DEATH OF A CLOWN
THEATRE 17
presents
DEATH OF A CLOWN
a solo performance drama in two acts.
THE PLAY
It is the year 1600 and one-time theatrical superstar Will Kemp is down on his luck. Reduced to long-distance morris dancing as a publicity stunt, there's only one person to blame: Will Shakespeare. T'other Will.
Our Will wants to tell you about it...
BACKGROUND
company in London, and we also know that as a sharer he was an equal amongst equals, so could not be dismissed.
Though we know frustratingly little about our greatest poet and playwright, we know even less about his pre-eminent comic actor, the extraordinary Will Kemp. We can glean from existing records that he was the most popular
clown of his day, also that Shakespeare wrote his early comic roles with him in mind (most notably Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream), but further references to him are sparse. Along with Shakespeare himself, it is known that he was a sharer (or director) of The Lord Chamberlain’s Men, who staged all of Shakespeare’s plays and who were the most successful
And yet, in 1599, he suddenly disappears from the records, which suggests that he left the company of his own accord. Why he should choose to do so, seemingly at the height of his powers and popularity, only to vanish into obscurity (apart from his “nine day’s wonder” in 1600) is a mystery that this play attempts to unravel.
Enter Text
“Absolutely brilliant! The talented Robin Hillman was truly amazing and the story he told accompanied by songs and dancing was captivating. A masterful script and a wonderfully entertaining show.” (Leicester Guildhall)
THE COMPANY
Actor/Musician: Robin Hillman
Robin, who plays Will Kemp, has spent several decades performing as an actor, fiddle-player and singer. For Theatre 17, as well as Kemp, he was John Clare in the one-man show I Am John Clare, written and directed by the late Stephen Loveless, performing this acclaimed show many times over the course of several years. He was also William Blake in the one-man show Fearful Symmetry, The Locksmith in Something Scary, and also played the title role in Jack Luck. All these plays were written and directed by Stephen Loveless.
Writer/Director: Kevin Buxton
Kevin Buxton has been involved in the worlds of theatre and music for over 40 years, as a writer, director, actor, musician, and latterly as a music promoter. Early in his career he ran his own touring revue company before working as a freelance scriptwriter for television. Death Of A Clown marks his return to the theatre after many years, during which he has focussed primarily on music projects as well as writing fiction.
Staging: Weekes Baptiste
Formerly the Artistic Director of Northampton Youth Theatre, Weekes Baptiste has over 40 years of experience in professional theatre both on and off stage. His strength is as a writer/director, and to date he has written over a dozen original plays for children of all ages and adults, performed throughout the UK. In 2021, Weekes was awarded a prestigious award for his work and outstanding contribution to youth theatre in Northamptonshire.
Death Of A Clown will be on tour again in the UK from February 2026 (dates and details will be on the Live page in due course). For further information phone 07759 216147 or email kev@kcbworld.co.uk