Un Clown col naso appeso al collo - Giuliana Altea

Review by Giuliana Altea on the newspaper La Nuova Sardegna, 27-04-2011.

LEM week 4

In the fourth and final week of clownundercover Smilzo talks of the relation with his make-up. He rehearses the new juggling moves created for the upcoming performance of the 7-04-2011, distracted by a demanding interviewer who is curious about the identity of the names on the mirror.

LEM week 3

A rough summary of the activities that have taken place during our third week of exercise on the figure of the clown at LEM gallery in Sassari. Guests of the week were Stefano Petretto (clown Borlotto) from Teatro S'Arza and clown Mr. Cheese together with Alfredo.

LEM week 2

During our second week of clown undercover, musician Pete Truin and Nicola Virdis rehearsed various combination of improvised music and juggling.  Clown Borlotto answered some of the questions around the birth of his clown persona, and gave voice to some of the doubts I have with regards to hospital clowns.   One evening we were joined by clowns Mr. Cheese, Saetta and Brugolina, who kindly accepted to be interviewed and tested with some exercises Nicola and I had devised for them.  

LEM week 1

In our first week under cover we began to examine the nature of Smilzo's job, a hospital clown trainer, assessing his memory on the names of the clowns he has trained. We produced our first attempt to write a list of clown names out of the ones Smilzo remembered. We also received the visit of Stefano Petretto (clown Borlotto) and musician Pete Truin, who interacted in an improvised choreography.

LEM untouched

The basement of the LEM gallery used to be a gym, a dance school, some tell us. We have decided to use it as our exercise space throughout the next month, a space where nobody will be allowed to descend until the very final day of our month residency, in a performance that will take place under cover. This is how it presented itself to us upon our arrival.

Clown Prayer

This video was inspired by the memorial celebration in honour of clown Joseph Grimaldi (1778 – 1837) which takes place every year on the first Sunday in February at the Holy Trinity Church in Dalston, London. It features excerpts from the following films:

1. "the Prologue" from the 1946 film version of the opera "I Pagliacci" by Ruggero Leoncavallo, starring Tito Gobbi as Tonio

2. The song "Be a clown" performed by Judy Garland and Gene Kelly in the 1948 film "The Pirate" 

3. a youtube video on how to make a space rocket cake, starring a collaborator of the website howdini.com

the rest of the footage was shot at the Grimaldi Memorial Service in February 2011 (camera Samir Guesmia).

"As I stumble through this life,
help me to create more laughter than tears,
dispense more cheer than gloom,
spread more cheer than despair.

Never let me become so indifferent,
that I will fail to see the wonders in the eyes of a child,
or the twinkle in the eyes of the aged.

Never let me forget that my total effort is to cheer people,
make them happy, and forget momentarily,
all the unpleasantness in their lives.

And in my final moment,
may I hear You whisper:
“When you made My people smile,
you made Me smile.”

Read more: http://www.clown-ministry.com/index_1.php/articles/poetry_the_clowns_prayer_most_famous_of_the_clown_poems/#ixzz1FdSwSUV9