A Manual For Clowns & Street Theater Direct Actions

A MANUAL FOR CLOWNS & STREET THEATER & DIRECT ACTIONS
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A MANUAL FOR
CLOWNS & STREET THEATER
DIRECT ACTIONS
This document is the middle ground much more political than THE BOOK OF ALL
GAMES. It has been compiled from different clown and theater workshops given since 2008
in Germany, Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Mongolia, Japan, China, Vietnam, Laos, Kazakhstan,
Serbia, Turkey, Israel, Palestine and counting...
A separate manual is available for Rebel Clown Basic Traiings, but because that should not
fall into the clutches of less serious or more dangerous characters . . . it must be protected
wiith our entire noses! We'd rather visit you and pass on the knowledge in the time-honoured
tradition of living together in a small space and only playing games, for 3 days in a row!
For me, it's important to offer the basic skills useful for affinity groups that work creatively on
the streets, whether they choose to use clowning, drums, theater or any other form of street
actions. Just get out there and do something!
For a Rebel Clown Basic Training, a stilt performance workshop, a streettheater-action workshop, or a group-building workshop for a school or any
other group, really, write to
kaerunotaisoo@gmail.com
Brigadier Generally Soapy
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last updated 10 March 2014
Table of Contents
Workshop Overview...................................................................................................................................3
Each day ( after the first meeting)....................................................................................................3
Basic Elements for a Workshop........................................................................................................3
Helpful hints for trainers............................................................................................................................5
Translations.......................................................................................................................................5
The purpose of this workshop...........................................................................................................5
Agenda presentation.........................................................................................................................5
Reactions of participants...................................................................................................................5
Quick Decision Making.............................................................................................................................6
Gaggles & Huddles...........................................................................................................................6
Programmed Clown Huddle.............................................................................................................6
Police Hassle line..............................................................................................................................6
Church of Stop Something ........................................................................................................................7
Brainstorm: Direct action.................................................................................................................8
History of direct action.....................................................................................................................9
Videos of CIRCA actions..................................................................................................................9
Hopes and Fears discussion.......................................................................................................................9
Non-violence & Violence.........................................................................................................................10
Non-violence spectrogram..............................................................................................................10
Basic democracy, meetings and consensus..............................................................................................11
Introduction to the theme................................................................................................................11
Why use consensus?.......................................................................................................................11
Positive things about consensus......................................................................................................12
When not to use consensus.............................................................................................................12
How to prepare an action.........................................................................................................................14
Tasks before the action...................................................................................................................14
Tasks during an action ..................................................................................................................14
Tasks after the action .....................................................................................................................15
Briefing and realization of action...................................................................................................15
Debriefing after action and evaluation...........................................................................................15
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Workshop Overview
This overview is intentionally not broken down into specific time blocks.
The orginal CIRCA Basic Training in England was 4 days. However, many trainings in Germany are 2
and half days: Friday afternoon, all day Saturday and Sunday. In Japan, there was the need to create
trainings over several week days and with a final summary and action.
This overview describes the basic principles and disciplines of rebel clowning. Because each topic
builds upon the next, it is helpful to give any workshop in this order of events. Some important games
are listed; however, in THE BOOK OF ALL GAMES (which is constantly being revised), there are
more games to enrich longer workshops.
Each day ( after the first meeting)

Start: Warm-up, Focus of this day
End: Review, Evaluation, Questions
Basic Elements for a Workshop

1) Introduction to the workshop
- Translations?
- Welcome / Thanking to the organisation
- Personal introductions
2) Introduction to Rebel Clowning
- Brainstorm: What is a clown?
- History of Clowning
- Explanation of CIRCA
- (Videos / Photos)
3) Name games
4) Physical warm-up
- Rubber chicken
4.5) Group building Games
5) Body Contact & Trust Games
- Blind walking
6) Spontaneity & Emotions Games

