Clowning Around; Making Magic; Hair Care for Less

October 07, 2012

Welcome to THIS IS AMERICA in VOA Special English. I’m Barbara Klein.

And I’m Christopher Cruise. Clowning has been a part of show business for hundreds of years, across many cultures. In the circus, at theaters or birthday parties, clowns bring laughter to young and old. This week, we look at the people who wear the colorful wigs, big shoes and red noses. We also hear from a young magician. And later in our program, we learn about a business gaining in popularity across the country.

Clowning Around

The main idea behind clowning is the same today as it was in ancient times.

“Clowns don’t normally tell a lot of jokes, they are the joke.”

Elena Day is director and co-producer of a multi-media production called On the Nose. In the show, clowns Mark Jaster and Sabrina Mandell play a professor and his assistant.

“He’s trying to give a lecture. He’s already studied. He knows everything.”

Their performance includes parts of a film documentary about clowning.

“You see on the video, you see these clowns interviewed, talking very seriously, well - not always seriously, but they are talking about clowning, the intellectual side, the theory and the issues of clowning.”

Mark Jaster and Sabrina Mandell are husband and wife in real life. They also operate a performance company called Happenstance Theater. Sabrina Mandell says their two worlds are interconnected.