Clown and Comedy School

The Clown and Comedy School Last Year of teaching of Francine Côté 2023 will be Francine Côté’s final year of teaching at the school. She is the founder and creator of the Clown and Comedy school and has developed the Francine Côté Method. This year will allow us to finalize the transmission of the Method to Jean Saucier, our director. This complex transfer will have lasted 3 years. Therefore, this is your last chance to directly benefit from Francine’s expertise. In collaboration with Jean, she will be teaching several clown workshops of different levels offered throughout the year at the school. It’s time to embark or to continue the great adventure of the art of clown. To learn more about Francine Côté photo - James Douglas
Schedule 2023: "Clown 2 - Partnership dynamics and physical play techniques" Teacher: Jean Saucier & Francine Côté Prerequisite: Clown 1 and teacher evaluation Cost: 450 $ CND taxes included Duration: 30 hrs Where: Espace 215, 215 Jean-Talon W, Montreal, QC H2R 2X6 When: March 21, 22, 23 and 28, 29, 30, 2023 from 12:30 to 17:30 (Every day) About the course All details on Facebook New! "Health Care Clowning" Teacher: Jean Saucier Prerequisite: artistic CV and teacher evaluation Cost: 260$ CND taxes included Duration: 17 hrs Where: La Porte Rouge, 750 Mistral Street, Montreal, QC H2P 1R6 When: March 31 18h00 to 21h00, April 1st and 2nd 2023, 10h30 to 17h30 *** Stage experience is an asset. About the course: In therapeutic and health care clowning, the art of clowning is adapted to the specific conditions and needs of individuals in hospital, rehabilitation, palliative or hospice care. There is a shift from a performance focus, to a focus on patient-centered care and connection. The clown enters the world of the patient, treating each unique interaction with authentic emotional connection and honesty to help bring laughter and joy to patients. In this workshop, Jean Saucier, director of Montreal’s Clown and Comedy School, will guide students through scenarios that could be encountered in hospitals and other care facilities. His pedagogy builds on his experiences and training with Francine Côté, Pedro Fabião, Olivier Hugues Terreault, Dr Clown Foundation and Patch Adams. All details on Facebook "Slapstick" Teacher: James Keylon assisted by Raphaëlle Pépin When: Postponed About the course Don't miss it! "Pedro Fabião in Montreal" About Pedro: Pedro is an international clown, director, teacher, speaker, psychologist and group specialist. He directed one of the biggest professional clown organisation in Portugal and Spain and for the last several years he trained more than 300 clowns worldwide. Pedro is also a professional actor, hospital clown and Theatre director having performed and directed in 12 different countries. He’s an expert in Clowning, Improvisation, Physical Theatre and Comedy. His mission in all his activities is to inspire people to come alive. visit his website Pedro's workshops: "Being before doing" Teacher: Pedro Fabião Prerequisite: This clown workshop is open at all skill levels. Cost: 580$ CND taxes included (A deposit of 200$ is required in advance for registering) Duration: 28 hrs Where: Tango Social Club, 7755 Saint-Laurent Blv, Montreal, QC H2R 1X1 When: May 2 to 5, 10am to 5 pm About this workshop: This clowning workshop, with Portugal’s Pedro Fabião, is an in depth exploration of clown state and presence intended to find the mask and counter-mask of the clown, clear emotions and freedom of expression, and discover the constant state of complicity with the clown’s audience and their partner. Pedro Fabião adapts his pedagogy to each participant, allowing a unique and meaningful progression in the training experience of every individual for their own future practice and work. During our time together, we will reignite a sense of surprise and newness in one’s own clown work by drawing from the unpredictable, and opening up the dynamic channels between the performer, the clown state, clown play and the audience. Let’s find ways to generate life between the clown and the audience! All details on Facebook "Abstract to Concrete" Teacher: Pedro Fabião Prerequisite: This clown workshop is open at all skill levels. Cost: 580$ CND taxes included (A deposit of 200$ is required in advance for registering) Duration: 40 hrs Where: Tango Social Club, 7755 Saint-Laurent Blv, Montreal, QC H2R 1X1 When: May 6 to 10, 10am to 6pm About this workshop: This workshop, “Abstract to Concrete” Clown Play, is for professional clown improvisers, who need to turn normal or abstract reality, movement, sound, looks, intentions, etc. into clear and actionable clown games. Also for performers who are involved in the creation of numbers, sketches or shows, as the tools we will work with are a real generator of new material and for structuring original material you may already have. How to find structures of play in a seemingly unstructured world? In this workshop we will exercise the muscle of coming up with clown improvisations not using preconceived ideas or the “mind”, but rather paying attention to the patterns that start appearing in the beginning of any abstract play, clarify and repeat them until they are recognisable to both our clown partner and the audience. Then we will work on building an escalation from that abstract repetition until the intentions and actions are also concrete. In this process, we clarify - What is the play - the Doing level; Who is playing - the Being or emotional level; and what is the relationship between the clowns. These are the main elements you need to make concrete in most clown improvisations/numbers. All details on Facebook "Hunting for the Game" Teacher: Pedro Fabião Prerequisite: This clown workshop is open at all skill levels. Cost: 550$ CND taxes included (A deposit of 200$ is required in advance for registering) Duration: 30 hrs Where: Tango Social Club, 7755 Saint-Laurent Blv, Montreal, QC H2R 1X1 When: May 12 to 15, 10am to 5:30pm About this workshop: Aimed to develop clear, energetic, and unpredictable improvisations alone or with clown partners, making every proposal readable, surprising, and open. How to co-create a clown scene where the clowns communicate simplicity, leading to a release, normally as laughter? Our art form is not science but there are elements that, when well used and balanced, make a scene work, or make a scene that works become brilliant. All details on Facebook "Clown-3: Rythms and Canvas Work" Teacher: Jean Saucier & Francine Côté Prerequisite: Clown 1, 2 and teacher evaluation. Cost: 450 $ CND taxes included Duration: 30 hrs Where: La Porte Rouge, 750 Mistral Street, Montreal, QC H2P 1R6 When: Fall 2023 - dates to be confirmed *** Please note that you will need to set aside time between the two weeks of the course to prepare with a duet partner for the last three days of the course. About the course "Clown 4 - Method of Creation" Teacher: Jean Saucier & Francine Côté Prerequisite: Clown 1, 2, 3 and teacher evaluation Cost: 325 $ CND taxes included Duration:14 hrs Where: La Porte Rouge, 750 Mistral Street, Montreal, QC H2P 1R6 When: Fall 2023 - dates to be confirmed *** Clown 4 serves as preparation for the Clown Lab. About the course

