Early in my career I had to learn to deal with high temperatures during performances.
There are three reasons for learning to deal with the heat. First, an entertainer passing out from heat exhaustion or sunstroke is not funny. Second, you cannot give your best performance if you are not in good physical condition. Third, if audience members like your character they will become concerned if you seem to be getting too hot. They cannot relax and enjoy your entertainment if they are worried about you.
I toured with the Carson & Barnes Circus when they got the first vinyl circus tent in America. The vinyl did not breathe so it could get very hot inside during summer matinees. Then I appeared at Raging Waters for eleven seasons. I worked six days a week between Memorial Day and Labor Day. I performed nearly forty hours a week. Often the temperature was in the nineties. Here is how I learned to deal with that.
Hydrate
Most people know that during hot weather you have to be careful to stay hydrated. That means drink plenty of fluids. I knew where every drinking fountain was at Raging Waters. When I passed one, I would stop to get a drink. I also kept something to drink in my dressing room. I would be sure to drink something during a break.
The type of fluid that you drink is important. Caffeine causes your body to retain heat. Caffeine can be addictive so you don’t have to eliminate it entirely. Abruptly stopping caffeine intake can cause headaches. Instead, switch to noncaffeinated drinks during the hottest part of the day and consume caffeine in the morning and evening.
Replace electrolytes and calories
If all you do is drink water you can develop medical problems because you dilute your blood stream. I learned that the hard way one season. It can be a particular problem with sodium. You are losing sodium when you sweat. If your blood is diluted you may not have a high enough sodium level to maintain your physical awareness. Hyper sodium can cause other life-threatening results.
You can drink sports drinks to replace your electrolytes. However, that is not a complete solution.
When I was appearing at Raging Waters, my doctor told me that it was important to eat during the day. For one thing, sport drinks do not supply everything that you may need. Eating will slow down the absorption of liquids so you gradually rehydrate during the day. Also, if you don’t slow down absorption by eating, you may have to urinate more often which deprives your body of the fluids that it needs. I kept cheese and crackers or peanut butter and crackers in my dressing room. Every time that I passed it, I would stop to get something to eat. That way I knew that I was getting at least some protein. During my scheduled meal breaks, I made sure to eat something from the park concession stand.
You have to eat enough to replace the calories that you are burning during performance. You have to eat enough to have maintain your energy.
Some performers say you should not eat in makeup and costume. One reason that sometimes is given is that destroys the fantasy that you are a real clown. First, everyone over the age of eight knows that you are a person playing the role of a clown. Also, those who advocate an eating ban are inconsistent because they perform routines about eating.
Another reason given for not eating is that it might ruin your makeup. Do not be afraid of your makeup. If you apply it properly, it is very durable. When I toured with circuses, I learned to take a nap between shows while wearing my makeup. I never had to touch it up after waking. At Raging Waters, I would sometimes put on an old-fashioned swimsuit and go into the water with the guests. Women would stare at me wondering why my makeup did not run. The only effect swimming had was that the heavily chlorinated water would bleach out the red enough. I could tell the difference, but nobody commented on it. I had to eat my meals while in makeup. On the circus, I sometimes ate dinner standing outside the performers entrance. There were very few meals that I could not eat. Remember that grease removes makeup so things like buttered corn on the cob and fried chicken are not good choices while in makeup. I could eat most other foods. Sometimes what I ate would remove makeup from the inner edge of my lips, but nobody ever noticed.
Part of the reason for concern about makeup quality is caused by different standards. Clowns usually see their makeup in a nearby mirror. The makeup of participants in the hobby of competitive clowning are studied from nearby while not moving. Audience members almost never see you that close. They see you from a distance and don’t notice little details or flaws. Also, they see you generally while you are moving. They get an impression of what your makeup design looks like but are unaware of details.
I am amazed by their lack of perception. When I first created a tramp makeup design, I added a large blue teardrop to distinguish myself from other tramp clowns. The people that I worked with closely at Raging Waters tended to see me five days a week throughout the summer. Often, after working together for several years, somebody would ask me why I had added a teardrop to my makeup that day. They were amazed when I told them that I always had a teardrop. They had seen me hundreds of times, but never noticed my teardrop.
Jackie LeClaire said, “If there is a flaw in your makeup, just smile a little broader and dance a little faster.”
Clothing Choices
Jeff McMullen said, “Don’t think of what you wear as your costume. That implies that you are pretending. Think of it as your clothing.”
