For these talks is scheduled for the summer at the Central Circus, fantastic facilities situated in the Barcelona Forum, facing the sea. Clowns and circus clowns or words may seem married, but soon I realize that long since one or the other had to emigrate from his kingdom romantic stage to explore new territories and discover new audiences. Pepa Plana I met many years ago when the two materialitzàvem dream of becoming an actor and actress of the Catalan scene, forming us in the old Theatre Institute of Barcelona. Meanwhile at the same time, Vilanova, a few years old boy growing up eating and drinking scenes shows. Now, thanks to the intermission, we are sitting face to face, so they get to know more personally and we know better. Same job, different birth. Same illusions and different projections. Same love and different look. Probably not as “different” about how they believe the two to finally step on the “same” way of the artist’s unique and indomitable dreamer.
Pepa Plana: We could say that we have known for a long time, but other references to seeing some action and your small meetings, right? The first news I have of you, many years ago, it is for your parents (the two laugh). In fact, I have a son a little older than you. (Laughing again) We’ve been working, we played together at some point, but maybe we’d never stopped to talk this way … so intimate … (laughter erupts).
Guillem Albà: Well, I know you always. To me it makes me wonder why so many people I knew and had seen little house that my parents or I had spoken at the moment are peers. Now, I agree with people when I think of the trade: ui … when I was little because you ordered you seen him act!
P. P.: We are different generations, but always with traditions and teachers all come before us. I’ve learned from people who saw the girl. What happens to me is that now I’m viewers tell me they have seen me when they were little and that makes me think that a little time has passed (laughs). Yes, my base, my training as an actress is formed in the Theatre, and I must say that at that time even I knew I wanted to be a clown. In fact, the circus was nothing or very little bit. But now I see clowns that most women of my generation, there are currently worldwide, almost all come from the world of drama. The starting it now have more opportunities to be trained and practiced in a more professional and serious.
G. A.: How was the transition from actress to clown?
P. P.: Well, by chance. I put the clown nose first just to enrich my actress had no intention to dedicate myself to the clown. Taking courses, I was discovering international clowns “shocked” and making small interventions houses “occupied” at the time, where there was a lot of cultural activity. After these experiences because there was no turning back. It was like an addiction, I thought, “This is happening to me when I clown that happens when I’m not an actress.” In the early nineties there was here and there was no circuit clown woman and single adults. I could equally. I had nothing to lose and began the adventure and I did my first show, “P Pan.” But this is not a monologue! I tell you … as you get here? You know things are going well a few days ago and now have given a prize to the city Tarrega, right?
G. A.: Yes it is true … and I’m a little embarrassed that topic. I also started studying theater for some schools in Barcelona. Spicy going here and there. Plays, music, dance. Where was I to go deeper with the Lecoq method, which is creative theater. Because I was very clear that it is small because I wanted to create my stuff. I did not want to be “just” an actor. Attracted me everything: writing, directing … Be aware of everything. Then I took a course clown and later appeared a key person in my career: Jango Edwards. With all that clutter it was put in place. I understand why I was interested clown. I understand the message, philosophy.
P. P.: (interrupts) And you like living your clown?
G. A.: (gets stopped by the question) Oh … I do not know how I live. What a question … I’ve been doing … I was very young and bold and one day I told Jango: “I want to make a show.” He said, “Okay, come home and help.” I was the first surprised me because my parents had been spoken a lot and all their shows. When I came home from Jango I call my parents and I said, ‘I’m home on Jango Popes and told me that I direct a show. “They freak out. (Laugh) And I said, “My child, do, do …”. And I did. He helped me a lot. I had to act to many places and I finally released my first show, much in the style of Jango. Luckily I made many “gigs” and that allowed me to be finding more and more the way I do. Now I have a new show, but everything went very shot, almost without realizing it. There has been an evolution from first to second, I tried to put myself homework and look for new things.
