The serious business of clowning

Mumbai-based Martin D'Souza, who is popularly known as ‘Flubber the Clown’, has been in the business of entertainment for over 22 years. He says that there is nothing funny about learning the art of clowning. And it needs focus and determination to become a clown

Martin D’souza aka Flubber the Clown, is an entrepreneur and an entertainer. Martin studied Clownology from University of Lacrosse, Wisconsin, has the distinction of being the only non-American to occupy the position of Vice President of the World Clown Association. In an exclusive interview Martin gives us a glimpse into the world of clowning and its standing in India.

In India, clowning has always been associated with circus. Now that the circus is declining, how do you see this profession grow in future?
Clowning can go huge. Clowns are not limited to circuses. Circus is a huge business and when a clown is hired to perform in it they don’t have the funds to pay a skilled clown. The finances limit the quality. Secondly, in India we lack sources for education and training for circus or clowns. Circus is one of the ancient art forms in the world.

In many parts of the world there are circus schools and clown schools teaching the required skills. When people have exposure to what clowning entails and have means to learn, it will flourish independently. Now through our festival we are giving people the exposure. It inspires people to consider clowning as a profession.

The second step is education. We conduct juggling workshops and balloon shaping skills in festivals which we conduct. These are the first steps to get into clowning. Clowning began with circuses but moved onto other spaces like birthday parties, community shows and educational institutions. Clowning can be used as an educational tool and as a pain relief for the ailing in hospitals. Clowning has a lot of potential.

Do you ever see clowning out growing its “circus sideshow” tag and becoming a serious profession?
Firstly, clowning isn’t a sideshow. It is nothing at all in India. Not only here but in a many parts of the world it is not widely known. A very few countries in the world have taken clowning and its education seriously.

This is largely because in those countries many clowns have moved into theatre and later into movies. For example Charlie Chaplin, Mr. Bean, Laurel and Hardy are in fact clowns and people began to study and appreciate them as clowns.

The support of the community and government encourages such education and respects them as performers. That will go a long way in helping clowning grow. Youngsters can take it up as a part time job and improve their entrepreneur skills.

How did you find yourself drawn to and taking up clowning as a career?
I started clowning 25 years ago. After I finished my bachelors in physics I worked as an MC for many events. It was during this time that I took an interest in clowning. I began to understand that it was a focused industry. I connected with people across the world and eventually found the clowning course in University of Lacrosse.

They gave me a scholarship to attend the university as I couldn’t afford it. In 2004, I went to study in the Clown College. In 2016, I went back to the university as a faculty. It has been an incredible journey.

As I was doing my clowning and managing a business of entertainment, I felt the need to manage my business better that was where I pursued a degree in marketing. Education is very important. It is not that clowning is for ones, who can’t do anything else and are jobless. It is a constant effort and focus to study to master clowning. Nothing comes spontaneously; it requires a lot of study.

What are the basic requirements to be a good clown?
You have to be a happy person. If you are happy you radiate happiness. If you are sad and depressed you cannot give out happiness. Clowning is not acting. You can act on screen because you have retakes. A clown is live on stage and there are no retakes. An actor can never be a clown. You have to be internally a happy person.

There is a character that comes out of you who is a clown. So being a happy person is critical. You can learn a multitude of skills like juggling, making balloons, stilt walking, magic, etc. Each one could be good at something. Learning the skill of comedy is different but that build on one being a happy person.

Is becoming Flubber a conscious process or a snap transition?
It is a process. It begins as you get into your costume and start with the makeup. As the transformation happens and you note it in the mirror you become the character. I have been doing it for so long that I barely notice the switch. The important part is the people that you interact with. As Flubber I am a very different person, I cannot be Flubber when I am not performing. The audience brings out the Flubber inside me.

Do you think an amateur can take up clowning full time?
It will be a while before you can take up clowning full time. You will have to build a clientele; you need connections and buy your costume and props. This requires time and money. To begin with clowning will have to be part time. Currently I have over 100 boys and girls working for me in Mumbai. They are my students, who have been studying clowning for the past three years. They do it part time while doing their college.

Could you elaborate on the various types of clowns?
Just as any form of standardisation, we have rules for a clown and then you build on that standard and create your own niche. The first kind of standard clown is a “White face”. It is a classic and aristocratic clown. All the skin is covered; makeup is sharp and minimalistic and is predominantly white.

They are the most intelligent; they are in charge of any gag or skit. They control the show on stage. Then there is an Auguste clown, i.e Flubber. Auguste clown is the one with the big broad smile with white and red makeup. They are the clowns, who get into trouble; they do pranks and fumble while walking. The third kind is a hobo; he is going back home with hope in heart that something good is waiting for him in the future.

He is a happy person going through a bad time. Americans love the hobo clown. Hobo clown is not well received in the eastern countries because he looks like a pauper. Apart from these there are character clowns.

A clown could be a doctor clown, a fireman clown, a soldier clown, etc. These may fall into the three different kinds of clowns. This is the basic categorisation. You could then build on these standards and create your own version.

By: Shirish Amirineni