https://spitalfieldslife.com/2017/05/26/remembering-joseph-grimaldi-in-finsbury/ In the midst of life I woke to find myself living in an old house beside Brick Lane in the East End of London Fri, 26 May 2017 14:37:08 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://spitalfieldslife.com/2017/05/26/remembering-joseph-grimaldi-in-finsbury/#comment-1151308 Fri, 26 May 2017 14:37:08 +0000 http://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=157854#comment-1151308 Poor old Grimaldi, abused by his own son, suffered ill health and was destitute when he died after a night of hefty drinking, could barely walk having to sit down on the stage for his last performances, but still he had the will to perform, treating his audience to nights of fun and laughter. I wonder if it is through him that we have the saying “Laugh or we will cry”. Nice to know Joseph Grimaldi is still appreciated to this day with clowns of all ages performing at his grave side. From my childhood I was not one for appreciating clowns, unfortunately their faces and attire terrified me when I saw them at the circus, they made me recede rather than open up with laughter, however; recently I went to the circus where the clowns were in full swing and for the first time in my life they actually made me laugh. I ‘nose tis’ Grimaldi did not wear the red round nose so familiar with modern clowns. It is a shame we have no film or sound recording of his performances as I would like to know just how different his stage act was to the clowns we have today.
ENJOY your 180th Anniversary next week

]]> https://spitalfieldslife.com/2017/05/26/remembering-joseph-grimaldi-in-finsbury/#comment-1151260 Fri, 26 May 2017 07:01:20 +0000 http://spitalfieldslife.com/?p=157854#comment-1151260 Lots of colour on colourful people that’s the clown. they are all part of show business whether in the big top or on the streets and park venues of London. They all have their individual acts with outrageously large trousers, special bits of kit, above all they do like to fall-over in the circus ring. Children scream with joy at their antics by these gifted funny-people. Clowns do provide in between warm up’s before for the main acts. The community of clowns and their friends do valuable work for charity, long may the funny-people tradition continue. They are my sort of people. Poet John – PS it can take them an hour or so to prepare for a show with costume and make up and having the mind set of a clown, they are different then-clowns lets go.

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