Who is this for?
Performers with some experience from any background — acting, comedy, circus, cabaret, dance or physical theatre — who are ready to take risks, be ridiculous, be brave, be seen, and have fun.
About the Workshop
Clare brings three decades of on-the-floor, in-front-of-real-audiences experience. She’s not teaching from theory or nostalgia — she’s performing constantly, nationally and internationally, testing ideas and refining craft in real time with fresh audiences.
This workshop is a vibrant, generous space for play: a place to take creative risks, discover the pleasure of your own absurdity, and explore the kind of connection that truly energises an audience. Clare distils her lived practice — the instincts, the precision and the glorious flops that light the way — into a playful, structured and deeply practical investigation.
Participants will work through hands-on exercises, tasks and scenarios for solos, duos and small groups, practicing joy, vulnerability, mischief, and the absolute pleasure of being seen. The work is designed to feed directly into your artistic practice, whether you’re devising new work, strengthening stage presence, or looking for permission (and a push) to be gloriously, imaginatively silly.
Strong clown and physical comedy skills sharpen everything; farce, pure clown, stand-up, circus, cabaret, scripted plays, devised work, and even dramatic text.
The workshop will focus on:
Solo presence; what makes you funny before you do anything
Your personal relationship with clown and embracing your own stupidity
Practicing the joy of being seen
Ensemble complicité
Group devising provocations for duos, trios and beyond
Physical comedy scenarios, games and improvisations
Deconstructing physical comedy techniques to understand how and why they land
Class SOLD OUT? Join the WAITLIST
Saturday, Feb 20th and Sunday, Feb 21st
12-5pm
in the Skunk Room
About the Instructor:
Clare Bartholomew is a Melbourne-based performer, writer, director and producer who has been creating new theatrical works across Australia and internationally for over 30 years. She is best known as Astrid from the anarchic pop-punk sibling duo Otto & Astrid - Die Roten Punkte, who have toured everywhere from Joe’s Pub (NY) to Soho Theatre (London) to La Botanique (Brussels). They have won numerous awards for their work including four Greenroom Awards for Most Outstanding Production, Writing and Ensemble (and 22 nominations) as well as nominations for the Time Out & Soho Theatre Award and Total Theatre Award, Edinburgh.
As one half of Salvador Dinosaur, Clare and collaborator Daniel Tobias as well as creating/performing Otto & Astrid also created acclaimed works including Sunny Ray & The Magnificent Moon, The Orchid and the Crow, and the non-verbal physical comedy farce The Anniversary with Peter Houghton.
Clare has taught at the John Bolton Theatre School, Victorian College of the Arts (theatre makers and actors), National Institute of Circus Arts, Australian College of the Arts ans has run masterclasses nationally and internationally: LA’s Lyric Hyperion, University of New Mexico - US, Atomic Vaudeville, Victoria - Canada, Handsome Little Devils, Denver – US and for the Tasmanian & Mullum Circus Festivals’.
She has worked as a Clown Doctor for 26 years and runs regular training programs for Clown Doctors Australia. She has performed with, consulted on, or directed works for: Batton & Broadway, Circus Oz, Dummies Corp, Barnie Duncan’s Juan Vesuvius, Josh Glanc, Hannah Gadsby, Fringe Wives Club, Women’s Circus, Rawcus, Bunk Puppets and many others. She is a co-creator of the acclaimed show The Long Pigs and she is currently writing and directing a new non verbal physical comedy called The Portrait.
Read about Clare’s extensive experience in this freshly published ARTShub article: https://www.artshub.com.au/.../so-you-want-my-arts-job.../
Testimonials
“Clare is without doubt one of Australia’s most experienced and funniest clowns… You will be a better, more sensitive and aware performer after one of her workshops.”
Josh Glanc
“I don't think I've ever laughed so hard while learning so much. It's a great time.”
Matt Kelly (The Listies)
“Clowning can be intimidating, but Clare holds such a warm, safe space while offering nuggets of teaching gold.” - Simon Wood
“Clowning at that workshop brought such joy.” - Carmen
“Clare made us all feel comfortable to try things out and be super silly, so many gems to take into my practice.” - Stephanie Teitelbaum
“If you get the opportunity to work with Clare and you want to be a clown… take that chance.”
Paul Bourke
Class cancellation policy: No refunds, exchanges, or transfers.