"What You Do When It's An Emergency: It's Your Clown."

Philippe began class by reminding us that we need a name for our clowns (I'm thinking 'Genuine Mastercard') and a suitcase. 

"You have to dream a bit around the suitcase before you buy it."

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Today's exercise was to make us believe you are a singer. You go to Monsieur Marcel at Café de la Poste for advice on how to do this, and he says "you have to warm your voice." 

So in groups of three we entered running around the circus to music, and when the music stopped one by one we tried to make the audience laugh by warming our voices in ridiculous ways. Always looking to the audience to see if we can spot the King of Sweden (who apparently has sexual problems).

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When I had a go I had a big flop, but tried many things to try and get out of it, including doing some 'priest' thing saying we were all experiencing a wonderful silent moment. Philippe said I play too much as an actor. I challenged him saying we have to do something or else it's just me, (I said this just as me and it wasn't funny), and I said that he's asked us to find a funny accent...so where is the line? He asked me what kind of accent we like to do in Wellington. So I started talking in my hoary Māori accent. People started laughing (I'm nice and light with this - and it's unique for non-NZ audiences) and Philippe told me it's very good. I didn't react the way he wanted me to and he yelled "why aren't you happy?" (I should have smiled like a proud idiot) but I said I can smile at what he says but I'm not happy because I'm not actually feeling happiness. So it wouldn't be real. 

He then got Miluka to come onstage and kiss my ear again. Just having her stand behind me with the anticipation of what was to come got pleasure pulsing through me. My face goes red and I start looking like a goofy idiot with a big smile and my neck curled to the left. My face opens (my soul too, perhaps) and I feel pleasure. And the audience loves me like this.

"[It's like the] beautiful pleasure of a child who receives a kiss from their mum."

I understand that right now I'm playing too much, and that this pleasure that I have when I get kissed is what I need to have every time I come on stage and with everything I do and say...but I don't know how to do that. Yet. I think it's an extremely difficult thing to repeat without actually having someone there to kiss you. You lack the physical stimulus! And I think part of the reason the audience laughs is because of the image they see. But still, I guess you just have to have an immense pleasure from being on the stage.

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You can't be desperate. You have to be happy.

When you smile we have to think you're happy. Not sad. Or ashamed. It's really difficult.

Always be serious as your clown when doing an exercise. It's time for work!

Never do normal movements. It always has to be a bit strange. e.g. Try something very small.

Exactly what the audience should be thinking: "So idiot...He thinks he is funny."

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"It's the main job of a clown…You have to make us believe…It's not to do…It's to make us believe."

"You have to do something with a flop. You can't stay in this corridor."

"What you do when it's an emergency: It's your clown."

"You have to change - and the more you change the more we see your spirit, and the more we love you."

"If you show the face when someone kisses you, we love you."

"You have to do something idiot but with a dream of a contract in New York."

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At the end of class Philippe spoke about the different between performing clown and theatre. He said that although your clown is in a way a character (even though it is very close to yourself - "You - but something ridiculous from you") it's not a character in the sense that you hide behind it. "It's something fresh...teenager...child."

"You don't play this character like you play a character in theatre. It's different."

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Today was really frustrating. For me, but for most of us I think. Nobody had a particularly good day (except for Mark who was absolutely brilliant as a dribbling and blinking old fool with a totally idiotic face and super slow reactions). But we must carry on! Keep on getting to know the flop...

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Oh! And Happy Halloween!