Circus Clown Gags
The American circus term for a clown's act is "gag"; Europeans refer to it as an "entrée", and amateur clowns sometimes refer to it as a "skit" or "sketch". Gags are the clown's written and rehearsed performances. They can take place in the ring (a ring gag or production gag), on the track (a track gag or a walkaround) or in the seats. They can be done solo, with the ringmaster, with other clowns or with audience volunteers. They have a beginning, middle and end, finishing with a "blow-off". Gag may also refer to the specialized or gimmicked props clowns may use.
Gags can use many different types of blow-off (ending), but some of the most popular are the confetti bucket, the long shirt, a pants drop or the time-honored "all clowns exit running" although contemporary indoor shows may end a clown gag with a simple blackout.
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