Cirque Du Soleil : 20 Years Under the Sun

History

Cirque Du Soleil : 20 Years Under the Sun - An Authorized History by Tony Babinski & Kristian Manchester When Cirque du Soleil started in 1984, it was the plan of the ragtag group of Quebecois street performers to perform for only one year. However, the show proved to be so successful that 20 years later, the promise of their first show (We Reinvent The Circus) has come true! This book, with its lavish photographs, unequalled access to the principal players, provides a detailed (if slightly polished) version of how Cirque du Soleil has become the best known circus in the world. The story is both inspirational and educational, and the photographs are phenomenal. You will enjoy this book.

Strutter's Complete Guide to Clown Makeup

How-To

Strutter's Complete Guide to Clown Makeup by Jim Roberts This is really one of the best books about clown makeup--both how to design it, and how to apply it. The most common complaint about amateur clowns is that their makeup is sloppy. While I would much rather see a great clown with sloppy makeup than an awful clown with great makeup, the truth is that clarity and good design in your makeup shows up in your work in the circus ring, on the stage, and yes, even at somebody’s birthday party. If you were going to have just one book on clown makeup, I’d make it this one.

Learned Pigs and Fireproof Women by Ricky Jay

History

Learned Pigs and Fireproof Women by Ricky Jay Ricky Jay is one of the foremost magicians and magic historians still living today. This book, his best known work, is the one that made his reputation. Through painstaking research in archives, letters, and other sources, Ricky Jay has created the most popular history of odd, bizarre, and downright strange performers. In addition to the educated swine and flame-proof women of the title, Jay delves into the history of giants, dwarves, cripples, conjurers, and con-men in a book that is almost certainly guaranteed to astound you. The book is richly illustrated.

Commedia: An Actor's Handbook by John Rudlin

History

Commedia: An Actor's Handbook by John Rudlin This is one of the first books to approach commedia dell'arte from the performers point of view. (For those of you not in the know, commedia is an Italian form of improvised comic theatre from the 1500's, featuring masked characters, comic archetypal characters,and rudimentary plots. As one scholar was known to say, "Commedia is circus with a plot." Rudlin, a British theatre director and teacher, has done a bangup job of explaining the basics of commedia, the characters, the plots, and the history. For my tastes, the historical aspects are a little too stressed (because ultimately, for me, a play that is a historically accurate but not compelling and exciting to watch is a waste of time-- all theatre must pass the audience test. Despite his academic tendencies, Rudlin does a great job of giving exercises and examples of how to play commedia. Well worth reading.

La Strada (1954) directed by Federico Fellini

DVD

La Strada (1954) directed by Federico Fellini This film is considered by many to be Fellini's best. Anthony Quinn is just astounding as the rough gruff strong man Zampano. He is equally matched by Fellini's wife Giulletta Massina, who plays the simpleton Gelsomina a woman who is bought by Zampano to use in his street show, and despite the fact that she is treated abysmally, she falls in love with Zampano. An equally amazing performance is given by Richard Basehart as Il Matto (literally, The Fool) who goads Zampano into an outrageous act of cruelty. This film is funny, beautiful, and moving, and well worth seeing, even with subtitles. There are several great circus and clown scenes in it, but it's the performances, especially by Quinn and Massina that make this film a classic.

First Blog Entry

This is the first entry for the Clown Blog. I'll be blogging news, products, and websites all about clowning.

Of course I've got to set it up properly and all!