Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who is the silliest clown of all?
I have done a routine a couple times involving a mirror and it was very funny. When I did it, I had to find an enthusiastic volunteer to work with me. Little did she know what she was getting herself into! After getting her into a matching wig, plus a spare nose and hat, we proceeded to mirror each other for our audience.
I also gave her a little purse like the one Mimi carries. She was able to bring out a rubber chicken, balloons, and a blue scarf at the same time I did. Of course, we used the blue scarf to wipe the mirror before we really got started! This routine is a work in progress. The next time I do it, my unsuspecting volunteer will be mirroring some muscle-man poses! That should get a few laughs!
As a solo clown, I have to rely on volunteers to follow my simple moves. Using a mirror is even better when two clowns are working together. They can rehearse the movements and get more creative. I got the idea from watching a Youtube video with Harpo Marx and Lucille Ball. (See “I Love Lucy” Mirror Sketch).
This picture is from another event where I used the ‘mirror’. When I pick volunteers, I try to choose a teacher or someone who is well-known by the students; that always makes it more fun.
I am currently working on a new clown character. I will share more about that journey another day. For now, I will say that it feels like I am starting to clown all over again: new face, new costume, and new routines. I don’t want to do the same stuff with a different face. I believe the new clown is a whole new character; not Mimi with a make-over.