How To Steal Like A Clown

Art is about inspiration. Looking all over the place to find your spark and turn it into something wonderful. And clown is no different.

We always encourage our students to try out lots of clown teachers. You can pick up something different from everyone. The basics are always the same - but each teacher brings their own flavour. Their own teaching and performing style. Their own mischief. For example, from someone like Elf Lyons, who brings beautiful physicality to her work, you'll likely pick up some more movement tips. Damien Warren-Smith aka Garry Starr teaches by experimentation and people like Mick Barnfather and Viggo Venn have a more friendlier style than the classic clown teacher Gaulier. Or you might find a more thoughtful, playful rhythm and game with someone like Charlie in our workshops.

But don’t just stop at clown classes. Other art forms are full of juicy inspiration too. A mime class can get you connecting to your body in new ways. Improv helps you think on your feet and say Yes And - very handy when playing with an audience. Sketch writing gets you thinking about structure and rhythm. Stand-up sharpens your one-liners and your comic voice.

You can even go wider. Ballet can connect you with grace and control. Meditation or yoga can help with breath and presence (great for calming pre-show jitters). An art class might shift how you think about the visual elements of a performance. Even something as simple as watching people on the bus or dancing in your kitchen can feed your creative brain.

The year is nearly over and that means it’s time for a bit of reflection. What have you tried this year? Where do you want to go next? What playful adventures could 2026 hold?

Set yourself a creative resolution - now. Try one new taster class before the year ends. Pick something weird, wonderful or wildly out of your comfort zone. Bring your clown heart with you and ask: what can I play with here?

How to Start Stealing (like a clown)

Want to collect inspiration like a joyful little magpie? Here are a few playful ways to begin:

• Start a note on your phone called "Cool Stuff I've Seen". Add one thing a day. A gesture, a colour, a bit of overheard conversation, a weird pigeon dance. Over a few weeks, you’ll start to notice more. Your clown brain will start collecting.

• Set yourself an Artist Date - a weekly solo adventure to soak up creativity. It's a tip from The Artist's Way, and it's brilliant. Go to a gallery, a market, a dog show, a puppet performance. Just absorb. Look outside your usual world.

• Go on a Character Walk. Take a stroll and play a secret game: as you walk past someone, copy their style of walking. From their pace and posture, start to imagine who they are. What do they want? What's their most embarrassing story? Their secret dream? Their biggest fear? Then exaggerate. Have a giggle. Shake it off and try the next one. By the end of your walk, you’ll have a pocketful of brand-new characters.

Because when you steal like a clown, you open yourself up to all kinds of glorious silliness. And who knows what might become part of your next brilliant bit?

Go out and play, look broader than your usual circles of influence and see what magic happens.

*please don't actually physically steal anything.