We might have provided some guidence and an outside eye to this gag, but really the credit has to go to the clowns who took to the slapstick with a vengence and energy that would make Willie West & McGinty proud. A tough routine to do once a day, never mind 3 times on a Saturday, these guys really throw themselves into the spirit of knockabout comedy.
Good stuff . Love the "slap and fall stuff" but a few few things could use fixing . There are no distinct characters within the gag . There is a bit of the ol' "spaghetti" present and the focus is lost from time to time .While the energy is high the movement isn't always clean .Even when one does broad comedy your acting skills still have to be strong . There are many moments when the clown performers drop character as they go from one place in the ring to another to prepare for the next bit .Hopefully as the performers mature they will eliminate the things that are common with young or under-seasoned clowns . I don't know any of those fellows personally and high respect their fine acrobatic skills and falls and this is not meant as a personal jab at any of them . I simply saw some things that needed to be improved upon and pointed them out. A pat on the back has it's place but so too does an objective critique.
Something to remember about this routine is where its taking place. This is not the ring of Roncalli or Knie...this is Ringling Brothers, where all the acts ,not just clown routines, are given a certain amount of time, and they all must adhere to that time restriction.
The directive is usually to move the gag, and move it fast. Is that the best way to construct a routine...definatly not? Pacing is usually sacrificed for rapid movement and quick sight laughs and acrobatic falls. Character is never given the time needed in big ring gags anymore, it's the small moments the clowns create in the pre-show that provide some connection for the audience to follow through the show itself.
The acting skill needs to be strong, and developing a likeability is the hardest thing for the new clowns to achieve, given the lack of overall training. The great clowns have a character that transends all the acrobatic flips and mechanical gimmicks that are in our bag of tricks. Charlie Rivel did some amazing physical work early in his career, yet late in his years he found a depth of character that made the simpliest gestures ring true. The same goes for Lou Jacobs, Joe Jackson, George Carl and so many others...
We might have provided some guidence and an outside eye to this gag, but really the credit has to go to the clowns who took to the slapstick with a vengence and energy that would make Willie West & McGinty proud. A tough routine to do once a day, never mind 3 times on a Saturday, these guys really throw themselves into the spirit of knockabout comedy.
ReplyDelete-Greg & Karen
Good stuff . Love the "slap and fall stuff" but a few few things could use fixing . There are no distinct characters within the gag . There is a bit of the ol' "spaghetti" present and the focus is lost from time to time .While the energy is high the movement isn't always clean .Even when one does broad comedy your acting skills still have to be strong . There are many moments when the clown performers drop character as they go from one place in the ring to another to prepare for the next bit .Hopefully as the performers mature they will eliminate the things that are common with young or under-seasoned clowns . I don't know any of those fellows personally and high respect their fine acrobatic skills and falls and this is not meant as a personal jab at any of them . I simply saw some things that needed to be improved upon and pointed them out. A pat on the back has it's place but so too does an objective critique.
ReplyDeleteSomething to remember about this routine is where its taking place. This is not the ring of Roncalli or Knie...this is Ringling Brothers, where all the acts ,not just clown routines, are given a certain amount of time, and they all must adhere to that time restriction.
ReplyDeleteThe directive is usually to move the gag, and move it fast. Is that the best way to construct a routine...definatly not? Pacing is usually sacrificed for rapid movement and quick sight laughs and acrobatic falls. Character is never given the time needed in big ring gags anymore, it's the small moments the clowns create in the pre-show that provide some connection for the audience to follow through the show itself.
The acting skill needs to be strong, and developing a likeability is the hardest thing for the new clowns to achieve, given the lack of overall training.
The great clowns have a character that transends all the acrobatic flips and mechanical gimmicks that are in our bag of tricks. Charlie Rivel did some amazing physical work early in his career, yet late in his years he found a depth of character that made the simpliest gestures ring true. The same goes for Lou Jacobs, Joe Jackson, George Carl and so many others...
-Greg