Rise in Interest of Female Clowning

  

Rise of Interest in the Female Clown... A woman asked me the other day, what is clowning? And what is female clowning? Each week Maggie will begin unpacking the myths of clown and clowning; we hope you will enjoy these wonderful, vibrant – an often amusing accounts that come with some really great, academic insights. Next week: From Toes to Nose: Starting from the bottom (that comes later), or should we say the feet.   Comedy Matters News: 2020 Let's increase confidence, laughter and communication together Hello to our Comedy Matters family – Maggie and the team hope you’re all well? As the first woman in the world to have gained a doctorate in ‘Becoming a Female Clown: Transgressing Archetype and Myth’ through practice-as-research training and performance, I am going to start (after many years of procrastination-cleaning of skirting boards and painting ceilings) to unpack what this means in snappy, intriguing topical terms. I have noticed that many comedy workshops and courses are predominantly populated with women and have been asking why is that? Could it be that some women have been traditionally disciplined to behave, look good – act ‘normal’? Is clowning a method of perhaps saying ‘I need to play – let my hair down – misbehave beyond the norms’, even if it is for temporary release? Moreover, are some women aware of this overwhelming desire to break social and physical norms; curious of the difficulties that challenging these norms may present? In short, this is clowning; this is how clowning can be used for female and male empowerment. When running my female-exclusive classes and courses, I have noticed they come with a unique feeling – an energy – whereby the women are embracing the space to play, creating a supportive and community-inclusive spirit, all of its own. Each week I will introduce the many facets of what clowning is, and its potential. Clowning: what does this mean in real terms? Let’s begin with a common problem of what the words clown or clowning manifest. When I teach, whether it’s stand up, public speaking or performance, clowning is always introduced as a genre. Genre is important to address, and that is because of the many stereotypical associations – or aesthetics – we may embody: The red nose Slipping on a banana skin Over-sized shoes Circus Ronald MacDonald Heath Ledger’s Joker Pennywise (shudder) It’s understandable that these are the images which come to the forefront when ‘clown’ is mentioned. It’s even more understandable that when we are faced with perhaps ‘clowning’ – either in a workshop – or in our personal lives a sense of dread or fear, or fear of appearing foolish creates negative connotations and slinking behind a curtain or through a door feels much safer. And that is fine, because how would we know any different unless we truly understood what clown and clowning actually is beyond these societal perceptions.