“it’s not really massive. It’s quite little really. You can actually see people’s faces in the tent which is nice. But of course you can still expect total chaos,” famous clown Tweedy tells me proudly when discussing his Massive Circus, which is coming to Oxfordshire soon.
Of course, because this is Tweedy after all, continually surrounded by mayhem wherever he and Keith, his faithful iron, go.
Except that this time it’s all of his own making, Tweedy ‘taking a break’ from Giffords, where he has captivated audiences for over a decade, with his very own Massive Circus in a well, little tent.
But why and how and what will it be like? So many questions. I mean, we know Tweedy has been branching out for some time into panto, Shakespeare (he played bottom in Midsummer Night’s Dream recently) and his own comedy shows, READ HIS BIG INTERVIEW HERE but a circus? An do I detect a hint of nerves in his famously strangled, reedy Scottish tones?
Well yes apparently, because it’s quite a big deal to be touring his own circus up and down the country without the comforting mantle of Giffords. And yet Tweedy was ready for a change and is really excited about Tweedy’s Massive Circus.
“It’s been on the cards for a while because I’ve been at Giffords for a long time. And while it’s been wonderful, it is a tough schedule with three shows a day at weekends, so when I was approached by Underbelly to start my own show, I couldn’t resist,” he tells me.
“Because I’ve been having a little play, and experimenting with different things, and thought it would be good to have a break. Not that I’ve had a break really although I did mow the lawn yesterday…..”
Instead he’s been crafting Tweedy’s Massive Circus, which is fairly self-explanatory: “Just think about Tweedy starting a circus and all the things that can go wrong,” he says.
“Which gives me the freedom to do whatever I like without any constraints, because it’s mine,” he giggles, “so we’re putting on a little circus and having a lot of fun with it.”
So what can we expect? “There is more theatricality and narrative, lots of circus skills and comedy – those were the key ingredients I wanted. The question was how to make it work,” he tells me.
But having recruited Sam Goodburn, Reuben Greeph and Loren O’Dair, who have lots of acting, acrobatics, aerialism and musical skills between them, Tweedy’s Massive Circus began to take shape.
And now the famous clown is raring to go: “This is the hard bit, the waiting, but as soon as I’m back in front of an audience I’ll be fine because I miss the laughter, so I can’t wait to get going and open the show. I’m chomping at the bit.”
“Because I need an audience. I need the laughs to find what works. What you think is hilarious in practice isn’t always he same in front of an audience, so we’ve had a few trial runs and chopped and changed it a bit, so it’s ready!” he promises.
“So I hope to see some of my regulars there but also some new faces, because you can’t beat watching it dawning on an adult that they’re enjoying it too,” Tweedy says beaming.
So will Tweedy go back to Giffords? “Oh I’m sure I’ll be back,” he grins, adding “I hope that sounded convincing. But we have had so much fun with this and it’s not that different really, just more time on stage with me, and of course Keith. I can’t go anywhere without him.”
Tweedy’s Massive Circus opens at Stratford-upon-Avon on May 24 and continues to Salisbury, Henley’s Culden Faw Estate in Oxfordshire on June 20 – 30, before hitting Cheltenham, Edinburgh and London until August 21. To book go to https://underbelly.co.uk/show/tweedys-massive-circus
