Clown Critiques
Part Two: Presenting Clown Critiques
By Bruce Johnson
I was graduated by California State University at Long Beach with a BA in
Technical Theater. Learning how to present a critique was part of my training.
First, because that is an effective educational tool. Second, because we could
then apply the process to our own work and continue developing as artists after
leaving the educational environment. The critique process is especially
beneficial for variety artists because it provides feedback from the audience’s
point of view.
Definition
Many people misunderstand the critique process. They think it is critical
faultfinding. In reality it is the opposite. When you are doing a critique, your
goal is to help them to become the best clown that they can by helping them
identify their strengths, suggest possible improvements or alternate approaches,
and offering encouragement
I have done critiques on my own, but I find they are most productive when
done by a panel. You benefit from several points of view that way, and a comment
made by somebody else may inspire an additional idea from you.
Appropriateness.
Don't offer a critique unless is it asked for. People are not always open to
an honest evaluation. Don't make negative comments without being invited to do
so. Sometimes people will ask, "What did you think?" That may be a
request for affirmation instead of for a critique. They may feel hurt and
bewildered if you offer suggestions for improvement when they weren’t prepared
to receive them. You may have a valuable comment to make, but if it is not given
in a way that they can accept, they won’t make a change.
A critique is not always appropriate, but compliments are always appropriate
and appreciated. You can, and should, compliment people without invitation.
After the performance, if there is something I really like I try to let the
entertainer know about it.
A critique should be done in person verbally if possible. A negative written
comment written may seem more permanent and important then it really is. Also,
when doing a critique your tone of voice and expression can do a lot to soften a
negative comment. While critiques are sometimes done in public as part of
an educational program, I believe that they are most effective in private,
especially if the majority of your comments are about improvements. On the
other hand, praise should be offered in public.
Compliments are often more effective if written. The increased effort on your
part indicates greater sincerity. Also, the compliment is preserved so it can
continue to offer encouragement to the person who has received it. Circuses and
ice shows usually sell programs, and somewhere inside will be an address for the
show's general office. You can compliment any entertainer by writing to them in
care of the general office. Mail sent there eventually gets forwarded to them.
Be prepared.
Have what you need to communicate your ideas clearly. An idea I got from
Vicky "Ruffles" Miller is to print sheets with a basic outline of a
face on it for doing makeup critiques. Then you can easily sketch suggested
changes. If you use colored pencils or felt pens, you can differentiate between
areas of color. Another valuable aid is a mirror so they can see what you mean
if you point to something on their face.
When doing a performance critique, have paper to take notes during the act so
you won’t forget important points afterwards.
Begin by looking for strengths.
A compliment reassures them that you aren't going to just tear them down. To
start with, a negative comment may trigger their defenses and they won't be
receptive to what else you have to say. People tend to minimize their strengths,
and the most effective thing you can do may be helping them find what they do
right.
Ask for their input.
In college, it was common for a critique to start by asking the subject their
opinion. This had several advantages. First it helped everyone get used to
analyzing their own work. Also, it revealed their concerns. Sometimes they
viewed something as a flaw that everyone else liked. Often they were aware of
something that wasn't obvious at first, which we could help find a solution for.
It was interesting to hear what their goal had been, because sometimes a failed
attempt revealed some interesting possibilities. In clowning, people sometimes
have a symbolism in mind that doesn't come across, but you can help them find a
different way to express that idea.
I was on a makeup/costume critique panel with Jack "Blimpo" Frank,
and he would conclude by asking each person, "How do you feel about
you?" Sometimes their response was interesting and led to other
suggestions. Usually though they would reply that they liked themselves, and
their expression was one of surprise to discover that was true. It is important
that people feel comfortable within their clown character. If they’re not
comfortable, they aren't free to concentrate on being an entertainer. If they
aren’t comfortable, the audience won't be comfortable with them either.
Don't be afraid to ask questions, especially when critiquing a skit. Ask
people to clarify why something was done. A critique is a collaborative process.
You are there to help them communicate what they want with their audience.
Don't personalize.
