Tips For Clowning: From One Clown To Another

S1E8 of What the Fringe?!

Clowning is a huge part of fringe festivals. For many, clowning might bring up lingering memories of awkward balloon animals and face paint, but we've got a better perspective for you. Chase Brantley, clown and founder of Moonlight Theatre Company, shared his passion for clowning with What the Fringe?!, and today we break down his vast clown knowledge into tangible, insightful tips that can guide new and seasoned performers alike.

Pictured: Chase Brantley in Don Toberman: Ping Pong Champ

"A clown’s first goal is to be loved."

Clowning Begins With Love, Not Laughs

Unlike improv, which focuses on scene partners, or stand-up, which relies on tightly rehearsed material, clowning directs its focus fully to the audience. As Chase explains, "a clown’s first goal is to be loved." That desire shapes every action and decision. Whether trying to impress, surprise, or charm, the clown reaches toward the audience not with cleverness, but with sincerity.

Failure Is Not A Flaw, It's The Feature

Brantley emphasizes a fundamental truth about clowning: failure is built in. While stand-up measures success by continuous wins and punchlines that land, clowning thrives on the flop. The clown tries, fails, and tries again. The humor lives not in the success, but in the recovery. What audiences respond to is not a perfect routine, but the willingness to keep going after falling flat.

The Clown’s Dream Should Be Too Big To Reach

A compelling clown has an outlandish, unachievable goal. That dream is part of what makes the character lovable. Brantley emphasizes that the audience should immediately think, “There’s no way this person can succeed,” and yet want to root for them anyway. The tension between ambition and ability fuels the heart of the performance.

Structure Is Vital, But So Is Flexibility

Brantley’s own show “Don Toberman: Ping Pong Champ” includes 150 pre-programmed sound cues, each tied to specific actions. But while the technical structure is tight, the performance remains open. The audience may influence the direction, tone, or pacing of the show. On one night, a spontaneous handshake may turn into a running romantic subplot. Another night, a joke may emerge from unexpected physical contact. The clown is always ready to follow what the audience offers.

Improvise With Openness, Not Cleverness

Though clowning borrows from improv, it diverges in intent. In improv, the goal is often solving a scene or building a world. Clowning, however, does not solve. It lingers. The clown sits in the mess, reacting with full physical and emotional presence. The audience is invited into that space, not as spectators, but as participants in the clown’s failure and recovery.

Clowning Demands Vulnerability

Brantley noted that American actors often struggle with clowning because it challenges a core instinct: the desire to be polished and in control. Clowning does the opposite. It requires imperfection, foolishness, and exposure. The moments when performers let go of how they want to be seen are the moments audiences connect most deeply.

A Good Clown Sees The Audience

Brantley described a transformative moment early in his training. Watching another performer, he felt as if he was being seen—truly seen—despite being one of many in the room. That sensation of being included in a secret, of receiving a gift meant just for him, became something he pursued in his own work. For him, that is the essence of clowning: not just being watched, but letting the audience in.

Clowning is not about being funny in the traditional sense. It is about vulnerability, connection, and a willingness to be foolish in pursuit of joy. A clown does not need a perfect routine, but they do need presence, resilience, and heart. In the end, what makes a clown compelling is not their tricks, timing, or appearance. It is their humanity—on full display, flawed and hopeful—and the invitation to the audience to love them anyway. So next time you are at the Fringe Festival, go see a clown show, you might be surprised!

This blog post was inspired by S1 E8 of the What the Fringe?! podcast, and was written utilizing AI technology, in conjunction with human oversight and editing.