P. P.: Do not take it wrong, but I remember that many years ago, just as I began to put my nose, I was told that becoming a good clown or clown from the fifty. It is true that the families began to make a circus clown when I went to many other disciplines. Youth is for acrobatics, juggling, trapeze and when you can not with your body, concentrate the essence of the circus clown adult. They say the clown makeup when you’re twenty, not hooked in the face. It takes weight, wrinkles, fatigue was a real clown or a clown. It is the logic of the adult child again, having lived. The clown does not interpret any character.
G. A.: (pull his nose here) is that I do not know if I’m a clown and actor. If I do circus or theater. I do not know where to qualify. At first clown when he was told that this was not the circus and I started thinking I did theater, but the theater I was told that I was not an actor but was a clown. Finally I said, “Well, I act and go.” Now I realize that what I want is to mix disciplines and I am sure that being a clown is a philosophy, a message, a way to take some of the things … and that’s it. Finally, it is a technique.
P. P.: It’s funny that you say that you are always at the forefront of things. I think this is an indispensable condition of the clown. But my view of the profession is not technical, but perhaps more romantic. My clown is always being herself and playing other people live improbable situations, but always part of herself.
G. A.: To me it makes me “weird” about the clown like a person living there.
P. P.: Well, make no mistake, I know life separate from my work. I did not clown of the twenty-four hours!
G. A.: Well, lucky you! Because there are people who do not know and clowns twenty-four hours a day (laughs). It is important to know where to begin and end the stage.
P. P.: My clown me multiplied by ten thousand. I’m not a character. I understand that not interpret anyone, but t’interpretes you. I am all the things that I think that I have lived, but revolutionized and shaking. Do not interpret my clown, simply let be. If the clown character is interpreted as clowns should equal. If part of you will never look like anyone. I think what fascinates the viewer when he sees a clown is his charisma, his unique personality. This also applies to actors, painters, with the singers … We like and appreciate the difference.
G. A.: For me, I think your view is the classic clown, who comes from a tradition of the circus. Such as Charles Chaplin and Charlie Rivel, who put yourself where to lay, live what they lived, they always were. The same figure. I think for a few years ago appeared a new way of presenting the work of the clown. Break the way you see it and it could make a clown of a character. I think that contributed to Jango Edwards …
P. P.: (the size) Jango is also always the same character!
G. A.: I do not agree (laughs). I would say it has the same style, but for different characters. I am interested more so to do. Now, one character, then another. Always on the basis of the clown, but with a much better chance of variety on stage.
P. P.: What is evident that in the clown world there is no single model. Only missing. We can find many types of clowns: the crazy, freaks, most musicals, the talking, the mute, the most theatrical jesters … there is a lot of wealth. You perhaps influence Jango is more in the category of crazy. (Laughing again).
G. A.: Yes, perhaps the first show itself, it was a humor of the absurd, more “destroyer” more provocative, but not now with this second, I changed the registry. Try, using language as a clown, go sideways softer, more romantic, more poetic. This is perhaps exemplified what my vision of this business: always starting from the same base created by mixing styles and trying new things.
P. P.: This is what you get I think is totally logical that you have the time to live. In fact, I already started late in making clown, but my first shows were pure energy and the more I moved the better. Now take six more shows and I realize that I need to move less. That less energy is. Prior to laugh 300 times maybe made a gesture and I have found it can only laugh a little arm movement. I learned over time that if I’m shaking very blurred, though still “broadcast” from the very first day of the clown. I was closer to the essence and controlled breathing of the great masters.
G. A.: (sarcasm) All that you say is fine, but you’ll find me when you have fifty. Now I know you do not have to. Grace is the personal creation that you do at all times is the result of what you’re experiencing at the time. This is what interests me the most in the world of clowning. And above that your work can be seen in many places, not only in Catalonia. This effort is sometimes so hard not to slip down the drain.
P. P.: Well … now you’re living in an age where there is starting to be a tradition of Catalan names clowns and like it or not because the public accepts this tradition of clowns and clown performances. When I started there were perhaps known only in Tortell Poltrona. Now when you’re in Catalonia think we’re all working on the same string are very different, suggesting things varied colors and super cute. But I must say that when you go out, if you recognize a Catalan stamp that we ourselves do not know. What is clear is that in other European countries there is an idea rooted in Barcelona where important things happen in the world of clowns. And I’m here when I look around and think … then it must be wrong for others (laughs). If it is true that associationist important trend in the world of circus here in our city. And people like you who make proposals as risky and innovative ideas that come from countries that have other ways of understanding the clown.