When people are being critiqued, they are vulnerable. Keep the focus away
from them personally and on the work you are evaluating. Avoid using the word
"you" in negative comments. For example, in a skit where they pack a
suitcase and then don’t take it with them, don't say, "You haven’t made
it clear why you leave the suitcase behind." Instead, say, "the reason
for leaving behind the suitcase isn't clear," or even better, "I
didn't understand why the suitcase was left behind."
Offer solutions.
Don't just identify problems. They may not know what to do if you say,
"Your costume needs to be punched up more." You help them more if you
say, "Edging your lapels and tails with black bias tape will make them
stand out more and the costume seem more theatrical.
Indicate relative value.
Your subject will tend to attach the same importance to all of your comments
although they really vary in importance. If they give anything more importance,
it will tend to be negative comments.
There are times when an immediate change is needed. For example, somebody
wore a pair of pants that were a wild pattern with several colors, which clashed
severely with the rest of their costume. The pants were a great detriment and I
suggested that as soon as possible they change to a solid color pair that
balanced their costume and allowed their plaid vest to stand out as an accent.
Other suggestions are just an alternative that might eventually be tried. For
example, I once commented to somebody that it might be a nice touch to make the
pockets on their coat the same color as their lapels. The pockets they had were
okay, but I thought the change might be an improvement. It would be wrong for
them to feel they had to make a new coat right away. When making that type of
suggestion, I try to make it clear by saying, "this is just a minor
point..." or "the next time you make a costume.."
Don't overwhelm.
Try not to discourage your subject by suggesting too much. If there are many
possible improvements, pick a few to focus on. Comment on what you consider is
the highest priority. Also, suggest something that is easy to change so they can
make quick progress and see improvement. The process of becoming a good clown is
a long one. You don't have to be an instant fix solving all their problems the
first time. It is more important that you get them moving in the right
direction. Somebody else can make the next corrections. This is a process known
as "successive approximation." You may not be entirely correct but
each time you come closer to the target and you know which direction to go to
get even closer.
Offer at least one suggestion for improvement.
No matter how good somebody is, there is always room to grow. The better
somebody is, the more specific and detailed you can become. One clown had a
nicely balanced costume in red, black and yellow color scheme but it seemed a
little plain so we began looking for accents to create more interest. An idea we
came up with that they liked was to replace the yellow thread holding on their
yellow buttons with red thread so the buttons would have a big red X in their
center.
Pay attention to details.
Details can make a big difference. A tramp clown had a character that was
poor, but proud, pretending to a higher status in society. He wore an old tuxedo
shirt that was appropriate to the character but clashed with the rest of his
costume because it didn't appear old enough.
He didn't want to cut holes in it or cover it with patches because he didn't
think his character would find such a shirt acceptable. The solution was to fray
the collar a little and to replace the buttons with mismatched ones. That was
enough to make it work.
Give reasons.
Don't expect your subject to accept all your comments uncritically. Give them
a basis for evaluating the merit of your ideas.
Also, by showing them the thought process you follow, they can begin to learn
to do the same thing themselves. For example, a Whiteface clown wore a white
costume trimmed with pastel yellow, including a white ruff edged with yellow
ribbon. Their wig was also yellow. This meant that everything blended together
because it was about the same value, especially after the yellow started to
fade. Their face seemed washed out because it blended with their costume. I
explained that a costume should frame your face directing attention to your
expressions that are important in communicating with your audience. I suggested
changing the neck ruff to a dark yellow edged in black, substituting a black hat
for their white one, and using a piece of material left over from the ruff to
make a matching hat band. The next time I saw this clown, they had changed to a
red and white color scheme, and had used a red ruff trimmed in black plus a red
hat with black band. The greater contrast between their costume and their
whiteface made their face seem much brighter.
Identify personal opinion.
Indicate whether something is generally agreed upon or just your personal
opinion. For example, most instructors teach that you should leave your upper
lip white to help separate it visually from your nose, and because your upper
lip doesn't move much as you change expressions so leaving it white focuses
attention on your more mobile lower lip. If I am suggesting that to people, I'll
say something like, "It is a general rule..." (There are some
exceptions to that rule. I personally don't like the "kissy" lips, but
Lorle "Sweetheart" Buehl and Marti "Minnie" Vastibinder use
them effectively and I like their makeup.) I personally have not liked most of
the gloves with cut off tips that I've seen worn by Tramp clowns, but I know
many instructors advocate them. If I comment on Tramp gloves, I always start by
saying, "this is just my opinion..."
