Cirque Berserk is a show that features a troupe of over thirty jugglers, acrobats, aerialists, dancers, musicians and death-defying stunt men and the award-winning physical comedian Tweedy.
As it’s essentially a circus, and he is the “funny man”, that should make him a clown but, as I witnessed, when I saw the show, and as he confirmed when I spoke to him, Tweedy is a whole lot more than just your average clown – for starters, he is incredibly funny!
So Tweedy, you’re not a clown – or are you?
I think I am, but it is difficult because people’s perceptions of a clown are so distorted by horror films and by bad clowns, basically. With no disrespect to children’s entertainers, because there are lots of them that are very good,but there are some people who dress up as a clown, and say that they are a clown, and they are really not very good, which has given clowns a very bad image in this country. I mean I class what I do as “clowning” in the same way that Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton were clowns.
The act you do is very physical isn’t it?
Oh yes, another expression that is often used to describe what I do is “Physical Comedian” rather than clown.
I have to ask, how do you ride the bicycle that falls apart?
With practice! It’s a really fun part of the act. I did used to do it with a big unicycle and I used to have a lot of fun with the audience helping me to get on it, but I wanted something that was more natural, rather than just bringing on a big unicycle and saying, “I’m going to ride this”.
The thing with the bike is that everyone has a bike, including children, so everyone can relate to it which makes the whole act a lot more accessible.
What is it like to have the death-defying acts going on around you?
It’s crazy at times because all the acts are very much edge-of-your-seat stuff so my act is used to help everyone to calm down again before the next act comes on – it’s something of a welcome relief.
Do many of the performers get hurt doing their stunts and acts?
There is always that risk there. Luckily, on the last tour, no one got hurt, and it is quite rare, but it does happen from time to time. There was a big circus festival that just happened in Monte Carlo a couple of weeks ago and there was a horrific accident there in which a performer died and that serves as a reminder of just how dangerous this business is.
You do forget, when you do it everyday and you get used to the fact that, for instance, there could be four guys whizzing around a metal globe, on motorbikes, because it happens every day but, we are always aware that it is very dangerous and one loss of concentration could mean disaster.
How does circus work in a theatre setting?
There is a bit more of a “fourth wall” than there is in a circus tent setting but I just carry on as normal. I still get a couple of guys out of the audience to come and help me with the bike act but the main difference with the theatre setting is the intimacy. It’s a very foccussed setting where everyone notices every little move because, in a big top tent, there are so many distractions that some of the subtler stuff is missed but in the theatre it’s much more intense.
Cirque Berserk appears at the Assembly Hall Theatre, Tunbridge Wells on Saturday 7th and Sunday 8th February, with two shows each day, and at the White Rock Theatre, Hastings on Monday 23rd and Tuesday 24th February. Tickets are available from the venue box offices or via their websites, www.assemblyhalltheatre.co.uk and whiterocktheatre.org.uk.