SouthbankExhibitions
Playing the Fool
Celebrate pioneering women clowns from the 1920s and 30s in our free exhibition.
Photograph: George Hommel
Fri 26 Oct-Sun 6 Jan
This autumn’s mezzanine gallery display celebrates a selection of women pioneers who asked to be taken seriously as clowns. Drawing on photographs and publicity materials from the BFI’s Special Collections, the exhibition presents early film in the context of experimentation, trickery and adventure, and showcases women from the 1920s and 30s who made comedic cinema their own – quite literally wearing the trousers to create performances rooted in vaudeville, dance, mime and magic.
See our Comedy Genius season.
BFI Southbank will be closed Tuesday 23 and Wednesday 24 June due to a private event. There is currently no step-free access to the Mezzanine or Blue Room. We are working to resolve this as soon as possible and apologise for any inconvenience caused.
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