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 del'arte, they are usually associated with the circus, children's parties, parades and or , or sometimes appear as street performers nowadays.

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, Godspell, August, August, August

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

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[1],

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,

Little Alex (),

Sources

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/10236111/Spuggy-the-Clown.html