Clowns are ditching red noses, big shoes and face pies to reinvent 'scary' image - Daily Star

Clowns are ditching red noses, big shoes and face pies to reinvent 'scary' imageEXCLUSIVE: Clowns as we know them are changing - many modern day jesters are claiming that slapping pies in

people's faces or squirting water are causing issues with audiencesCommentsNewsIsobel Dickinson23:08, 30 May 2025The well-known version of clowns might be on the way out Traditional circus

clowns are having to down their custard pies over fears they could offend people.

Modern day jesters said acts such as slapping pies or squirting water in people’s faces could cause complaints. They also said wearing red noses, big shoes and having faces full of chalk

makeup had fallen out of favour as they were deemed scary.

‌ Henry Maynard, a founder of the London Clown Festival which starts on June 16, said: “These days those types of acts would have to be a lot more careful about what they do to people.

Things have really changed. Something that would make someone laugh ten years ago wouldn’t today.

‌Acts are having to be 'careful' “As a clown I have to be the butt of the joke. I don’t throw custard pies in my shows. But if anyone was getting a custard pie to the face it would have to

be me. You have to be careful not to upset anyone. Sensibilities now are very different.”

Modern day funsters are also ditching chalk paint and red wigs after horror movie portrayals such as Pennywise in Stephen King’s flick It.

Article continues below Henry, who also founded the Flabbergast Theatre and runs a clown school, added: “A red nose can be very useful for training, it’s been described as the world’s

smallest mask.

People are getting upset by scary clowns “But a lot of contemporary clowns such as myself don’t use them. They wouldn’t wear the big shoes or the face full of make up. There’s a huge horror

trope around clowns. A lot of people want to move away from that image.

‌ “Contemporary and theatre clowning is all about being inclusive and accessible - there’s nothing scary about them.”

Henry, who has a critically acclaimed show called Tatterdemalion, also said shows such as Britain’s Got Talent had sparked a surge in people wanting to become clowns.

In 2023 Viggo Venn won the programme with his act of taking off never-ending hi-vis vests. Henry added: “The art of contemporary or theatre clowning is becoming more more mainstream in drama

schools.

Article continues below “There’s been a real resurgence to the industry and shows such as BGT can only help that.”