The Sacred Art of Clowning By Cleone Reed
Cleone asked me to review her book a few months ago. I don't know her, we've never met, never even talked on the phone. She found me by way of my blog and my resume. I found it confronting, overwhelming and frightening to be asked to review someone's personal work
This book took me a long time to read, it made me think and think... I keep the book by my night stand and read it as a source of inspiration.
I was afraid of this book when I was asked to review it. I'm an atheist but spiritual. I've seen far too many Christian Clowns that hide behind their message as an excuse for not being good or funny. I'm generally wary of clown books.
Cleone reveals so much about herself and her journey as a person and a clown. It's a beautiful book, she GETS clowning. She and I have so much invested emotion in clowning, I would often read a passage in this book turn the book over to think about what she just said. Clowning is never about your pretty costume, how many clubs you can juggle, what a wonderful balloon you make, it's about connection with your audience and making people laugh. As a clown and a writer she invites us in to be hugged.
It's wonderful how Cleone talks about visiting a hospital or a senior center and sometimes just making physical contact with another human. Tossing out what you had "planned" is clowning. Sometimes bringing overwhelming comic love into a place is clowning. Being present and learning from one moment to the next, that's what Cleone writes about.
I think this is a beautiful book, written from the heart. It's the kind of book you can flip open to any section, read and get something new every time.
Highly recommended
This book took me a long time to read, it made me think and think... I keep the book by my night stand and read it as a source of inspiration.
I was afraid of this book when I was asked to review it. I'm an atheist but spiritual. I've seen far too many Christian Clowns that hide behind their message as an excuse for not being good or funny. I'm generally wary of clown books.
Cleone reveals so much about herself and her journey as a person and a clown. It's a beautiful book, she GETS clowning. She and I have so much invested emotion in clowning, I would often read a passage in this book turn the book over to think about what she just said. Clowning is never about your pretty costume, how many clubs you can juggle, what a wonderful balloon you make, it's about connection with your audience and making people laugh. As a clown and a writer she invites us in to be hugged.
It's wonderful how Cleone talks about visiting a hospital or a senior center and sometimes just making physical contact with another human. Tossing out what you had "planned" is clowning. Sometimes bringing overwhelming comic love into a place is clowning. Being present and learning from one moment to the next, that's what Cleone writes about.
I think this is a beautiful book, written from the heart. It's the kind of book you can flip open to any section, read and get something new every time.
Highly recommended
I have been reading your blog this morning for probably an hour or more and just came to your review of my book. You have no idea how often I have quoted my favorite line from your review when I talk about my book - the line, "As a clown and writer she invites us in to be hugged." I think that is so beautiful. Thank you so much. Maybe someday we will actually meet in person! I haven't clowned in a while, and my next gig isn't until August when I clown for a 100-year-old birthday! But my heart fills up reading your blog. Just because I don't DO much clowning doesn't mean my BEING isn't still a clown at heart. Thanks for all the good writing. Cleone Reed
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad it helped. No one ever asked me to review anything before, so it was a great honor for me!
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