- Pass the clap
- Let us... No / Yes but / Yes and / Yes and do
it!
- Changing names
- Hassle Lines
7) Group Awareness & Bouffoon Games
- Seeking eye-contact
- Fishing
- Socking
8) Release your inner clown Games
- Mirroring
- Yippie!
- Musical Noses
- Props improvisation
9) Clown Logic
- Playing situations: Activist vs. Clown
- The story of the bouffoon
- Clowns Awakening
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This theoretical block is helpful for a gaggle but not essential for clowning.
10) Non-direct and Direct action (optional)
11) Non-violence & Violence (optional)
- spectrogram
12) Hopes and Fears discussion (optional)
13) Basic democracy, meetings and consensus (optional)
14) Quick Decision Making
- Signs
- Huddles / Programmed Clown Huddle
17) Action & Reflection
15) Preparing an action

- Gaggles, Buddies, Safety
19) Networking / Future Meetings and Actions
18) Workshop Review / Evaluation
20) Training Trainers (optional)
16) Marching & Games

- ate least Block 1
The aim of this workshop is to build a group of people who respect each other and are able to work
together. Hopefully a new gaggle will result. Helping to build a network between the new clowns is
essential for future actions.
All the above games and notations are basics important for clowning, but every good and fun
workshop should have more games. Remember to spice up long theoretical blocks with some get-upand-get-crazy games from
THE BOOK OF ALL GAMES (can I hear a Hallelujah!?)
Helpful hints for trainers
5 / 16
The following texts may help you explain different aspects of the workshop.
Translations needed?
If you dont understand something, make an L with your hand and I will try to rephrase it. If you need
permanent translation, sit next to translator. OK to do it simultaniously?
The purpose of this workshop

Explain why you're doing the workshop. For instance:
The purpose of this workshop is to give you an introduction to rebel clowning. A form of action
that combines the ancient art of clowning with modern forms of direct action.
For this group I have chosen a workshop program that gives good balance between basic clowning
techniques and techniques applied in non-violent direct action.
Ideally the outcome of this workshop would be that from this group of people, an affinity group
is created trained into the methods and tactics of rebel clowning and ready to perform a self-organised
action on the streets or in a public environment.
Agenda presentation
Summarize the workshop for the participants.
One possible presentation for a street-actions workshop:
(Today) the focus is on creating a positive group atmosphere that allows you to be your self.
We willwork on spontaneity, building self-confidence and we will try to find your inner clown. All this in
a cooperative manner and a non competitive atmosphere.
(Tomorrow) we will focus on the concept of direct action and non-violence. We will work on
how to operate both as a group and as an individual in an action environment. I will introduce methods
on how to make quick decisions during actions.
(The third day) well go deeper on how to prepare an action. We will work on the preparation of
a concrete action. And you will have the opportunity to apply all the things learned in a real action!
Reactions of participants
Exercises that were not clear?
Going to fast or too slow?
What have you learned?
Was the workshop useful?
Was the workshop inspiring?
What did you liked the most?
What did you like the least?
Expectation for the following days?

Any other remarks?
Feel free to come and talk with me on any issue
you like during the week!Some
reflection
and peptalk for half-way through
6 / 16
At some point in the workshop, the trainer may want to give a little peptalk, something like this:
At this point we have been training and stimulating our stupidity. We have tried to grasp concepts
such as direct action and basic democracy. And we have tried to explore how clowning could be
combined with direct action. For some of you these concepts may be familiar, for other they are not.
Some of you might find themselves well on the roads towards uncovering their inner clown. Others
might have realized they will need to invest a lot more time to explore their inner clown. It is
understandable that some of you may feel that they are receiving a lot or even too much information in
a short period. In any case, try not to get demotivated. Things may become clear later on just by
letting it sink into your mind or discussing issues with other people days and weeks after this
workshop has finished.
Quick Decision Making
Gaggles & Huddles

During an action you wont have the time to have long meetings when for example you have to decide
about staying on an action or not while police is arresting people. Thats why there is Quick Decision
Making. You form a huddle as a group (stand in a small circle, ass to the back and head in the middle,
very close to each other) and keep a lookout for people bothering the huddle. It may be helpful to
choose a watcher beforehand for the entire action.
Location is vital: Make a huddle in a place where you have some privacy and from where you can
escape quickly.
Quick decision making goes like this:
1. Take off noses. (return to being activists)
2. Who is facilitating? (usually the person who called the huddle) Who is watching?
3. Is everybody OK?
4. What is the situation/problem?
5. Proposals + hand signs
6. Consensus? Objections? Other proposals?
7. Facilitator repeats the decision.
8. Ready? Noses! Action!
Programmed Clown Huddle

