One of Britain’s most famous clowns is set to pitch his big top in Henley next week.
Tweedy the clown was previously the star of Giffords Circus, and Henley will be the latest stop on what is his first headline tour.
The show has been a long time in the making and Tweedy, who also holds a British Empire Medal for services to circus and local community, will be joined in his own “little” big top with some Sam Goodburn, Reuben Greeph, Loren O’Dair.
Tweedy is a contemporary vaudeville-style clown who has performed in theatre, circuses as well as on TV and in film.
He is also well-known for his role in Cheltenham’s pantomime, and his style evokes a whimsical, yet natural comic character.
Wokingham Today spoke to Tweedy shortly before the opening of the first show of his tour.
He said: “I can’t wait.
“It’s got that point in rehearsals where we just desperately need an audience.”
Despite the obvious excitement, there’s also a certain amount of nervousness.
He said: “I’m always a bit anxious about putting a new show on, but as soon as I get in front of the audience,that fades away, which is great.
The show is Tweedy’s first on his own, but it’s not something that’s been a goal.
“I absolutely love what I do, and it’s a privilege to be able to do it.
“I never do a days’ work,” he quipped.
As a youngster, Tweedy said his dream was to make cartoons.
He said: “I suddenly realise, wait a minute, I want to be the cartoon.
“Making cartoons is actually really boring. Before computer animations you were literally drawing pictures.
“I got thinking. I wanted be the little character. I wanted to be the cartoon.
“What I do now is the closest thing to being a real-life cartoon.”
Laurel and Hardy rank highly as Tweedy’s comedy idols.
He said: “I watched their old films on a Saturday afternoon, so it’s all that kind of slapstick humour that I grew up watching, and loved, and wanted to emulate and be like them.
“To me, they are clowns. It’s anyone that has that kind of physicality that I find funny.”
Although Tweedy does have an idea of where his show is going, he said there’s always an element of improvisation.
“The audience is the other cast member, and how they respond means I will often change what I do.
“I love when things generally go wrong, or when there’s a heckle. That opens it up.”
Tweedy will be performing his show at the Culden Faw Estate in Henley on Thames between June 6 and June 16.
Tickets are available from: www.underbellytickets.com/tweedys-massive-circus.
