Northern Ireland appeals for recruits amid clown shortage

Virgin Radio

30 Sep 2021, 14:29

The silliest job in showbiz is facing a drastic post-Covid shortage.

David Duffy, co-owner of Ireland’s number one travelling circus Duffy’s Circus, has said that due to Covid-19 he’s been facing a shortage of clowns for hire. 

He told the BBC: "Because all the circuses in Europe and in England have been up and operational for the past six months, that huge pool of EU artists are already back at work and up until last week we haven't been able to even get visas issued for non-EU artists and entertainers.”

"That's why we're trying to reach out for any of our folks at home who feel that they can give it a go."

Think you’ve got what it takes to become a clown? Here’s what Mr. Duffy says about the top traits he’s looking for in clown recruits.

"When you go into the circus ring and you've got 700 to 800 people looking at you, no matter what sort of mood you're in you have to light up that circus ring.”

He continued, "A clown actually can be the loneliest place because you're in there on your own and you have to be able to read your audience, in a short couple of minutes you have to be able to get a rapport going with them and interact and feed off them."

Mr. Duffy also added that clowns have to be able to think quickly on their feet, and be "really, really adaptable".

Another clown spoke to BBC’s Good Morning Ulster about her take on who might step forward to fill a very big, silly pair of shoes. Noeleen Fries Neumann, clown alias Silly Tilly, said the best clown is  "Someone who's willing to make themselves vulnerable,"

"Not everybody likes to be laughed at but for someone who is a clown, your worst nightmare would be to not be laughed at,"

She continues, "You have to be able to poke fun at yourself, it's not about poking fun at other people."

Mrs. Fries Neumann and her husband Henrik, also a clown, have been busily rehearsing in their backyard bigtop tent over lockdown. The pair first met at an international clown convention, and wed in a clown themed ceremony in 2017.

The Duffy circus is planning on holding clowning auditions online, where applicants will be asked to perform a short piece to see if they’ve got what it takes.