Slava's Snow Show at Montecasinos Teatro on Wednesday 27 July 2016. Johannesburg Gauteng. Photo by: © Christiaan Kotze/SASPA Slava's Snow Show at Montecasinos Teatro on Wednesday 27 July 2016. Johannesburg Gauteng. Photo by: © Christiaan Kotze/SASPA
IT’S A safe bet to bet older South African circus lovers won’t remember the name Eric Hoyland, but will remember his stage name Tickey - the pint size clown who, for years, reigned supreme as Boswell Circus’s most famous act.
Today’s young people tend to relate clowns as big red nosed people, wearing funny faces, outsized harlequin trousers, overly large shoes, performing (wearisome) tricks between circus acts.
The circus isn’t coming to town. What is, is multi-award winning Slava’s Snowshow which opens at Artscape Opera from August 17 to 28.
This, “an unbelievable, phenomenal, outstanding show!! (Miss Earth SA) is a clowns display as never seen in Cape Town before.
It will squash previously held perceptions that a clown is really anyone who makes a fool of themselves after imbibing too heavily at a party. Actually they may not be too far wrong. According to Onofrio Colucci - Slava’s Snowshow’s y ellow and principal clown - “a clown can be anyone who within five minutes can prove an ability to express some interesting and funny aspect of their character. Its not an art learnt in any academy.
Clowns are naturally gifted people talented in various styles which can flip from slapstick to philosophical. However, it takes years to reach the artistic standard required to become part of Slava’s Snowshow.
The history of clowns dates back to ancient Egypt circa 2400 BCE when they served a socio-religious and psychological role. Its also known clowns participated in ancient Greek and Roman societies evolving, in due course, into court jesters of the late Middle Ages.
By being able to openly mock royalty without fear of reprisals, these jesters held special privileges, often swaying a king’s decision towards good or evil.
To London’s most famous entertainer, Joseph Grimaldi 1778-1837 goes credit for laying foundations for modern day clowns. Succeeding, through his physical theatre antics, whiteface make-up and colourful costumes.
Sadly the long held belief that behind every merry clown lies deep pain does get proven in Verdi’s 1832 tragic opera Rigoletto- cursed jester to the licentious Duke of Mantua - and Leoncavallo’s 1892 opera I Pagliacci- the cuckold clown turned murderer.
But, assures Italian born Colucci, “ Slava’s Snowshow is not only highly interactive it is fun, delightful and original entertainment of the highest order. It’s a fusion of traditional and contemporary theatrical clowning arts.”
“As the main clown I hold the rhythm and the evolution of emotions of the show. However although 25% is formally choreographed, as our clown combinations are always changing and we continually look for new alchemy on stage the result is microscopically, but essentially different every time.”
Since joining Slava Polunin’s Snowshow18 years ago, I have performed in cities across the globe, with never a show exactly the same as the previous one”
Founded by Russian born artistic director Slava Polunin in 1993 this 80 - 100 minute show - geared for eight to 90 year olds is performed in a 8m x 5m area.
“This”, declared Colucci, “maintains a compact and concentrated sequence of action.”
Action from seven clowns which involve: high jinks; a bed becoming a boat; a cellophane wrapped woman becoming a flower in a vase; a water fight; a feather rainstorm; a web of unspun cotton enveloping the audience and a real snow blizzard.
Costumes, wigs, shaggy slippers are as outrageously funny as make-up and the clown’s trade- mark - individual bulbous red noses. Supported by the show’s own sound and lighting expert technicians Colucci said, “for this hilarious, uniquely magical show we only ask of viewers that they be ready to open their hearts to rediscover their childhood.”
That sounds a great idea.
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