London is to have its first ever Clown Festival, running in the capital from the 10th to the 19th June. 

In this first festival of its kind in the capital, 34 show will be shown across 10 days, celebrating physical comedy at The Omnitorium at Manor House.

This year’s festival will explore what a clown is to a modern performer and to audiences. it also seeks to challenge assumptions about the word ‘clown’ itself, allowing highly original and entertaining work to be shown from across the world.

Some of those performing in the festival include: BAFTA nominee Spencer Jones, Jamie Wood and Lucy Hopkins. The festival will feature the work of performers from over ten nationalities.

The London Clown Festival is a collaboration between Flabbergast Theatre company and award winning physical comedian Dan Lees to show how anyone who loves a bit of physical comedy can also love a bit of clown performance.

In recent years, there has been an upsurge of comedy and theatre performers, influenced by the teachings of legendary physical performance trainers Lecoq and Gaulier. Many of these students have gone on to become celebrated award winning artists.

The hope of this festival is to reawaken people’s interest into the joy of clown by putting on shows that will appeal to a wide age range and to change the perception of clowns such as the stereotypical image of a clown squirting a flower or the terrifying image portrayed in Steven King’s IT.

This year’s London Clown Festival has put together a varied programme of work for audience’s to enjoy such as: Paul Currie’s Release the Baboons, Louise Reay’s Que Sera and Zach Zucker’s new show Human Person.

The London Clown Festival will run at The Omnitorium from the 10th June until the 19th June. To find out more about the shows and to book tickets visit: http://www.londonclownfest.co.uk/.