G. A.: I think that there is still much education to be done within the same world of performing arts. Maybe I myself do not know yet what I am. I am a member of AADPC, but now that I have been given an award in Tarrega and I go into the interval section awards, perhaps because it is clown?
P. P.: In that you’re absolutely right. We have circus companies are enjoying a wonderful international tours, but at the time of the awards, there is a lot of ignorance towards the circus people. I think discipline is the clown in the performing arts and for example, in the list of awards chair, circus there. There is a prize catch and there we go all: puppets, mimes, magicians, clowns. I think if you also have the right to award macrame: Other disciplines (laugh). Or Max awards, which are awards of “Cathedral of the Performing Arts”, there is no circus. And we’re running four cats. It is not understood why there is no recognition…
P. P.: we also took the opportunity to say that the big houses of the theater of our house, I mean TNC or Free spaces are for everyone, I think it should be easier to knock on the door and that ‘listen to us. Sometimes these spaces, clowns and clowns functions have been relegated to children on Christmas Day morning. I think we both like many others that are very good and we restore a kind of show of this genre, but also for adults, as there are many other serious programs worldwide.
G. A.:Maybe the key is not so much between clowns and actors, but between the same public theater productions or productions designed from the same companies. It should be clear that in showbiz Catalan are two very different places: Barcelona and throughout Catalonia. Stay at Barcelona not eat, is the showcase goes well and if you go out to the press and to help you go “bowling” … say. Is doing “gigs” and the region where you can enjoy a little bag. The issue is whether you produce or will produce. I am interested in owning my creation and it has a cost and risk of entering the programs official. You do not say Barcelona!
P. P.: But that might not be what you think your show and the public theaters in our country without creating programs that participate in the production of the project?
G. A.: Some theaters have become accustomed to productions of three months. Two essays, plays and one outside.
And he spent pasta!
P. P.: This is the big difference. I, and I think you also Parima when a show is with the intention of bringing it life. I have all the shows and adding portfolio. Having repertoire and go do what they ask you at any time. This is also our freedom. The big difference between
maybe you and I is that you create enthusiasm and I spend fatal whenever I do a new show was born. Most distressing is the process of the world, but I’ve come to think I’m a masochist because I’ve created a few. I’m only happy when it finally enters the audience in the hall.
G. A.: I am passionate about creating behind closed doors, I like the process. Enjoy. There is a technical and a masters that underpins the way I done to reach the goal. There is a part that you need the public’s reaction … but especially theater and comedy usually always have a mathematical basis.
P. P.: I disagree here. What works in a show of actors do not always work in a show of clowns, because it involved an element is always changing audience. Should listen much. You can not shut yourself.
G. A.: Of course! But not everything is left to chance. There must be a basis. Well rehearsed. But then tell me, your daily functions must be different, depending on the audience you have?
P. P.: I do not cling to a structure and am very disciplined. But the first few minutes are always tentative, like when you go to dinner at someone you do not know … ask permission … there is complicity, would fall well … after a while it loses formality.
G. A.: I see it very differently. I like the rehearsal room. The test alone. Not to say that the public do not think about, but I want to create without constraints. I have a very clear philosophy of this business. Doing things slowly, handcrafted stone and chop. I use clowning to achieve those goals, but I do not feel tied to him, but I could not do anything else.
P. P.: Look, we agree on that! We believe this is proven to work and can be reached by different paths. (Sighs) I like to put my nose to the clown…
G. A.: (sighs) Yes, it is an option, but it is necessary …
Here is talking … there is passion and tenderness in his arguments. It was an interesting conversation. Two generations face. Two ways of understanding the art of making people laugh so personal. Finally, I conclude that each and every clown clown is the result of the time he has to live. With or without nose: please! What happens clowns.
Per Martí Peraferrer – Fotografies: Irene Roé
