Clowns in Town

The ninth edition of the INTERNATIONAL CLOWN FESTIVAL is the biggest one yet, with 30 shows across four Indian cities

- Geetika Sachdev

While clowns are typically character­ised by red noses, bold makeup, exaggerated facial expressions and loud costumes, there’s so much more that sets them apart. “The art of clowning requires skill and practice. Unfortunately, people in India have not been exposed to high­quality entertain­ ment and have only seen clowns in circuses or birthday parties. Clowns across the globe perform in theatre shows and at carnivals, and are supported by the government,” says Martin D’Souza, an award­winning clown and the former vice­-president of the World Clown Association. As creative entertainers, clowns are adept at comedy, juggling, acrobatics, circus acts, magic and music. It is this versatile skill set that D’Souza aims to showcase through the International Clown Festival (ICF) 2023, an initiative that was launched in 2010 and is currently in its ninth edition.