Differentiate between entertainment and competition.
Unfortunately, the criteria for competition and entertainment are not always
the same. I try to encourage creativity, but competition judges are often more
conservative and slower to recognize new trends. For example, although
originality is supposed to be a consideration, Tramp winners are usually those
who display the least creativity and imitate Emmett Kelly the closest. In one
case, a Tramp competitor was marked down because his tattered pants and coat
were blue instead of black.
When I was part of a critique panel scheduled by an alley before a
competition, one of the Whiteface clowns wore red gloves, which I thought were
perfect with her costume. I told her that I loved her gloves, but that I knew
one of the people who would be judging deducts points if a Whiteface clown wears
gloves that aren't white. She decided that it wasn't worth it to buy a new pair
of gloves just for competition, and that judge did mark her down for wearing red
gloves. Later she told me that she gets a lot of good response from kids because
of her red gloves and she has developed several jokes based on them. She feels
that is more important then winning a trophy. I agree with her, but it would
have been a disservice to her if I hadn't allowed her to make that decision.
Some people take competition very seriously and look for any little detail that
might give them an edge over others. The rules and guidelines for each
competition vary, so if you are doing a critique in preparation for competition,
be sure you know the guidelines for that particular competition.
Be open to new ideas.
Guard against your own bias. There have been several times somebody has done
something I normally don’t like, but for them, it works. I've seen some
wonderful things during a critique session that I had never considered. Don't
rely on pat answers or preconceived notions. Be creative. One lady wore a dress
with a turned down collar. She was a Whiteface and had a long neck. She needed
an accent near her face to draw attention to it and to visually shorten her
neck. Going to a dickey or ruff wouldn't have worked with the rest of her
costume. We finally came up with the idea of wearing a black velvet choker with
a cameo. I have never seen a clown wear one, but it would solve her problem,
make her distinctive, fit the tone of her costume, and seemed symbolic of her
character. It was an idea I would never have created without being inspired by
her problem. When everyone is open to new ideas and supportive of each other,
wonderful advances in art can occur.
Another time a participant told me that the second time I had done a critique
for them I had commented that I liked something I didn’t like the first time.
I told them it was a new idea that took me a little time to get used to.
Summarize.
People remember the beginning and end of something the most so to help them
retain what is important briefly repeat your key points. This is your chance to
put things in perspective. If you have made several suggestions for details
emphasize that your general reaction really is positive. Don't let the number of
suggestions give them more weight in the impression your subject retains of
themselves. You might say something like, "your costume overall is
wonderful. The basic concept works very well. Your use of color is well balanced
and puts the emphasis where it should be. The only suggestions I have are for
minor details ... Very well done."
Follow Up.
If you get the chance, comment on their improvement later. I've been
fortunate to see many people I've critiqued at another conference or
performance. If I can remember what we talked about before I always try to
comment on it, such as saying, "those pants are much nicer then your old
pair." Some people will seek me out after I've critiqued them once for
additional comments. This gives me a chance to encourage them by praising them
for what they have accomplished, and if necessary do the next successive
approximation. This also encourages me because I can see that the critique
process really does work, and that people are benefiting from my suggestions.
Summary
The examples I've used have dealt mainly with appearance because that is a
little easier to explain in writing. The critique process is even more valuable
in performance because it provides an opportunity to learn how it appears from
the audience's viewpoint.
Somebody not involved in the creation and rehearsal process can give you a
fresh perspective on the clarity of your work. Entertainment is a form of
communication, and somebody new can tell you if what you’re doing is
understandable.
Critiques are a valuable tool for improving the entertainment value of our
art. As an entertainer, having a critique done of your work will improve what
you do. As an instructor, doing a critique is an effective educational method.
If you are invited to do a critique remember: A critique is not always
appropriate, but compliments always are. Be prepared.