The Art of Play
Center Stage
Summer Intensive 2010
Clowning!
What is a Clown?
• a fool, jester, or comedian in an entertainment
(as a play); specifically : a grotesquely dressed
comedy performer in a circus.
• a person who habitually jokes and plays the
buffoon
Clowns and clown-like characters are an
important part of numerous theatrical
traditions through out history. After all, who
doesn’t want to let off some steam and laugh?
From the Romans through the Renaissance, you
could find a clown or a jester in many royal
courts whom would lift the sprits of the King
and Queen with their antics.
Commedia Dell’Arte
During the 16th century, the Italian tradition of
commedia dell’arte exploded throughout Europe, soon
becoming the dominant theatre form.
The name commedia dell’arte translates to comedy of the
profession. Plays were improvised around a basic
outline and stock characters. You could tell which
characters were which by their colorful masks and
costumes.
The Servants
The servants of commedia
dell’arte are smart, sassy,
and very hungry.
They always know more about
how to operate in the real
world than their silly Old
Men or Lover masters, and
use that knowledge to gain
an advantage over them.
Characters in this type include
Arlecchino the Harlequin, the
Zanni, the Soubrette female
servant, and Pedrolino.
The Old Men
The old men were the real fools of commedia dell’arte, although they were
never fully in on the joke.
Pantalone the merchant, Il Dottore the doctor, and Il Capitano the captain make
up this category.
The old men are greedy, simple-minded, and cowardly. The old men are very
easy targets for the pranks and jokes of the servants.
The Lovers
The lovers are the least
clown-like characters in
commedia; they wore
fashionable costumes
without masks.
In love with being in love,
the lovers’ trials were
the main conflicts in the
plays, but they always
worked out happily ever
after.
An actor playing in a commedia dell’arte troupe
would be assigned one character to portray
for their time with the group. This role would
never change, and it allowed the actor to really
explore and master their part, making it their
own.
Joseph Grimaldi
Grimaldi is one of the
most famous clowns
from England, and the
first to popularize
white-face make up.
He was known for his
acrobatic ability and
funny songs.
Grimaldi is the major
influence on today’s
circus clowns.
But are all clowns found in the circus?
No!
Clowns can be found in many performing arts,
especially in film and radio.
Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin is one of the best known
actors of the silent film era.
Chaplin, born in England in 1889, began
performing in vaudeville theatres at 14,
and traveled to America in 1910.
He stared in 87 films and directed 75 of
them throughout his 40 year long career
in film.
Charlie Chaplin
“The Tramp” is Chaplin’s best- known character,
and was featured in 14 short and feature
length films.
“The Tramp” is a poor traveling
man who has the clothes and
manners of a refined
gentleman.
Charlie Chaplin
In his films, Chaplin uses dance and slapstick
comedy to make his audience laugh.
Clips from some of Chaplin’s best known movies
can be found here.
Laurel and Hardy
Laurel and Hardy are a
comedic duo whom
enjoyed their greatest
success in American film
during the 1920s through
the mid 1940s. The duo
also developed a live
theatrical act which they
toured throughout
America and Europe.
Stan Laurel [left] was from
England, and Oliver
Hardy [right] was from the
USA.
Laurel and Hardy
Laurel and Hardey’s comedic style was based in
slapstick, musical numbers, and visual jokes.
You can find wonderful examples of their
comedy here, here, and here.
The Three Stooges
The Three Stooges are one of America’s
most loved comedic groups.
The Three Stooges are made up of Moe
Howard [on the left], Curly Howard
[center], and Larry Fine [right].
The Three Stooges
The Stooges began as a vaudeville act in 1925, but the
classic group of Larry, Curly, and Moe wasn’t formed
until 1933.
In 1934, the Stooges signed with Columbia Pictures and
appeared in 190 short films and 5 feature-length films
by 1947.
The group has also included
members Shemp Howard,
Joe Besser, and Joe “Curley
Joe” DeRita.
The Three Stooges
The Three Stooges are best known for their
violent physical humor and slapstick comedy.
Excellent examples
of their comedic
style can be
found here, here,
here, and here.
Abbot and Costello
Abbot and Costello are an
American comedy duo
whom were most
popular during the
1940s and 1950s.
William Abbot is the man
on the bottom of the
photo, and Lou Costello
is standing above him.
Abbot and Costello
Both Abbot and Costello
performed as burlesque
comedians before forming
their duo in 1935.
In February 1938 the duo
made their radio début and
started their own radio
show in 1941.
Abbot and Costello also
appeared in 36 films with
Universal Studios between
1940 and 1956.
Abbot and Costello
Abbot and Costello use wordplay in the majority of
their skits, and play off of each other to hilarious
outcomes.
Their most famous routine is called “Who’s on First?”
and can be found here.
What kind of clown do you want to be?
A circus clown?
A slapstick clown?
A musical clown?
A member of a comedic group?
Let’s find out!