Clown Zaz – Fun Entertainment for all the family!!

Now I’m back from the annual Clowns weekend in Butlins Bognor Regis here is my review and some photos thanks to circus/clown fan Steve Jacks. This festival was my inspiration to become a clown as a kid So I always give my support along with many other working clowns from Clowns Intentional the oldest clown club in the world. At this years festival as well as clown shows on the skyline stage in butlins I set up the Zaz mini circus for an additional stage within butlins massive bigtop. The shows were busy, many mums & dads watching said that they preferred watching shows here as sometimes the main stage can seem a little big & distant for the little ones….for me I enjoyed performing on the main stage with all Butlins technical support & lighting but did shows in both spots. Every year a different Town mayor dons the red nose, but this time it was great to see personal friend & former clown Cllr Jim Brooks. Jim is a former clown himself, he performed summer seasons back in the day with his father Kerby Drill, who is a local hero now retired, clown & artist an a real inspiration to me ever since I saw him perform at my primary school when I was a kid. As usual I felt myself lucky having only to travel down the coast from Brighton to meet many clown friends coming from as far as USA, NZ, Denmark & even way up in Scotland. Sunday sadly was a bit rainy & windy they did say they would have a word “upstairs” at the sunday morning clowns church service but never the less the show must go on, and on we paraded through the butlins bigtop along the seafront & through the town following a fantastic calypso steel band. Thanks to all my Bognor friends & locals for supporting us in the rainy weather, A highlight for me was bumping into a lovely older lady that could also see the funny side of my giant Ipod gag, she agreed, thats the problem with the kids these days always with those music things in their ears! I cant hear you i’m listening to music I replied……who says clowns ARE just for kids eh!. Once back in the warm we started up the shows again for the clown hungry audiences of families from all over uk many returning specially to see us clowns! After loading the van a butlins sunday roast dinner went down well & myself & Susi Oddball also from Brighton said our goodbyes to another fun but tiring weekend. See you all next March! in Clown town Bognor.

Looking back on 2011, below are some photo’s of Zaz’s highlights. Starting with the Clowns International festival in butlins Bognor Regis, after all back in the early 90’s Clown Zaz was born here, every year clowns perform to the public, meet & share ideas. (This years festival is set, the weekend of  3&4th March) In March Zaz was booked to perform at a grand family party set in a 5* hotel in Bhubaneswar, India. An amazing experience working with other acts from Europe. The grandest child’s birthday i’ve  been to yet! The stage was built & decorated for magic illusions, my clown show & lots & lots of live Bollywood shows, to amaze the 1500 or so guests & children. As I arrived back home from India The Guardian G2 magazine article on clowns was nice to see & quite interesting to……….the Guardian had interviewed myself & others from the clown fest in Bognor. For the Royal wedding day Zaz & friends spent most of the day at Hotham park in Bognor, the local council had set up big screens & other free activities including circus skills! once finished we quickly packed down & head back to Brighton as in my very own street there was a party in full swing! round two & the mini circus was set again but this time not on the grass but out side my house in my very own street! At least now ALL the neighbours know that there’s a real clown living in the street!

In May, like most years, Zaz met friends & clown performers on the annual “working holiday” that is the Danish clown fest in Svendborg. I think 2010 was my 8th time attending, & this year got some great press. A large pic taken in a dressing room on my iphone was printed in the Copenhagen Politiken news paper also a DK TV news program filmed at Tivoli in Copenhagen. Hope to meet all my Danish clown friends again this year!

The summer is here (or on its way) Very happy to be invited back to Glastonbury KidzField 2011, which is England’s largest Free Kidz festival. Its great treat  to work along side some of the coolest acts for kids, many including the cbbc presenters, Gruffalo & Rastamouse & the easy crew.  One of my shows in the BigTop was just before Rastamouse, so many kids & families had come to see his debut festival gig, I hope he digz my cool clown warm up!  The Observer Sunday Glastonbury special featured a zazzy photo taken in the kidzfield, & (quote) its true Zaz prefer’s Rastamouse to Beyonce!

busy with summer festivals, kids party’s & school fetes, Zaz’s first time at the BigChill music festival in Herefordshire, the Little chill was great, listening to tunes on my giant Ipod was fun, the highlight for me, Dj Tom Middleton did a fantastic Dj set for kids, mums&dads, its great to see festival dj’s & bands playing in the children’s Zone at the festival! Lawnfest, Harvest, Hampshire Water & Out of the ordinary festivals saw the mini circus in full swing. With summer packed away in the garage, once again its Christmas season, Zaz Elf began early with Harrods xmas parade in london working with many great family performer friends, the usual busy shopping centres, sporting xmas lunch, one of my favourite charity gigs I have supported for years. Brighton FC kids xmas party is always great fun, pwb children’s charity show filmed in Brighton, hat juggling without the red nose for a change…..

I hope you enjoyed my Zazzy highlights, its been a great year & its nice to share my travels, thanks for all the help & bookings & kind feedback from friends, mums&dads, schools & entertainment people!…… Looking forward to more Cool Clown fun in 2012!

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pics from christmas day with Santa and his reindeer………Zaz has had a great fun year & is looking forward to more family & kidz’s clown fun in 2012!