The Clown and Comedy School

Last Year of teaching of Francine Côté

Clown and Comedy School | Francine Côté - photo by James Douglas

2023 will be Francine Côté’s final year of teaching at the school. She is the founder and creator of the Clown and Comedy school and has developed the Francine Côté Method. This year will allow us to finalize the transmission of the Method to Jean Saucier, our director. This complex transfer will have lasted 3 years. Therefore, this is your last chance to directly benefit from Francine’s expertise. In collaboration with Jean, she will be teaching several clown workshops of different levels offered throughout the year at the school. It’s time to embark or to continue the great adventure of the art of clown.

To learn more about Francine Côté
photo - James Douglas

Schedule 2023:

"Clown 2 - Partnership dynamics and physical play techniques"

Teacher: Jean Saucier & Francine Côté
Prerequisite: Clown 1 and teacher evaluation
Cost: 450 $ CND taxes included
Duration: 30 hrs
Where: Espace 215, 215 Jean-Talon W, Montreal, QC H2R 2X6
When: March 21, 22, 23 and 28, 29, 30, 2023 from 12:30 to 17:30 (Every day)
About the course
All details on Facebook

New!
"Health Care Clowning"

Teacher: Jean Saucier
Prerequisite: artistic CV and teacher evaluation
Cost: 260$ CND taxes included
Duration: 17 hrs
Where: La Porte Rouge, 750 Mistral Street, Montreal, QC H2P 1R6
When: March 31 18h00 to 21h00, April 1st and 2nd 2023, 10h30 to 17h30
*** Stage experience is an asset.
About the course:
In therapeutic and health care clowning, the art of clowning is adapted to the specific conditions and needs of individuals in hospital, rehabilitation, palliative or hospice care. There is a shift from a performance focus, to a focus on patient-centered care and connection. The clown enters the world of the patient, treating each unique interaction with authentic emotional connection and honesty to help bring laughter and joy to patients.
In this workshop, Jean Saucier, director of Montreal’s Clown and Comedy School, will guide students through scenarios that could be encountered in hospitals and other care facilities. His pedagogy builds on his experiences and training with Francine Côté, Pedro Fabião, Olivier Hugues Terreault, Dr Clown Foundation and Patch Adams.
All details on Facebook

"Slapstick"

Teacher: James Keylon assisted by Raphaëlle Pépin
When: Postponed
About the course

