COMEDY. Clowning is no child’s play

There is more to clowning than just buffoonery. Just as other genres of live events are finding takers, clowning of an international standard is spreading its wings.

A one-of-its-kind Clown Festival is being organised in Mumbai with international artists performing. Event organisers say clowning should be seen as an art form that is evolving with the use of technology and not just something that one usually sees at kid’s birthday parties.

“The idea behind the festival is to bring clean, quality family entertainment. The fourth edition of the festival will feature pantomimes, slapstick comedy stars, jugglers, magicians, puppeteers, acrobats, bubble artists, stilt walkers among others,” Martin D Souza, Regional Director, World Clown Association and producer of International Clown Festival, told BusinessLine .

D’Souza, who has been in the clowning business for the past 25 years and goes by the moniker ‘Flubber’, says that unlike in the evolved markets such as the US, China, Japan and Europe, there is no clown education in India. “It is a craft which evolves over time and is not merely slapstick acting. We are looking to raise awareness about clowning as a career option,” he said, adding that clowning is not restricted to circuses but is often a full-fledged show in malls looking to increase footfalls, used by hospitals as part of therapy, and by the police to convey social awareness messages.

Asked about revenues from ticketing, D’Souza said it was cumbersome as it required several licences. Additionally, a lack of formal training schools meant there were fewer artistes trained in the genre.

The live ticketing events space has started picking up in India. The market size for live ticketing events is expected to be ₹150-200 crore. This segment is growing at over 20 per cent year-on-year, according to a Ficci-KPMG 2015 report.

The clown festival features international artists such as Pam ‘Sparky’ Moody (Vice-President of the World Clown Association), Benjamin ‘Benji’ Domask and Oscar ‘Timmyto’ Bond Flores on their maiden India trip.

D’Souza says his company conducts camps and workshops for people who want to learn the craft. People from all walks of life, including senior citizens, housewives and children were enrolling for the workshops, which cost about ₹1,500 for a few sessions.

In markets such as the US, clowning is a profession with artists earning anywhere between ₹8-10 lakh a year.

On whether, D’Souza will take the festival to other cities, he said last year the company took the shows to six cities and is planning to do the same this year as well.

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