Clowns Are Serious Business - Clowns

Did you ever think of joining the circus when you were younger? It probably seemed like so much fun with all the animals, acrobats, magicians, and of course, the clowns. With their white faces, exaggerated eyebrows, wide smiles, big round red noses, large colored wigs, large hands, and huge feet, clowns always bring the house down with their antics. Most clown performances are done through slapstick comedy, including pie throwing, juggling, and miming, among many others. But what makes clowns really special and recognizable is their make-up. Clown make-up completes the whole package and thus helps clowns get into character.

Clowns in Egypt & China

Whether you call them jesters, mimes, harlequins or clowns, they all provide the same thing—entertainment. The existence of clowns or jesters can be traced back in Ancient Egyptian and Chinese history. The first clowns performed for pharaohs in 2500 BC while the jesters in China started pulling their antics in 1818 BC. Subsequently, clowns found their way into every culture around the world.

A clown who performed as a court jester in ancient times would be the only one who had the freedom of speech. Clowns can often criticize anyone, even the emperor or king who he serves without fear of getting beheaded. They usually say what is on their minds in “jest” but what they say always has a ring of truth to it too. Thus, most jesters can be dubbed as the unofficial advisers of kings or emperors.

Clowns in Europe

In the 16^th century, clowns dominated the European Theater through the Comedia del Arte in Italy. The Harlequin clown evolved through this theater and eventually led to the whiteface clown. The first circus clown appeared in the first circus in England in the year 1768 where the clowns’ act was called the Billy Buttons. Afterwards, the Harlequin was replaced by the whiteface, a clown version that is still popular today. Clown performances are mainly focused on slapsticks, song and dance, pantomime, and just making a fool of themselves for a laugh.

Clown Make-Up

However, clowning is not always about fun and laughter. It’s a serious business which clowns continue to develop and hone to perfect their craft of making people laugh. A clown’s hard work usually begins with his/her getting into character and that means putting on a costume and clown make up. There are three types of clown make-up: the “whiteface” or the classic harlequin clown, the “Auguste” clown, and the tramp or Happy Hobo Clown. These types of clown make-up all have the same base, the Clown White which is applied all over the face and neck. Afterwards, features are added depending on what kind of clown make-up is preferred – Whiteface has high black eyebrows, regular sized red lips, red button nose and blush; Auguste on the other hand doesn’t have the face filled with Clown White but just above the eyes to create and emphasize the high eyebrows and around the mouth for a big smile. Oversized clothes and shoes complete the clown’s ensemble. Finally, the happy hobo clown has clown white on the upper eyelid and just around the lips then black make-up to line the eyes and create the beard. A red nose button and tattered clothes complete the deal.

Throughout history, clowns have always brought laughter but also seriousness whether it be as critics or advisers to royalty. Being a clown continues to be serious business that requires much preparation to complete the illusion even today.