In the meantime Nona is parked, big green gypsy truck out of the front of my house. We have late night conversations while we all brush our teeth. Me sitting on a towel on the bathroom floor in my pyjamas, catching up about all the Fringe goings on.
I’m doing It’s Not Circus, It’s Science, with Kate as part of the Northcote Kid’s Festival. I have Monsieur Gaulier in my head all the time. ‘When they are laughing, your clown is close to your body.’ ‘You have to know that you are a bad student but be optimistic that they will love you anyway.’ ‘A clown doesn’t know anything about being a scientist.’
People ask me what I learned in clown school and it’s so daunting to try and explain. And even when I was making the show with Kate I wasn’t sure I knew. But now I’m performing a clown show I know. I gained Gaulier’s eye; a recognition of the moments I am actually clowning. I understand the times that don’t work. ‘That was ‘orrible what you just did.’ A drill in my head to remember what clown is; moment to moment, his voice in my head. It’s taken until day three of performing this show to understand that he can keep coaching me as long as I perform.
Our audience were lovely today. Tiny children, still totally captivated by the show. A crew of boys afterwards coming up to tell me how to make a volcano in a sandpit and what started the universe. Amazing.
Going to see Cut Snake and I heart Jack and No Such Thing as Normal and Porcelain Punch. Yay Melbourne Fringe.
