© Mzemp and Smoot in Something Else’ with Zug at the
Vancouver East Cultural Centre to March 4 at 8 p.m. Tickets:
289-331).

Martin Millerchip

Curtain Call
mmtllerchip@nsnews.com

IT was probably the oddball character Kramer on
Seinfeld who most recently made papular a “fear™
of clowns.

But I was astonished to
discover a number of Web
Sites (wgeociues.com /
Colosseum /2430/clown is
one) devoted to the very same
issue While doing a fittle
research on clowning in gen-
eral. Apparently there are
quite a few folks out there
who have been badly fright-
ened as children by leering
men with huge mouths, big
bulbous noses and shoes so
biz they could squash vou and
your sister undertoot with one
step.

Writer Stephen King may be partly responsible for this mod-
ern phobia. King you may recall created Pennywise, the dancing
clown in Jf who dismembered a child playing in a rain: filled gut-
ter after a spring shower. Or maybe King was just tapping into
what already existed in our fearful collective unconscious, just
like the makers of such movies as Poirergeist (1982) or
Clownhesse (1988) also did.

Some of the earliest clowns we know about were secondary
characters in Greek farces and mime. ‘They w -headed
and wore padded costumes to appear larger than life. They imi-
tated the actions of serious characters and threw nuts at the
audience. The Roman version of the Greek clown often wore a
pointed fat and a patchwork colourful robe and was probably
the originator of Arlecchino (Harlequin) in 16th century com-
media @eVarte. English clowns developed a litte differently,
deriving from the “Vice” character of medieval mystery plays —
a prankster who could sometimes deceive the Devil.

The whiteface of the clown is thought to have developed
with Pierrot, a commedia-inspired French character who was
originally the fool for Harlequin but later became sentimental-
ized, originating the concepr of the melancholy clown.

The first of the true circus clowns was the famous Joseph
Grimaldi who first appeared in England in 1805, originating the
role of “Joey,” who specialized in classic physical wicks and tum-
bling. Some fifty years later “Auguste” began to appear in baggy
clothes and a white face to mess up Joey’s tricks. The third in

Bridge book
wins award

LIONS Gate (Talon
Books, $34.95) has
landed authors Lilia
D’Acres and Donald
Luxton Vancouver’s
Heritage Award of
Honorr.

Vancouver Mayor Philip
Owen presented the award
during ceremonies on
Heritage Day, Feb, 21.

Also last month, the
book was awarded the West
Vancouver Heritage
Achievement Award.

D’Acres, a North Shore
resident, and Luxton, who
is founding director of the
Heritage Vancouver Society,
were praised for their con-
tributions to Vancouver
heritage.

In their tribute to the
First Narrows landmark, the
authors set out to reveal the
stories behind the building
of the bridge.

Friday, March 3. 2000 —- North Shore News - 25
=

is Cathart

G

photo Gary Mulcahey

OH dear, Flopsy bunny appears to have ieft something behind in magician Mump’s hat. The twisted but hifar-
ious duc of Mump (Michael Kennard, left} and Smoot (John Turner) are at the Cultch for two more shows.

the modern clown’s “rule of three” was, originally, the overlord
or ringmaster.

Toronto clowns Mump and Smoot in Something Eb
(Fringe-goers will remember the smash hit Something when it
first toured here some ten years ago) do nothing more than cre-
ate an elaborate pantomime for the Joey (Mump) and his
Auguste (Smoot) to cope with the mayhem unleashed by the
overlord (Zug). But what a pantomime it is!

You have probably seen comic (faulty) magic tricks, fake
cooking and black light ballets before. But when they happen to

SBXPRESS Lec i
Monday — Friday

2 RAAMESTES «rR
YOUR NMEXT EXPRESS

Bthe b

Correction Notice
in our B2-1 Home Style flyer,
the Chelsea dinnerware &
glassware on page 2 will be
late - rainchecks will be
available at the store.

Sorry for any inconvenience
this may have caused

ee)
CDs ees

i+
‘
t

BGS IRS < ie

Ss FREE

the duo from Unimo it is all fresh again — as if we are seeing
for the first time with che eyes of the child buried inside us all.

The talented Michael Kennard (Mump) and John Turner,
(Smoot) under the direction of long-time collaborator Karen
Hines, know we want to believe in magic, know we can be
scared by a devil, know we can be charmed by kindness. Their
knowledge is as old as the craft they practise and as true as any
religion because it is based on human observation.

Go to one of the two final shows and see for yourself. The
enjoyment is cathartic.

Come into the nearest full service
White Spot and cry our Express Lunch.
We promise delivery in 10 minutes or
your next Express Lunch is free* Monday
to Friday [lam - 4pm, you can enjoy
selected Express Lunch items like our
Salmon Burger. Original Double Burger
Platter, Soup & Sandwich, Shrimp

Sandwich and 2 pe. Fish & Chips tor only

Promotio
5: hegins March 6

Cr

Va ey