Description
People have to make a huddle and to decide on which animal they will imitate as a group or
individuals, to distract the police, for example.
Purpose
Description
Make quick decisions in a limited timePolice
Hassle line
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* Split the group in half, and make two lines, facing each other, so each person has a partner in
the opposite line. The exercise is one-on-one, dont get into group discussions.
* Take one line to one side (or into another room). Explain them the role they have to play (f.e.
policmen, press, passant, ) Check if everyone understands the role.
* The other line are clown-activists protesting against/for something (invent a situation) Their aim
is to clown with the person across from them in the other line.
* When the groups are facing each other again, tell them to start the discussion.
* After 2 mins talking, you should stop the discussions. Be sure everybody gets out of his/her role
by asking them to explain their partner their favourite fruit, last party, favourite underwear, or
something else.
* Take 2 mins to de-brief with their partner about what went well, what made it easy to clown,
was the clowning effective, where you aware of body language, ...
* For the next role-play, one line should move along, so each person has a new partner.
* Feed back in a big circle after the third hassle-line, to draw out specific points. Emphasise the
need for clear thought and clowning.
Purpose
Try out clown-interventions in a safe space
Practical try out of confrontation with police, press, people in the street,
Finding a/your way to do clown-activism
Church of Stop Something & the gospel choir
- like in a southern revival, one person preaches the evils of something and all others shout
things like amen / hallelujah / you tell 'em / i hear ya / etc.
- The preacher might place his or her hand on the forhead of another clown/actor and praise
that the person has stopped shopping / drinking (at starbucks) / eating (at mcdonalds) / etc.
- The preacher might catch the spirit and start shaking on the ground, so all clowns/actors pick
him up into the air.
- The gospel choir can be trained beforehand or improvised by repeating the preacher's lines.
For ex. Stop shopping, mmhhm, stop shopping! / Moving on by, not going in . . .
Be creative!
(inspired by The Church of Stop Shopping, New York City)
8 / 16
Non-direct and Direct action

Brainstorm: Direct action
Do a brainstorm for a few minutes. Write everything on a paper
Have people questions about certain words. The people that came up with the word can clarify now.
Direct action or not?
Present the group with some example of actions. People may decide whether the action is direct or
non-direct action by standing on side of the room.
Examples
o
against goldmining
o
occupation of the university by students (Like in Greece)
o
lobbying for an alternative road
o
anti-war demonstration
o
Clowns blocking a highway to prevent international delegations from reaching the G8 summit
o
to sabotage a bulldozer building a new highway
o
spreading out leaflets
o
Stopping a train with war material for the war in Iraq
o
Clown soldiers entering an army recruiting centre to join up with the army
o
Entering the entrance hall of the ministry of foreign affairs to do symbolically replace the
minister of foreign affairs and doing a press conference there to let it be known to the public.
o
strike in a company
o
hacking a website
Evaluation
It is not always clear whether an action is direct or not. It depends a bit on the definition you apply.
Direct action: Meaning & Purpose
The way how the definition of direct action should be formulated is open to discussion.
If symbolical actions/petitions/demonstration/creative actions/ are not enough or not effective
enough, then you can lift up your voice by non-violent direct action.
Direct actions means that you dont observe things passively, but that you use a powerful
action-strategy: a strike, forest-occupations, blocking a war-train It is not about pushing people
about your rightness, or shut someones mouth. It is about interfering in a situation, being heard en
going for an open dialogue.
A hard definition if the participants are really asking for it (from Wikipedia): Direct action is a
method and a theory of stopping objectionable practices or creating more favourable conditions using
immediately available means. More generally, direct action is the act of establishing desired conditions
using various means, techniques, methodologies, procedures, policies, or processes.
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Things that are not clear?

