Gemma Simms joins the circus I've always loved clowning around a bit and acting the fool, but I never imagined I'd be doing it with the top clowns at Zippo's Circus. It was a refreshing change to leave my office desk and the constant ringing of telephones in favour of prancing around in silly costumes with as much make-up shovelled on as Barbara Cartland

But there is certainly more to a clown's make-up than meets the eye. My make-up was done by Tweedy, a 24-year-old clown from Aberdeen. Zippo's Circus, which is at South Park, Oxford, until Sunday, was already busy by the time I arrived at 11am and clowns Tweedy and Little Nick were dressed up and ready for action.

I have had many make-overs in my time as a features writer but this was the one that topped them all.

Tweedy said: "A lot of people think our make-up is a mask but it actually follows the lines of the face and emphasises facial expressions, because the audience need to be able to see us clearly." He added: "You can learn juggling anywhere but with clowning you need the audience and you have to learn what is funny about yourself."

A clown's make-up is very important and heaven forbid if one clown copies another's.

Tweedy told me: "Once you have your individual clown make-up, you get someone to paint your clown face on to an egg, which is similar to copyrighting, and then the egg goes in the clowns' gallery in Hackney so no-one should copy it."

Clowns work seven days a week without a holiday during the circus season (February-November) and all have to help with packing up the circus to move on.

"It's hard work but you just have to laugh about it. We also do school and hospital visits during the day," said Tweedy.

Little Nick, 28, said: "I wanted to be a clown so I phoned a friend who was in the circus and went along intending to work for four months, but now I have been here for eight years. Little Nick and Tweedy are great at making people laugh, but the real sparkler of the show is Albert Arslanov, a 32-year-old juggler from Moscow.

He holds a knife in his mouth (not the blade end and kids, please don't try this at home) and balances objects on it like mugs. Then he juggles them by throwing them off his knife. He learned his skills at Moscow Circus School.

Other acts include palomino horses. Zippo's Circus introduced horses into its previously non-animal circus three years ago in response to public demand.

There is also a solo trapeze act from Mongolia, a colourful hula hoop number, bouncing clowns from Russia, juggling from Hungarian-born Karchi and a terrifying tightrope walk 30ft above the ring.

It was great fun being a clown for the day. But driving back to work with all that make-up on was certainly no joke.

Story date: Thursday 11 March

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