I'm very pleased and honoured to have co-authored a piece with Jan Henderson for the new Clowning in Canada issue of Canadian Theatre Review. We talk about neutral mask and Pochinko clown and how the two work together. CTR can be found in most libraries, and subscriptions are available for both online and print options.
Official abstract for the article:
Jacques Lecoq famously referred to the clown nose as the “smallest mask in the world.” While some forms of clowning (such as the commedia dell’arte) use masks in performance, many incorporate the mask as a training element, only to shed it in performance. As a result, the connection between mask and clown often remains hidden to audiences. This article contains a cross-Canada interview (Newfoundland to Alberta) between two of Canada’s leading teachers of clown and mask, Jan Henderson and Sara Tilley. Their discussion reveals the relationship between clowning and a specific mask tradition: the neutral mask. Furthermore, they tell us about how they use the neutral mask in their teaching and their creative practices, and what they wish everyone knew about clowns, masks, and the relationship between them. Their discussion sheds light on the value of neutral mask in clowning, clown training, and beyond.
