Why You should Never Forget Your Trousers

: Image by ronwooduk via Flickr

I like to think I’m quite an organised person. Perhaps given the very varied nature of my business and taking into account all of the different things I do then personal organisation is important. As one half of Jolly Good Productions I am always taking out different equipment, props and costumes according to whichever of our various shows or workshops we happen to be doing on any particular day. This involves a lot of unloading and reloading. I’m sure I’m not alone when it comes to leading a busy life. Most of the time I get it right but every now and again I manage to drop myself in it as they say.

One of my most embarrassing moments occurred whilst providing children’s entertainment at an event organised for the families and friends of staff at a regional hospital. It was quite a big do with lots of people and what seemed like hundreds of children. I’d arrived in plenty of time, brought in all of my stuff and set up in the function room. They had asked me for my Chuckle The Clown Show followed after the break by Punch and Judy.

As my Punch and Judy booth is very large I often use it as a changing room. I can hang up my costume and relax inside out of the way before the show. I had taken my clown costume to the cleaners as I like to make a good impression. I do like a nice clean costume. So my costume was hanging up in its plastic bag, straight from the cleaners, ready to be put on at the last minute. I did my make up and waited for the room to fill up. About five minutes before I was due to make my big entrance I took my costume out of its plastic bag and was utterly horrified to find – NO TROUSERS!!! I must have assumed the trousers were on the coat hanger when they were taken to cleaners and I didn’t check when I went to collect. What a silly billy!

I had two choices. Either explain to the organisers that I couldn’t do my clown act and say it would have to be just Punch and Judy or I’d have to go on without trousers. Now fortunately I do wear special comedy clown knickers ( only when performing of course ). They are like a silly pair of shorts which come down to my knees ( and I am wearing normal undies under them ) so all was not lost.

I did the only decent thing and carried on regardless. I did my entire clown show with no trousers. The audience certainly seemed to be having a good time. The show rolled along as usual with lots of audience participation, fun and laughter. Perhaps they thought that this was my usual appearance or that I’d done it to for laughs. I’ll never know and They’ll never know that in addition to my red nose I had a very red face beneath the slap.