The Four Types of Clowns

White Face Clown

The White Face Clown is the typical circus clown.

There are two quite different types of White Face Clowns; the Pierrot or European White Face and the Grotesque White Face.

Clowns

Clowns are comic performers, stereotypically characterized by their coloured wigs, stylistic make-up, outlandish costumes, and unusually large footwear.

Clowning, in its most basic form, can be described as one form of drama without a fourth wall, however there are other types of drama that are lacking the element of a fourth wall as well.

In other words, a clown acknowledges his audience.

The clown's humour today is often visual and includes many elements of physical comedy or slapstick humour.

Clowns spread in cultures of any time and place, because they meet some deeply rooted needs in humanity: violation of taboos, the mockery of sacred and profane authorities and symbols, reversal of language and action, and a ubiquitous obscenity.

Ancient Circus

In Ancient Rome the circus was a building for the exhibition of horse and chariot races, equestrian shows, staged battles, displays featuring trained animals, jugglers, and acrobats.

The circus of Rome is thought to have been influenced by the Egyptians and Greeks, with chariot racing and the exhibition of animals as traditional attractions.

The Roman circus consisted of tiers of seats running parallel with the sides of the course, and forming a crescent round one of the ends.

The lower seats were reserved for persons of rank; there were also various state boxes, eg. for the giver of the games and his friends. In Ancient Rome the circus was the only public spectacle at which men and women were not separated.