Clown

A clown are comic performers who employ slapstick or similar types of physical comedy, often in a mime style. Deriving from amcient Greek and Roman theatre, and the zanni of the commedia dell'arte, they are usually associated with the circus, children's parties, parades and or, or sometimes appear as street performers nowadays.

Also known as a jester is some cases.

Afrikaans for a clown is nar, hanswors or paljas.

See also Circus and Harlequin

For more on clowns and clowning, see for example Wikipedia at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clown

Clowns as characters in plays and films
A clown may also appear as a character in a play or film, for example Clown and Goose (Anon), Godspell (Webber and Rice), August, August, August (Kohout),

In some cases the may even appear as a threatening figure, e.g. the so called killer clowns.

Well known South African examples of plays and films featuring a clown or clowns are:

Paljas

Famous South African clowns
There have been numerous, but the better known include:

Clicko the Clown

Francesca

Francesco the Clown

Little Alex (Alex Whata)

Spuggy the Clown,

Tickey the Clown

Willie the Clown

Others who have performed as clowns on occasion include Bheki Mkhwane, Marc Colli, Ellis Pearson, Tobie Cronje, Jennie Reznek,