The Comedy Fix Episode 46 - Dean Evans and Clowning in LA
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Jul 27, 2021 
Dean Evans, theater artist specializing in clown, mime, bouffon and physical comedy who teaches and performs. He talks about edgy satire versus audience sensitivity. He explores community values, risk in performance, and balancing devised choreography with improvisation. He outlines ways to produce, curate, and cultivate the drive that makes clown work sing.
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Risk Means Different Things In Clowning
- Risk is interpreted differently across communities, so what counts as risky in LA clowning (being naked, 'going on with nothing') is often about willingness not depth.
- Dean contrasts improvisational risk (showing up with nothing) with emotional risk (pouring your soul into prepared material that may fail).
Chase The Surprising Next Level
- Pursue the "surprising next level" by building a foundation of creative flow and then escalating conceptually beyond the first idea.
- Use iterative improv or concentrated writing/choreography to discover and refine the breakthrough moment that feels "magical."
Clown Feels Unsatisfying Yet Addictive
- Clowning is inherently slippery and unsatisfying, which is also what makes it addicting and a continual pursuit of curiosity.
- Dean references Avner Eisenberg's warning: learning clown changes how you see everything, often making previous performances feel inadequate.