By Moon Rice
In this guest feature, Moon Rice shares how they accidentally discovered a passion for clowning, exploring Liverpool’s arts scene and finding support through workshops, performances, and organisations that are a part of The Culture Network LCR.
There were no banana skins but I fell into clowning by mistake.
In late 2024, I signed up for a two-day workshop at Unity Theatre with Lucy Hopkins (I’d never heard of her), hoping it would help me sharpen my funnybones. I was performing routines with PowerPoint in the style of Dave Gorman and wanted to take it to the next level. What hadn’t dawned on me – until we started dancing around – was that I’d actually signed up for a clowning workshop.
Two days later, I walked out feeling like I’d just found my calling.
It wasn’t the path I imagined when I graduated in 2020 with a First in Fine Art. I thought my career as an artist would naturally blossom after that. Instead, I’ve stumbled into something unexpected – and I’m slowly, happily, becoming a clown.
More than anything I want to clown but what opportunities are there to develop? I could maybe hope to be accepted into a drama school (there is quite a famous one in Liverpool!) but I already owe £50,000 to the government and who would accept me anyway with my lack of ability? I had no idea how tough it would be to find opportunities to clown.
However, many of the workshops, performances, and connections that have shaped my clowning journey so far have been made possible by organisations that are part of The Culture Network LCR: a membership group of 70+ arts and culture organisations across the Liverpool City Region. While I’ve never worked directly with the Network itself, it’s through the shared values and generous programming of its members – like Unity Theatre, Collective Encounters, Metal, and Tmesis Theatre – that I’ve been able to explore this new path.
Their commitment to accessibility, artist development, and creative community is more than just talk. I’m living proof that it makes a difference.
First there was the workshop Simone Tani did at the Unity in Clowning and Bouffon. This lead to further classes with Simone at The Bluecoat. Simone is a very generous man, exemplified by offering his classes for only £5 and advice for free. It is my sincere hope that Simone will start his classes up again really soon.
Meanwhile, I’ve taken workshops where and when I can. Most of these have been at the Unity. In fact, I’m at the Unity so often, I feel at home there and the staff even know my name. Particular kudos goes to Artistic Director, Eli Randle, who has been really supportive. At times it’s felt she’s put the Unity schedule together just for me! Some of the workshops at the Unity have also lead to further opportunities such as the Big Bucket Clowning Retreat at Bidston Observatory Artistic Research Centre.
I also attend the Women In Action sessions by Collective Encounters on a Tuesday afternoon at the Unity. These are lead by renowned fool Joanne Tremarco who has been a champion for me, gently encouraging me to develop my career. I was also fortunate to see her show at the Unity. Where she gets her energy from I’ll never know.
As much as I love the Unity, not everything happens there. I’ve also attended a two day workshop with Madame Señorita via Tmesis Theatre, and full day workshops with Wise Children at The Everyman and Leebo Luby at Shakespeare North Playhouse.
Leebo is another clown who I’ve been keen to learn from. The clown jams he hosted were an opportunity to practice what I know (which, admittedly, isn’t much) in a no pressure, fun, environment.
I also love attending the Contact Improvisation (CI) classes with Mary Pearson at 24 Hope Street. I met Mary during rehearsals for the Merseyside Kings at Metal.
Performing as a drag king is something else I fell into, having met Cal Lannerty at a writing workshop at, you guessed it, the Unity. Cal happened to mention they were a drag king and, this being a secret ambition of mine, my ears pricked up and I asked them how I could get involved.
Both Cal and Mary are lovely, encouraging, people. I am fortunate to know them and the other kings and feel supported through these challenging times for trans people like me – having our human rights denied for the mere temerity of existing.
I am thankful then for all the shows I’m able to see that lift me from despair. Of course, watching the shows also helps with my education, developing my taste: what things I’d like to try or not.
In Liverpool, we are spoilt for choice for theatre. Since I took the workshop with Lucy Hopkins, I’ve seen shows by DaDaFest, RAWD, Liverpool Arab Arts Festival (LAAF), and Tmesis Theatre, amongst many others.
As well as all the ones I’ve seen at the Unity, I’ve also seen Stewart Lee and Milton Jones at the Philharmonic, the Rock n Roll Panto at the Everyman, and Hamilton at the Empire. Yes, it has depleted my bank account but I’m of the opinion there’s nothing better to spend my money on than improving my mental health.
Speaking of which, sadly, I’ve been feeling inadequate of late, not knowing quite how to develop my clowning abilities. You see, the last couple of workshops I’ve been at, I’ve felt disconnected somehow. For sure, my autism doesn’t help with this – I fell into clowning through a misunderstanding and I still misunderstand plenty.
It also doesn’t help that, for a place renowned for it’s humour, Liverpool has such a sparse clown scene – lagging well behind the clown scenes in Bristol and London. However, the people I have encountered in it’s theatres are generous, supportive, and encouraging.
Writing this has also reminded me of the wealth of education I’ve been fortunate to find via The Culture Network and it’s still not quite a full year since I started clowning. So I am hopeful of becoming the clown I feel called to be. I just need those opportunities to progress. So, if you feel you could help, I’d be delighted to hear from you. Please message me via my Substack.
Author Bio: Moon is a neurodiverse enby crip performer, writer, and artist originating from Cornwall. For the last decade, they have found home on the Wirral with their cat (a proper Scouser) and a whole load of mess.