Clowning is often misunderstood. People hear the word “clown” and imagine red noses, white face paint, oversized costumes, and circus performance. While that absolutely exists, clowning is also a much broader and more human form of creative expression. At its heart, clowning can simply be about honesty, play, vulnerability, and connection.
My aim with my workshops is to create a safe space that encourages confident creativity through self-exploration and self-acceptance. I want people to feel able to arrive exactly as they are, without needing to perform a version of themselves that feels polished or socially acceptable. Through games, play, and connection, participants are invited to rediscover spontaneity, joy, and freedom of expression.
One of the reasons I feel passionate about running these workshops in Hull is because this kind of training is still not widely accessible in the North. Over the years, I’ve trained with a range of internationally respected clown teachers and practitioners, including the late Philippe Gaulier, teachers connected to Lecoq training, John Wright, Why Not Institute, and Nose to Nose. When I first discovered clowning at Hull University, I felt there was something deeply important within it, not just as performance training, but as a way of understanding ourselves more honestly. At the time, I struggled to find teachers focusing on that side of the work, though Holly Stoppit’s approach really resonated with me.
In my experience, clown teaching often sits somewhere between three areas: improvisation, performance, and personal exploration. I find myself sitting between improvisation and personal exploration. Clowning can certainly be funny, but it doesn’t always need to make people laugh. Sometimes, clowning is simply the freedom to play without the usual pressure of societal expectations.
You might watch a theatre or dance piece described as using “clown” and wonder why nobody was telling jokes. For me, clowning is less about performing comedy and more about being genuinely present. It’s a live, honest conversation with an audience. Audiences can immediately sense when somebody is trying to hide behind performance or polish, and they can also feel when somebody is being truthful. That honesty is often what people connect to most deeply.
A phrase I often repeat during workshops is: “You are more than enough.” Watching people slowly begin to believe that within themselves over the course of a workshop is one of the most meaningful parts of this work for me.
So many of us are told to “just be ourselves”, while secretly feeling terrified to do exactly that. Clowning offers a rare opportunity to safely explore what happens when we stop hiding quite so much and discover that people often love us more for it, not less.
“I never felt judged.”
— Matt McCloud
“It made me feel an inner peace and joy I don’t think I’ve ever felt as an adult.”
— Alice
“I am more than enough.”
— Della Brett
“It helped me trust the funny that’s already in me.”
— Jess Brigham
“Not just for performers, this gives you skills for life.”
— Liz Dees
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You can also sign up to a 4 day workshop on the 8th of June and experience clowning for yourself: https://www.ticketsource.com/just-andy-ross
