She studied classical piano and trained as a theatre director, but when Diana Kolpak saw the clown duo Mump and Smoot in Toronto, she was inspired by what they were able to convey through comedy.

She started studying with the B次元官网网址榗omic horror clowns,B次元官网网址� and discovered that clowning provided a way to combine her talents of performing, singing, writing and designing costumes.

B次元官网网址淚 think clowns are among the most subversive art forms,B次元官网网址� said Kolpak, who loved watching Red Skelton when she was a child. B次元官网网址淵ou can get away with saying serious things while making people laugh. ThatB次元官网网址檚 what clown is about to me, telling the truth, holding up a mirror to society and telling the truth, some of which we donB次元官网网址檛 want to see, in a way that people will laugh at but then later on will think, B次元官网网址榃ell, that was really serious.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�

Like her 15-minute piece, Perfect, where she performed liposuction on herself at the International Festival of Women Clowns (Clownin) in Vienna. Afterward in the lobby, a young man told her the solo piece was his festival favourite because it was serious but funny at the same time.

B次元官网网址淚 said thank you because thatB次元官网网址檚 exactly what I wanted to do,B次元官网网址� said Kolpak, who was the first Canadian to perform at Clownin.

Born and raised in Lethbridge, Alta., Kolpak spent many years in Toronto before moving to the Comox Valley last year. She studied at McGill University in Montreal, and earned a masterB次元官网网址檚 in directing from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Kolpak feels that clowns are a B次元官网网址減owerful archetype in our psyches.B次元官网网址� She likens them to court jesters B次元官网网址� the only ones who could get away with speaking the truth to royalty.

On stage, she said thereB次元官网网址檚 a magic that happens at the intersection between the performer and the audience.

B次元官网网址淐lown makes my dreams come true,B次元官网网址� Kolpak said. B次元官网网址淲hen you put on that little red nose, or assume the character, the audience goes with you.

B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 a power in clowning,B次元官网网址� she added. B次元官网网址淵ou have to be responsible with it as a performer.B次元官网网址�

In February, she made her Comox Valley debut with her musical Blue, which she performed solo at Artful: The Gallery in Courtenay.

Some of her performances use a cast. The Gorgonetrevich Corps de Ballet Nationale in B次元官网网址楤ethanyB次元官网网址檚 GateB次元官网网址�, for instance, had a cast of eight.

B次元官网网址淒epends on the project,B次元官网网址� Kolpak said. B次元官网网址淚 follow my gut to the next project. Sometimes itB次元官网网址檚 theatre, sometimes itB次元官网网址檚 a short story, sometimes itB次元官网网址檚 a poem, sometimes itB次元官网网址檚 a full-on production.B次元官网网址�

SheB次元官网网址檚 always looking for partners to do something fun and creative with art.

B次元官网网址淐razy ideas are great, letB次元官网网址檚 see what we can do with that.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址擲cott Stanfield, special to the Comox Valley Record

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