History of direct action
If applying the previous general definition one could state that direct actions have existed as
long as there have been conflicts. However, theories on direct action have been developed since the
beginning of the 20th century. Initially direct action referred to the struggle between workers and
employers for control. Strikes and Sabotage where amongst the tactics being used by workers.
In India you had Mahatma Gandhi being one of the leaders in the struggle for independence
from British colonialism. Famous are the salt march to dandi and the Quit India Movement.
In the sixties direct actions were carried out by the civil rights movement in the US. Martin
Luther King was one of the leading figures in this struggle defending the rights of black people in the
US. One of the most famous examples is blacks taking a seat in the front of the bus while this was
actually forbidden by law.
In the nineties there was the Zapatista movement with subcommandante Marcos as its
anonymous spokesperson.
1999, The blockading of the WTC summit in Seattle
2005, affinity group actions blockading the roads leading to Gleneagles where the G8 summit
took place.
Videos of CIRCA actions
you might search these examples on youtube
o
Zapatista military base take-over
o
Goldfeaver-action in Belgium 2005
o
Clown Blockade during the G8 in Scotland in 2005
o
Student Protests in Germany 2008\2009
Evaluation and Reactions
o
Any reactions?
o
Were the actions inspiring?
o
Where the actions Effective / Useful?
Hopes and Fears discussion

This discussion will evolve on the issue what people hope to achieve with using rebel clowning.
How do they see non-violent direct action and clowning being combined?
How do they see these hopes being accomplished?
What are peoples fears?
How would you overcome these fears?
10 / 16
Non-violence & Violence

Non-violence spectrogram
This is used to show the diversity of views on what is violence and non-violence. The second axis
effective - not effective makes people also think in practical (as well as ideological) terms about their
action choices.
It can be important to discuss these ideas with people before you go on an action. During an action it
may be too late!
Place the sign "nonviolent" at one end of the room.
Place the sign "violent" at the other end.
Place the sign "useful" on one free wall.
Place the sign "useless" on the last wall.
Explain that you will give a series of examples- people should think about whether they feel it is
nonviolent or violent, and also whether they find it useful, personally. There might be reasons that they
would find a violent thing useful, or find a nonviolent thing useless.
It is the idea to take a space somewhere between these extremes. The closer you are to the wall, the
more extreme your position.
Examples:
o
Trespassing a military base (like in Mexico).
o
Cutting the fence of a factory.
o
Painting a political message on a McDonalds.
o
Throwing a molo into a tax office.
o
Removing flags of a political party from the fence. They are representing some ideology that
you dont agree with.
o
The police are arresting homeless for picking up cans. You jump over the wall of a
supermarket and take cans (and food) out of the trash, and give them to the homeless, so that
they can sell the metal and eat the food. (this is an example from Japan)
o
A loudspeaker on a car is shouting all foriegners go home! You follow the car and when no
one is inside that night, you set the car on fire.
o
Pushing police officer in order to break through their line and go to block the tracks of the
nuclear waste transport.
o
Screaming Asshole! You hurt me! at a police person who grabbed you.
o
Building a human fence to prevent people from entering a bank, where they work. You touch
no one.
o
In a public place, a person who harrassed someone in the group was asked to leave the area.
The person has returned and threatened another person. After discussions turn to pushing, 5
people grab the person and physical move him across the street.
11 / 16
You're with a group in a train. Your friend who has darker skin sits with her shoes on the seat,
next to you. The conductor comes, doesn't look at her, and asks you if she speaks our
language and if you could tell her to take her shoes off the seat.
People come to a youth hostel and the owner shouts to one person with darker skin, with joy,
Wow, you are black!
When people have taken a place, summarize the positions in the room, and ask a few people to
explain their position, and why they are standing there. Ask people to begin My name is I am
standing people a chance to move when they hear the reasons of other people.
You don't have to do all the examples.
Evaluation
For evaluation, do a go-round for people to say briefly what they learned from the activity.
Some discussion can follow.
Basic democracy, meetings and consensus

