Clown prince honoured
THEY were laughing in their seats, the aisles and in the streets outside as clowns from across the nation packed out a London church to pay tribute to the father of modern clowning, Joseph Grimaldi.
The annual memorial service, at Holy Trinity Church in Dalston, east London, sees the clowning fraternity gather to remember the man credited with inventing the modern clown, with comic clothing and antics, as well as colleagues who have died in the past year.
During the service, candles were lit as the names of those who had died were read out and a wreath was laid for Grimaldi, who died in 1837.
There was also a reading of The Clown’s Prayer, which thanks God for the gift of laughter.