Don't miss it!
"Pedro Fabião in Montreal"

About Pedro:
Pedro is an international clown, director, teacher, speaker, psychologist and group specialist. He directed one of the biggest professional clown organisation in Portugal and Spain and for the last several years he trained more than 300 clowns worldwide. Pedro is also a professional actor, hospital clown and Theatre director having performed and directed in 12 different countries. He’s an expert in Clowning, Improvisation, Physical Theatre and Comedy. His mission in all his activities is to inspire people to come alive.
visit his website

Pedro's workshops:

"Being before doing"

Teacher: Pedro Fabião
Prerequisite: This clown workshop is open at all skill levels.
Cost: 580$ CND taxes included (A deposit of 200$ is required in advance for registering)
Duration: 28 hrs
Where: Tango Social Club, 7755 Saint-Laurent Blv, Montreal, QC H2R 1X1
When: May 2 to 5, 10am to 5 pm
About this workshop:
This clowning workshop, with Portugal’s Pedro Fabião, is an in depth exploration of clown state and presence intended to find the mask and counter-mask of the clown, clear emotions and freedom of expression, and discover the constant state of complicity with the clown’s audience and their partner.

Pedro Fabião adapts his pedagogy to each participant, allowing a unique and meaningful progression in the training experience of every individual for their own future practice and work. During our time together, we will reignite a sense of surprise and newness in one’s own clown work by drawing from the unpredictable, and opening up the dynamic channels between the performer, the clown state, clown play and the audience. Let’s find ways to generate life between the clown and the audience!
All details on Facebook

"Abstract to Concrete"

Teacher: Pedro Fabião
Prerequisite: This clown workshop is open at all skill levels.
Cost: 580$ CND taxes included (A deposit of 200$ is required in advance for registering)
Duration: 40 hrs
Where: Tango Social Club, 7755 Saint-Laurent Blv, Montreal, QC H2R 1X1
When: May 6 to 10, 10am to 6pm
About this workshop:
This workshop, “Abstract to Concrete” Clown Play, is for professional clown improvisers, who need to turn normal or abstract reality, movement, sound, looks, intentions, etc. into clear and actionable clown games. Also for performers who are involved in the creation of numbers, sketches or shows, as the tools we will work with are a real generator of new material and for structuring original material you may already have.

How to find structures of play in a seemingly unstructured world?

In this workshop we will exercise the muscle of coming up with clown improvisations not using preconceived ideas or the “mind”, but rather paying attention to the patterns that start appearing in the beginning of any abstract play, clarify and repeat them until they are recognisable to both our clown partner and the audience.

Then we will work on building an escalation from that abstract repetition until the intentions and actions are also concrete. In this process, we clarify - What is the play - the Doing level; Who is playing - the Being or emotional level; and what is the relationship between the clowns. These are the main elements you need to make concrete in most clown improvisations/numbers.
All details on Facebook

"Hunting for the Game"

Teacher: Pedro Fabião
Prerequisite: This clown workshop is open at all skill levels.
Cost: 550$ CND taxes included (A deposit of 200$ is required in advance for registering)
Duration: 30 hrs
Where: Tango Social Club, 7755 Saint-Laurent Blv, Montreal, QC H2R 1X1
When: May 12 to 15, 10am to 5:30pm
About this workshop:
Aimed to develop clear, energetic, and unpredictable improvisations alone or with clown partners, making every proposal readable, surprising, and open. How to co-create a clown scene where the clowns communicate simplicity, leading to a release, normally as laughter? Our art form is not science but there are elements that, when well used and balanced, make a scene work, or make a scene that works become brilliant.
All details on Facebook

"Clown-3: Rythms and Canvas Work"

Teacher: Jean Saucier & Francine Côté
Prerequisite: Clown 1, 2 and teacher evaluation.
Cost: 450 $ CND taxes included
Duration: 30 hrs
Where: La Porte Rouge, 750 Mistral Street, Montreal, QC H2P 1R6
When: Fall 2023 - dates to be confirmed
*** Please note that you will need to set aside time between the two weeks of the course to prepare with a duet partner for the last three days of the course.
About the course

"Clown 4 - Method of Creation"

Teacher: Jean Saucier & Francine Côté
Prerequisite: Clown 1, 2, 3 and teacher evaluation
Cost: 325 $ CND taxes included
Duration:14 hrs
Where: La Porte Rouge, 750 Mistral Street, Montreal, QC H2P 1R6
When: Fall 2023 - dates to be confirmed
*** Clown 4 serves as preparation for the Clown Lab.
About the course