mainshow activity of our compatriots was delegated to walking the parades (or, riding scooters at the tail end of the marching unit).
The "BEST" show I saw had to have been the first couple of years David L. was with the troupe...he was hot, he was on, and, well used. And, the alley was also dominant and in action throughout the show, not just limited to one or two momentary performances. That show (the debut of Larible) had been the first circus I had gone to since my youth, and, the amazing change in clowns from the old school was well in place. At that point, I was impressed enough again to start paying attention to what was happening in the traveling shows.
Before my attention returned to the 'Big Top', my attention and interest had gotten heavily into the "Vaudeville Nouveau" movement back in the early 1980's. That was an exciting time for the growth of clowning as a performance art and related circus skills as well. I had seen a lot of the acts of that period start up at various festivals and Ren Faires, and then work their way up the ladder of success and recognition. I remember going to the Vaudeville Fest that was held at San Francisco State and totally going bonkers on what was going on around me. That was exciting theatre and comedy.
During that period of time, The Flying Karamazovs hit many a mark with their traveling shows based on famous plays and such...the most outstanding being their 'COMEDY OF ERRORS' (which actually was shown on PBS...and, of which, I now only have a time worn VHS copy that sadly needs replacing and there is nowhere to replace it at! Argh!). I feel that show is a prime example of what circus arts & clowning can combine to be. And, sadly, for the most part, that type of show has not been approached too much since.
I was a serious fan of the Pickle Family Circus and their Bay area outings...their show was a fresh awakening of foolery and fancy in a small circus setting. That was a great time to be involved, and, like the fool I have become, I was only watching...almost too afraid to take the step off of the safety wire and get involved. That life and art was what my soul was desiring, but, the "real world" still bore me down. Okay, I can "what if and maybe" that moment to death. It doesn't matter. The influence those performances and moments gave are what matters. And, those are with me still.
Another major influence of that period was the Robert Altman film version of POPEYE. The townsfolk of Sweethaven - (and, those were the talented variety entertainers that were building the "New Vaudeville" movement)- those were the moments of that film I went to watch. Over and over and over and over...and I still get inspired by their ensemble workmanship as the townsfolk every time I watch that film today.
Those background entities offer another fine example of what clowning and theatre can still intertwine and offer now. In fact, many of them are now known as the headliners and star artists of the physical comedy movement of that period.
Then came Cirque Du Soleil. And, they eventually became a rubber- stamp factory turning out well-selling shows that the public eats up like chocolate pablum. Don't get me wrong, I like Cirque for what it does. And, the television series now being broadcast (Solstrom?) is great. But, Cirque has become a cookie cutter production that turns out pretty much the same material and has everyone trying to re- invent themselves to match the original Cirque. Even RB&B did a special touring unit that was highly influenced by the staging and style of Cirque. (Not to mention that Cirque has pretty much taken over the showrooms of Las Vegas with various and sundry productions, as well as a permanent installation at Walt Disney World...with more to probably follow elsewhere...)
In the early 1990's, a really remarkable moment in modern clowning and "vaudeville nouveau" happened. Bill Irwin (Pickle Circus and artiste extraordinaire) and David Shiner (from Cirque Du Soleil)took off in their two man show 'FOOL MOON' - which was another of those moments in the history of our art that just shines. And, another illuminatory point from which guidance to future growth of the clowning medium might happen.
There are countless other examples of where things can go. And, there are realities that currently establish themselves as where things aren't going. (Such as the last few RB&B shows I have been to.)RB&B has become a "cookie cutter" experience in their own right, too. The only "really new" moment I have experienced with them came with the last tour and the upside down circus art performers. Even that was highly repetitive of what they performed as bit pieces. Still - it was a highlight moment and has a great value of creative development to consider and pursue...mayhaps not in the "let's do an upside-down act to death" venue, but, in the original thinking and creativity that went into developing that unique approach.
We need to break some serious moments and molds. It seems that our industry (and, I am not referring to the "mom and pop party clowns" here...not that I am anti-party clowns...I have done that gig, and, will more than likely still do that gig in the future in order to earn some ready funds to further develop my shows) has reached a stalemate in development and pushing an envelope when it comes to slapstick and variety art style entertainment. Moreso, in the clowning regime of such shows. Yes - there are many great clowns out there now...most of them comedians and performers on television and film. Even at that, they are a handful. As for the ones we see in the alleys that pass with each unit of the RB&B shows...for a large part, they remain the nameless laughmakers who provide the mirth and backbone of that circus show. I mean, we (those of us who get to know them or follow this industry with a scrutiny investors might cling to Wall Street with) may know the names and person(s) behind the nose and grease paint. But, the majority of the public who come and go to the shows...you get the point.
Clowning is an exciting and viable medium for interaction and public awareness on countless levels. I am certain that the history of buffoonery and commedia and everything else related to that is known here. The foundations are part of who we are...and yet, we are not pursuing the fullness of what our foundations as entertainers might support. Be it in public theatre, be it on adaptations and presentations on the Broadway stage or in film, be it in the RB&B alleys as they march the time-honored sawdust, be it in the European style shows that are the current public rage.
The history of our art in film (especially in the early cinematic days of silent pratfalls and pranks) is rich. The same with circus art skills, early vaudeville, and touring companies. Somehow that richness and wonder needs to get returned. Like all things, we need to re-invent our industry and art to re-direct it back to that sense of laughter and wonder. Not that we aren't getting the responses now, it is just that we are capable of so much more.
The people that need the influencing (in the case of RB&B) are the show creators and producers...and, in that, they need to really enlist the embodiment of the people who understand what we are about in helping them to create the show aspects that feature the talented and skilled artists who are the handful of clowns with each unit that the RB&B operation runs. Clowns deserve more in the shows (personal bias of course). Tomfoolery and entertainments of our sort need more exposure. And, for that, we have got to awaken the public to their need of desiring to come to our type of shows.
The challenges are out there. There is a whole heckuvalot to pursue. And, we have a challenge to pursue as well...and that is in our training and schooling. Again, this is not in regards to the run of the mill party clown who has their various organization memberships, goes to the same basic schools and conferences across our country and around the world...and, this statement is not a sleight to those folk. I got started that way, I figure the majority of us followed similar paths.
No, it is in the other workshops and schools that are out there...the ones that really orient towards physical comedy, movement, circus arts...the training centers that step beyond the basics a clown camp or weekend convention offer to those who attend those settings in order to learn the basics of what it is we love to do.
In that aspect, we, too, have become a "cookie-cutter" commodity. The pictures I have seen in countless web searches of the standardized conferences shows us all wearing similar costumes made by the same costume makers, sporting similar faces, and, adhering to the handful of knowledgeable pundits upon our circuit whose every word is hung upon as being the right way to be a clown and do. This limits who we are and what we are able to do.
Again, I am not slighting the party or corporate or otherwise private entertainer clown who earns their daily living through this aspect of our art. It just seems to me that we can be doing so much more in what we aspire to do as entertainers, artists, healers, communicators, and, yes, as clowns.
Okay, this has rambled enough. Thanks for letting me drop the two nickels worth of thought here. Pretty wordy for the "new bozo on the block". Oh well, Dave sent me.
God Bless Everyone...looking forward to being here, and, learning from all of you.
Kd
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