Introduction to the theme
We have been discussing on the rationalities that will always play a role when you are carrying out an
action, whether you act as a clown or not. We discussed about the practice of non-violent direct action
and the feelings, our hopes and fears in particular that accompany this concept.
Now we will continue to pay attention to the realities of political action. These include finding a
common goal, agreeing on ideological issues and the means used during an action or handling with
unexpected or potential dangerous situations during actions. But before we start running ahead of
things we will start with a game.
Play the Pizza Game.
Now we will introduce a consensus decision making model which also has some drawbacks (it takes
time, and it takes practice and a bit of discipline), but can end up with a stronger decision.
Why use consensus?
Consensus Decision Making is a system of reaching decisions that is widely regarded as one of the
most participative and empowering processes available to activist groups.
Many activists working for peace, the environment and social justice regard consensus as essential to
their work. They believe that the methods for achieving change need to match their goals and visions
of a free, nonviolent, egalitarian society. Consensus is also a way of building community, trust, a
sense of security and mutual support important in times of stress and emergency.
12 / 16
- When used properly, Consensus is participative and fully democratic. It not only encourages, but
actually requires everyone to take an active part in the decision making process unlike conventional
democratic systems in which we give our power to others to wield on our behalf.
- Consensus actively discourages domination on account of gender, race, sexuality or any of the other
'usual' -isms.
- The quality of a consensus decision should be better. Groups using consensus are attempting to find
winwin solutions to their problems. They try to synthesise the best of all the group's proposals into a
decision that everyone is happy to implement, thus avoiding isolating and alienating minorities.
- Consensus is also task orientated it's a decision making process, and therefore by definition about
making effective decisions.
Consensus, on the other hand, is a more creative way of reaching a decision. It is a process where no
decision can be reached unless all present are willing to accept it. Consensus, in theory, is the product
of everybody's best thinking and places priority on the cohesion and stability of the group rather than
arriving at quick answer - it can be slow and arduous, acknowledging that a problem for one member
of the group is a problem for the whole group. However, if minorities are listened to, not only is the end
decision often better than that which a majority would have swiftly imposed, the decision is more likely
to receive widespread support upon implementation.
The number one requirement for consensus is the commitment of every single member of the group to
make it work. Strong and impartial facilitation to keep the process on track and focused is also very
important.
> Positive things about consensus
- everyone has a chance to participate, and have their opinions taken into account
- can avoid domination by one person or a few individuals
- can reach more creative solutions as everyone is listened to
- everyone can agree to the decision, so that they are more likely to follow it up
- it is an example of the sort of society that we are trying to create
> When not to use consensus
- When there is no group in mind
A group thinking process cannot work effectively unless the group is cohesive enough to generate
shared attitudes and perceptions. When deep divisions exist within a group's bonding over their
individual desires, consensus becomes and exercise in frustration.
- When there are no good choicesConsensus process can help a group find the best possible solution
to a problem, but it is not an effective way to make an either-or choice between evils, for members will
never be able to agree which is worse. If the group has to choose between being shot and hung, flip a
coin.
13 / 16
When a group gets bogged down trying to make a decision, stop for a moment and consider: Are we
blocked because we are given an intolerable situation? Are we being given the illusion, but not the
reality, of choice? Might our most empowering act be to refuse to participate in this farce?
- When they can see the whites of your eyes
In emergencies, in situations where urgent and immediate action is necessary, appointing a temporary
leader may be the wisest course of action.
- When the issue is trivial
I have known groups to devote half and hour to trying to decide by consensus whether to spend forty
minutes or a full hour at lunch. Remember consensus is a thinking process - where there is nothing to
think about, flip a coin.
- When the group has insufficient information
When you're lost in the hills, and no one knows the way home, you cannot figure out how to get there
by consensus. Send out scouts.
Ask: Do we have the information we need to solve this problem? Can we get it?
Many more methods are contained in the attached document