Your clothing is not your character. It is an expression of your character. You can change the clothes you wear while clowning and still be the same character. It is just like you change your other clothes and still be the same personality. Wear clown clothes that are appropriate for the weather. (It works the other way as well. I was working outdoors on a rainy day so I wore a raincoat over Charlie’s clothes and substituted rain boots for my clown shoes.)
I learned the best type of clothing to wear on hot days by observing clothing worn by people living in hot climates.
Wear a hat, particularly one with a wide brim, to shade your head and face. That will keep you cooler. It also will block direct sunlight from hitting your eyes. That is especially helpful if you do not wear sunglasses in order to make eye contact with audience members.
Loose fitting clothing that allows air circulation helps you remain cooler.
Wear long light-colored sleeves that reflect the sunlight.
During my last year working at Raging Waters, I learned that entertainers at other amusement parks had started wearing cooling vests under their clothing. These were vests with pockets for freezer gel packs. The reports that I got was that these kept your body temperature much lower. I moved to a cooler climate so I have never used them personally.
Water is your friend.
It takes energy (heat) to evaporate water. Anything that you do to provide water to be evaporated will lower your body temperature. Often, I would dampen the top of my hair before donning my hat when I was getting ready to go out into the sun. Wearing a damp bandana around your neck will also keep you cooler.
I have worked in venues where they have misting fans to help the guests lower their body temperature on hot days. When I worked at Raging Waters, I often carried a squirt bottle filled with water. In the admissions area, where people were lined up in the hot sun, I would offer to cool guests down by spraying water on the back of their neck. I made sure that my face was sprayed once in a while. Sometimes kids would offer to spray me after I had cooled them down. If somebody seemed reluctant to have me spray them, I demonstrated that it was just water by spraying my face. Not only does spraying your face cool you down, but it helps wash away salt deposited by perspiration.
Blot Your Face
If perspiration drips into your eyes the salt it contains can cause a stinging feeling. When I was performing at the World Expo in Nagoya, I noticed that the local citizens would frequently blot their faces with small terry cloth towels. The souvenir stands were selling seven-inch square towels depicting the two Expo mascots. I purchased one of them. When I was performing in the amphitheater, I stopped during my show, pulled out the towel and blotted my face. When the audience recognized that I was following their example, I got a lot of laughter and applause. Now I keep that towel in my pocket whenever I am performing on a hot day. Remember don’t wipe your face. Blot it.
Use Sun Screen
Use sun screen on any exposed skin. Blocking the sun’s rays will not only prevent sun burn, but it keeps your skin a little cooler.
Do not forget your face. When I was working at Raging Waters, I noticed that my face would get blotchy half way through the season. Eventually I realized that the blotches were shaped like my makeup design. Different colors of makeup block varying amounts of sun. White blocks it almost entirely. Red barely blocks it. I discovered that it was important to put sun screen on my nose. As long as sun screen is not oily, you can apply it over your makeup. (You might be able to apply it prior to your makeup as well. I have not tried that.) Leon McBryde’s ProFace brand Auguste makeup contains sun screen.
Look for Shade
When I am doing strolling or atmosphere entertainment, I have to spend some time performing in the sun. However, I look for spaces that provide shade. I may do two sets of routines in the sun, and then do a set of routines in the shade before returning to the sun.
Take Breaks
It is important to take a cool down break if you realize that you are getting too hot. When I am doing strolling entertainment at a festival, I will find a quiet shady spot out of the way. I drink a bottle of water, perhaps have a snack, and fan myself off. Sometimes I spray a little water on my face. A short break can make a big difference.
I have created a comedy routine with a break away fan. It works when I fan off a child, but it falls apart when I try to use it on myself. Then I hand it to a child, and it works when they fan me. That gives me a little relief while performing. Then I use that fan to cool myself off during breaks. Sometimes I carry a small battery powered fan in my prop case.
When I performed at Raging Waters, I could take unscheduled breaks by going into the Operations Managers Office which was air conditioned. I would sit in front of the air conditioner for a few minutes to cool down.
During a stage show, you can pause to drink water or to spray your face with water. You can turn that into a joke. However, if you simply pause briefly to take care of yourself it reassures the audience and they can relax and enjoy everything else that you do.
Conclusion
It is a cliché to say there is a reason they tell you on an airline to put on oxygen mask on yourself before assisting other passengers. However, it is true that if you do not take care of yourself, you cannot take care of others. Do what you can to prevent problems and you will be better able to entertain your audience.
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