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| ...So,
what´s the clown Tom Bolton show all
about?... |
|
Well,
like I advertise “fun for everyone” which means it's a clown show
that entertains people of all ages from kids and adults to the grandparents.
It's
fun on an intelligent level that either a room full
of kids or a bunch of executive business people can
appreciate.
I try to make the people feel involved without just embarrassing them. Getting an 80 year old German here in Stuttgart to play
along and "shake their booty" or do something weird is
really what clowning is all about for me. I've recently improved my
costumes which look nice, a bit silly but
subtle.
Although I like to use my technical skills of juggling, unicycling, magic, pantomime, improvisation and balloon modelling, my emphasis is on fun rather than technique. A well timed appearance of a rubber snake or even just a funny face can be more entertaining than juggling 5 clubs behind the back. I love improvising and making my show interactive with the audience. My background as a street performer trained me to adapt to nearly any situation. Although I especially like to play at festivals, even when I play on a stage, I try to integrate the audience into the show.
The
stereotype of the painted clown with the guady cloths
and bigs shoes using old boring cliches for gags are not
what clowning is about for me. Kids love the show
without me playing the pathetic "kiddy clown".
Actually, nothing scares a 2-3 year old more than a
painted face and a big red nose and the older kids are
thinking of Stephen King's or Ted Bundy's version.
| | |
| ...number one question I GET
ASKED... |
|
how
did you get started in all of this, did ya´grow up in a
circus family or
what?
Not
exactly, although having 9 brothers and sisters it seemed
like a zoo at times. I got a degree in finance and
economics at the University of
Dayton where I started juggling and unicycling as a
hobby. Having added some magic, balloon-modeling and improvisation, by the end of my studies, street shows were
putting food on the table. Rather do a normal 9 to 5 job, I decided to travel and see the
world and gave it a shot to make my way by
performing.
I currently live in Stuttgart in the southwestern part of Germany called Baden-Württemberg. Since 1983, I've based myself in
Europe, making most of my
money in the warmer months and when I have the time and money, traveling in winter somewhere in Asia, Latin
America or Africa. In third world countries I often make
spontaneous shows for the people just for fun, often by
using fruits in the market places to juggle with or workshops at any circus school projects I locate. It establishes a
nice contact with the locals, who I've often
photographed. I've exhibited my photos but never pursued this on a
professional level. I have a seperate website with stories and photos from my world travels at www.world-traveler.eu
It has been a special pleasure for me to have met many fellow jugglers and performers throughout the world. Especially in Latin America, I've been inspired by the efforts of performers who not only teach circus skills to children but through their performances, help to educate people about human rights and dignity and to inspire many to see beyond their experiences of poverty, war and violence. I've
published stories about my ideas on juggling, clowning and performing,
including tales of my travels in both Kaskade (a
European juggling magazine) and 2-Ply Press (a defunct
US juggling publication).
| | |
| ...Second
most asked question... |
|
Can you live from
this?
Well, I'm still alive
and have earned my money exclusively from performing
since attending University but I'm not rich and doubt I
ever will be. Are there any rich clowns? Unfortunately, it seems to be getting tougher to make it as a performer. People do not realize that for every hour one is actually making a show, there is at least 5 hours office work, training and designing promo material, costumes or new material.
Recently many promoters have been organizing events as a competition. Professionals should compete like beginners and be judged under arbitrary criteria to see who actually gets paid something. Worse yet, some organizers neither pay nor give a prize. Participating performers should beg with our hats while the organizers pocket all the profits. Some festivals bring in literally tens of millions of dollars to the local economy and yet the performers are hardly paid. I refuse to support this shameful mistreatment of artists. If a city festival's budget for rental-toilets is more than the budget for the performers, then there is something wrong. Which, by the way, means increase the money for the artists - not just decrease the budget for the toilets as one brilliant organizer suggested! Please support fair treatment of the entertainers who bring a little joy into peoples lives!
Another thing I find sad is that although people in Germany claim to love their children, they won't budget money for quality entertainment for them. A good magician is provided for the adults, he does a 40 minute show and gets a few thousand euros but the clown should play all day long in a corner somewhere, often without being given a dressing room, place to rest or food and he should be happy with a couple hundred euros. When I say my prices, I often hear "what! but it's for kids!" as if it is self evident that what is good for kids cannot have much value. Many people refuse to pay a couple hundred Euros for a kid's birthday party although taking them to an amusement park or the cinema and getting them popcorn would probably cost more - and these are people who have a Porsche. If you don't support quality entertainemnt then the only thing left available will be junk and there is more than we need of that.
Why did you end up in
Germany?
Good question. Wish I
had a good answer. I considered it like missionary work
to bring humor to the Germans but truthfully every
culture and person has a funny bone; that's the
challenge for a good clown, to find out what it is and
give it a good tweak. Actually, I would travel
throughout Europe from Scandinavia to Italy, from Spain
to Austria and Germany just happens to be in the middle,
the economy is in fair shape (compared to say Albania anyway) and neither your person nor
your vehicle gets robbed often. I mean there are worse
places to be! (aren't there?)
What`s your most interesting performing
experience?
Gosh, guess I'd have to
mention a few. I did an impromptu show once in Papua New
Guinea where people freaked out when I magically vanished a
hankerchief. Sorcery is assumed to be behind most
negative occurances and I was obviously a dude to be
reckonend with. Then, I casually said I would return to
the market place in a couple of hours, when I arrived
there were about 2000 people waiting for me. I also had
someone dive off the top of a department store just
around the corner from where I was performing. Either
the guy didn't like my show much or else he just got a
little too close to the edge trying to check out the
action.
The coolest thing has to be when
the wife of an American GI based in Stuttgart went into labor from laughing
so hard at my show. The GI told me he thinks of me every
time he sees his daughter. So, take this as a
disclaimer, my show may not be suitable for pregnant
women (or men) with an overly excitable sense of humor. Otherwise, my show is healthy for providing 100% of the daily recommended dosage of laughter.
| | |
| ...What`s
the future?... |
|
If I
knew that, I would have stuck to finance and made zillions
picking stocks. As a clown and performer, I hope to establish myself a
little better so I can have more 1 week festivals in
Copenhagen and 2 weeks in Singapore rather than the 1 day
bratwurst and sauerkraut fests and Sunday openings for auto
dealerships. I always give 100% and do well at these small
events but let´s face it, the Leinfelden-Echterdingen
Krautfest is not the pinnacle of an aspiring career.
Here you can see photos and read more about
Toms world travels - page 1
Here you can see yet more about
Toms world travels - page 2
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deutsch
