Congress of Clowns comes to Bristol

If you have ever been to a protest in Bristol, you may have noticed a group of red noses and made-up eyes dotted amongst the crowd. These are clowns, but they’re not here to scare the children or perform a magic trick.

They’re here to protest in the way clowns know best, by satirising and playfully subverting authority. Whilst not everyone might agree with using humour and play as a form of protest, the clown community has a pretty extensive network, so much so they hold clown conferences and congresses across the world, and this year, a Clown Congress is being held in Bristol.

Clowning as a form of entertainment has existed for centuries, although the image of clowns we see today has manifested itself as the evil Steven King ‘It’ typecast we see in many twentieth century horror movies.

Bristol Clowns at an anti-fascist demo in April this year – Photo: James Ward

However, historically, clowning is fundamentally rooted in political satire, as a way of playfully challenging the status quo.

In the monarchical courts, mediaeval jesters would use their position as the fool to subvert the positions of those in power, whilst in the Native Americas, the Heyoka, similar to a jester, spoke and moved in a reactionary form to society.

Similarly, Pueblo clowns in the southwestern states were a source of public criticism in the Hopi Native American tribes, censuring non-Hopi behaviour and defusing community tensions by providing their own humorous interpretations of the tribe’s popular culture.

The Pueblo clowns flout every social norm in the tribe- Photo: Unknown

Since 1959, when the first National Conference of Clown Crafts – popularly known as the Congress of Clowns – took place, an assembly of circus clowns, political activists, performers and artists have come together to use clownery as a form of political activism.

Across the world, clowns have taken part in protests and demonstrations, such as the Rebel Clowns in Porto, or the Trickser Laboratory in Glasgow. Projects such as Clowns without Borders and the Flying Seagull Project seek to bring play to war-torn countries, refugees and those living in desperate situations.

In Brazil, Francisco Silva, known by his stage name Tirica, was a clown and politician in Brazil’s National Congress in 2017, whilst in South Carolina, Steve Lough ran for election as a democrat representative in 2018. He didn’t win.

Clowns at the 2019 Extinction Rebellion summer protests – Photo: Robyn Hanbrook

In Bristol, groups of clowns have marched for Extinction Rebellion, Kill the Bill, Black Lives Matter and anti-fascist demonstrations, donning suits, and performing as bosses, police or politicians, with a continuing focus on subverting power dynamics through satire.

In an interview with The Bristol Activist, Robyn Hambrook, a performer, director and clown, argues that clowning still holds relevance today, and that the tools and techniques of clowning contain valuable lessons for Bristol’s activists.

Robyn, who has completed a Masters in the field, believes clowning can infuse protest with joy and satire, playing with traditional political tropes and subverting positions of power.

“We mustn’t forget to bring in the carnival and the fun, and to tap into ideas of spectacle and play, of joy and pleasure,” she says.

But with a looming cost of living crisis with potentially devastating impacts, disastrous climate breakdown and destructive global wars, it’s difficult to bring a positive and playful energy to protest, and the sensitivity of clowning in political activism is called into question.

In this vein, the Congress of Clowns this year asks: “What is the future of clowning in these turbulent times?”

Exploring issues such as diversity and decolonisation, the Clown Congress hopes to unpack some of these issues to find out how clowning can have a meaningful impact on issues of equality and social justice.

The Congress is taking place from Monday, September 29 to Thursday, September 1 at Ashton Court Estate, and is open to anyone who uses play in their work.

Main photo: Robyn Hambrook

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