Smile, because it’s easy

Martin D’Souza in his Flubber costume

When was the last time you experienced happiness? Not just the fleeting joy from a joke, but a deeper, more authentic sense of happiness and fulfilment. While most of us struggle to steal such moments amidst life in the fast-paced city and maintaining a work-life balance, for professional clown Martin D'Souza AKA Flubber, being happy is both his work and life. "You cannot be a good clown if you're unhappy inside," he remarks. Dressed in a vibrant costume, Flubber will take stage with clowns coming in from Argentina, the UK, and Italy, for an evening filled with laughter.

D'Souza's journey began during his college days in the late 1980s when he was anchoring and emceeing for events and a friend suggested he take up clowning as a career. Reminiscing about his journey from a classroom clown to a world-class one, he shares, "I slipped into my first clown costume and went onstage without any formal training. I had fun being myself and thankfully, so did the audience. It sparked an interest in me and I went on to study the art form in detail and learn unicycling, juggling and acrobatics."

A moment from a previous show; (right) artistes perform a balancing act on unicycles

When we ask him how he manages to silence all the noise around such an art form, he shares, "India's exposure to clowning is confined to circuses and people often confuse jokers with clowns." If you felt D'Souza glare at you as he says that, you're not alone. Explaining the difference, he adds, "A joker puts on a show. And once he's back in the green room, he's someone else. With professional clowns, we are never off stage. My Flubber costume never comes off. I'm the same person you see on stage."

The artiste shares that while the kids seem to love his antics, it's the adults who beeline to the stage after a show to express their gratitude. He adds, "Adults have limited avenues such as stand-up comedy shows and movies to seek a good laugh in the city today. Sharing a laugh with your child is probably one of the most heartfelt moments of bonding. To see a family leave the show, smiling ear-to-ear is fulfilling feeling for me as an artiste. Don't we all need a healthy laugh at the end of a long day?" This writer couldn't agree more.

On December 27; 4 pm and 7 pm
At St Andrew's Auditorium, St Dominic Road, Bandra West.
Log on to in.bookmyshow.com
Cost Rs 800 onwards