The Triple Threat consists of 3 very important elements:
– clown skill
– Skills
– A Goocher
In this article we will examine the second of the three.
Skills: By skills I mean juggling, hat manipulation, balance, magic, etc. Having one or more of these in your back pocket will save you time and time again. These take time, practice and dedication. If you don’t have any of these manual skills, it’s time to start. Most libraries have beginner books on juggling and magic, but a quick Google of any of these terms and you’ll find great instructional videos that teach you the basics.
There are clubs everywhere that get together to practice and teach or learn from each other. Find out where and when they meet and make the most of any help you can get. You don’t have to become world champion or anything, but learn enough to make it a routine. Many of the clowns I know don’t have great comic book writing skills, but are brilliant at pulling off slick gags or comedy juggling routines.
Be versatile, learn a few tricks in many elements and your comedy arsenal will be very powerful. These can be used in walks, meet and greets, shows, and pranks. They can be stuffed or main course. Diversity in your approach will open many more doors for you!
To get the most out of each and every performance, you need to think like a clown and a salesman. The ability to clown around and grow your business effectively starts with these elements. Use them, improve them and you will benefit from them!