consensus
from www.seedsforchange.org.uk
14 / 16
How to prepare an action

Workshop = Strategy of how to organise an action
Every step is one (or more) big flysheets. During every step you write the brainstorm/info/ on the
flysheets.
WHY? - goals of the action
brainstorm goals of action (list in head = stimulus)
WHAT? - which actionform
brainstorm actionform (list in head = stimulus)
WHERE & WHEN? - actionscenario and practical preparations
Explanation about Where (meetingpoint for activists, actionplace, meetingpoint for press) and when
(hour for: activist-meeting, start action, end action, press-meeting)
exercise:
o
divide in groups of 3 till 5, take paper and pen
o
choose 1 theme, goal, actionform
o
hour to write down a complete actionscenario (detailed)
o
present to eachother (briefing): clear?, questions?
o
remarks, evaluation, things to add, tips...
o
(> Dont forget to have an emergency-scenario for some actions!)
WHO? - dividing tasks for the action: before, during, after
Tasks before the action
o Press-responsible
o Material-responsible
o Research/spotter
o Food & drinks-responsible
o Mobilasation & Pormotion working-group
o Preparation of briefing
Police-responsible
Creative working-group
First Aid-responsible
Legal stuff-responsible
Tasks during an action

o police speaker (should not make decisions for the group, but be communication chanel...)
o security guard/employee speaker (they can sometimes get more angry!)
o press speaker, and people to follow up press work after the action (press speakers should pick
maximum 3 arguments or 20 seconds each, and just repeat them...)
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
15 / 16
people for specific "action roles": locking on, climbing, holding banners, spreading flyers, talking to
public, street theatre, collecting signatures etc. (This should be made more detailed depending on
the action scenario.)
observer (stays outside of the action and watches the action from a distance, to keep in contact
with homebase)
Homebase
guardian angels/buddies/close support for arrestables (for example to feed people who are locked
on, to block security guards so people can climb a ladder safely, etc. may risk arrest)
photographer (get closer to the action than the observer)
coordinator/choreographer if you're doing an action focussed on getting press attention, it can be
good to have someone who makes sure everyone is standing in the "right" place, banners etc.
Someone to give briefing / facilitate evaluation
Drivers and other logistic support (food, bringing or setting up action materials etc.)
First aider
Stewards/security
Tasks after the action

o Debriefing
o Police follow-up
o Transport
o Case follow-up
Material-responsible
Press follow-up
Legal follow-up
Briefing and realization of action

o scenario
o phone number (homebase/lawyer/
o materialcheck
> illustrate with examples from previous actions
division of tasks
o agreements
briefing press
Debriefing after action and evaluation

o (different) go-round(s) about emotional feelings, informative info and evaluation info
o Did we reach our goal?
o Did we choose the right actionform?
o follow up
o What can be better next time?
16 / 16
Alphabetical Index
Attention.............................................................................................................................................11, 15
Basic democracy, meetings and consensus..............................................................................................11
Church of Stop Something & the gospel choir..........................................................................................7
Clown............................................................................................................................................1, 5-9, 11
Consensus.......................................................................................................................................6, 11-13
Decision making.............................................................................................................................6, 11, 12
Democracy...............................................................................................................................................11
Emotion....................................................................................................................................................15
Focus..............................................................................................................................................5, 12, 15
Gaggles & Huddles....................................................................................................................................6
Gospel choir ..............................................................................................................................................7
Hand signs..................................................................................................................................................6
Helpful hints for trainers............................................................................................................................5
Hopes and Fears discussion.......................................................................................................................9
How to prepare an action.........................................................................................................................14
No.................................................................................................................................................10, 12, 13
Non-violence & Violence.........................................................................................................................10
Non-violence spectrogram.......................................................................................................................10
Peptalk....................................................................................................................................................5, 6
Police....................................................................................................................................6, 7, 10, 14, 15
Programmed Clown Huddle.......................................................................................................................6
Quick decision........................................................................................................................................5, 6
Quick Decision Making.............................................................................................................................6
Spontaneity.................................................................................................................................................5
Theater.......................................................................................................................................................1
Translations................................................................................................................................................5
Trust..........................................................................................................................................................11

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A MANUAL FOR CLOWNS & STREET THEATER & DIRECT ACTIONS