Rachel Ellison, EAP Programming Coordinator, had the pleasure of interviewing Christel Bartelse, Theater Artist/Physical Theatre Performer. Christel talks about her training background in the art of clown, the challenges she faces in sustaining a career in theatre as well as the rewards.
Christel Bartelse began performing at the age of three after her parents put her in a recreational ballet class. Fifteen years later she was dancing full time and competing across Canada and the U.S. as well as acting in her home town of Kitchener, Ontario. She loved to dance but decided to move to Toronto, Ontario to pursue her true passion, acting. She is a graduate of The Second City Conservatory Program as well as the Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts where she first met comedy partner Christina Sicoli, in an improv class. In 2001 they formed The Burnt Marshmallows and together created, produced and performed in four full mounted shows. She has studied clown intensively with John Turner and Michael Kennard (Mump and Smoot) as well as Sue Morrison, Philippe Gaulier and Francine Cote. She also studied
at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Shakespeare & Company, Equity Showcase Pro Actors Lab and currently with Jeff Seymour (Jeff Ltd). Christel has performed at the Chicago Improv Festival, the Toronto Improv Jamboree, The Women’s Show, March of Dames, Hysteria, Toronto International Clown Festival, Buskerfest, Cheap Queers and is a regular performer at Lunacy Cabaret, Clown Chowder, & Toronto Clown Festival. She has taught improv, movement, and clown at the Toronto Film School, Second City, at Unionville High School and currently teaches Physical Comedy at Humber College. She has worked in many other schools in the GTA teaching, as well as performing School Bound, a one woman show about bullying, created by Emil Sher.
Q & A WITH CHRISTEL BARTELSE
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I’ll start out by asking you about your work. Tell me a little bit about how you got into the work that you do now, and what exactly it is that you do.
I do a whole bunch of things but I consider myself a theatre artist. A lot of times I say I’m a physical theatre performer. I did start with a dance background so I use a lot of dance in my work and then about eight years ago I got really into clowning, started working with Mike Kennard and John turner from Mump and Smoot. I was always writing my own work. I had a comedy duo for six years called The Burnt Marshmallows and we developed all of our own works. I’m just…an independent artist creating a lot of my own stuff.
You talked about clown. I know you went to the Gaullier school and I’m wondering if you could describe the different types of training that are available for people who want to study the art of clown, and why you chose to study with Gaullier.
I should say that I would still love to go to Gaullier in Paris. When I did his class I went to Halifax and he did a three-week workshop. He’d just been on my list of teachers to study with. This guy is just an absolute genius and has a huge background of knowledge of clowning and bouffant. In terms of clown there are resources out there: Sue Morrison, Mike Kennard, John Turner—they’re all teaching the Pochinko method. John Turner runs a boot camp up in Manitoulin Island. Then there’s the European style, which is with Guallier and just not too long ago, I started working with a woman named Francine Cote and she’s out of Montreal. She does come to Toronto every few months to teach and I highly recommend her as well. They are all different styles but there are a lot of workshops out there.
Would you say there is a difference between Bouffant and Clown?
Yes. They come from the same worlds. Bouffant, for those who don’t know, is a very grotesque art form. It’s sort of making fun of the grotesque. You’re looking at society—issues that you sort of want to make fun with and then with that you create these deformed bodies and you go and put yourself out there. Adam Lazarus is currently teaching that in [Toronto] so he would be a good person to look up if you’re interested in studying that. He studied for…years with Gaullier. And clowning is the discipline of playing with the audience. Again, there are different styles but I believe (and a lot of people will say this) that everyone has a clown within them and if you just sort of look at the ridiculousness of yourself you are able to put clown work out there.
Could you describe an idea that you came up with that seemed crazy at first and then you were able to turn it into a reality?
I will say that for me probably that was doing my first solo show. I had always wanted to write a one-person show, I just never knew how to start it and I just looked at where I was at in my life and I was in a very chaotic period so I just started writing from that point of chaos and met my director and we started creating work, just going in a studio and through that I was able to accomplish [the show]. Then last year I was fortunate enough to do the fringe festival circuit and tour my solo show but I never thought I would have a show.
More about that show, what did it take for you to put that together? Do you have advice for artists who are looking to put together a one-person show, and some steps that one might take to get the ball rolling on that project?
I think the biggest piece of advice is just don’t be afraid—you can do it. People say to me, “Oh I wish I could do that” and I say, “you can”. There are tons of resources. Just writing; you can book small spaces or even do a reading of something you wrote in the living room. You can even start there. I highly recommend the fringe festivals. I think as a solo artist, or if you want to get a small group together, looking into that is the best bang for your buck. With your application fee you get a theatre and a technician, you get to put your work out there and there are many fringes across Canada. You can really put your name out there. That would be a good thing to look up as well.
A lot of artists are interested in touring their work but find it challenging so how did you tour your show?
Again, with the fringe I was just lucky enough—I just applied. It is challenging, the fact that a lot of the fees had to come upfront from myself. I put a budget aside. So I would recommend that and if you do well and you have a successful show you really can make your money back. I know there are tons of grants out there—touring application grants and if you just look at Canada Council or Ontario Arts Council there is so much research and input. It just takes some time to really look into that. I think some people are just afraid but if you really research and want to do something just make it happen. It is possible.
You have so many different talents and things that you do. How do you manage multi-tasking your lifestyle as an artist?
I’m at a point now where I really am trying to choose the projects that I really love and am passionate about. I love doing fundraisers and helping people out. I often get asked to do a lot of gigs around the city. But just now because there are so many dreams and goals I still want to accomplish that I have to really focus and buckle down on what I want to do. I think even just setting aside an hour or two hours if you do have a nine to five job or you’re doing all kinds of things, just set an hour aside. Start with that—an hour of creative time where you can just write or work on something for you that motivates you. Starting from that you can build on. It’s not easy though. I do still find it challenging…I’m running around but it is important to find balance.
What is the best advice you’ve received in this process of becoming an artist—maintaining and sustaining your practice?
Actually I think you just said the word right there—it’s just sustaining and keeping at it, but you have to have a passion and a drive for it. I think the number one thing is that you have to have fun no matter what you’re doing and some times there are frustrations and tough times with doing your own work but as long as you’re having fun that will really drive you in itself…and just believing that you really can do it. Starting from a small idea to doing a reading in your living room, to working on that, to finding a director…you shouldn’t give up.
Will you tell us about a current project that you’re working on?
Currently I’m working on my second solo show—it’s called “ONEymoon (A Honeymoon for one)”. I’m in the process of writing that and that’s going to be in a couple of fringe festivals this summer, including Toronto fringe festival so people can look out for it there. I’ll be doing it at 918 Bathurst, which is a wonderful venue. Come check it out.
Where will you be aside from Toronto?
I’ll be doing London and Minnesota, and still on the waiting list for a couple other cities.
What keeps you going as an artist and as a performer?
What keeps me going is that I am so inspired by the many amazing artists in this city. I have mentors that I still look up to and I go out and see shows and people still blow my mind with what they’re doing. Even if you think you’ve got a good project going you’re always inspired by what someone else is doing. Surround yourself with positive creative people and they will drive you and inspire you. That really inspires me and gets my creative juices going.
How did you find your mentors? How did you get connected with those sorts of people?
I think a piece of advice is not to be afraid to approach them. Everyone started at the same place. I do have directors that I go and watch their work and I just approach them after and start talking to them. There are people from years ago that I just never imagined having a conversation [with them] and they’ve actually now become friends just from me watching their work and approaching them. Sometimes I’ll just send someone an e-mail and say “can you go grab a coffee with me” and just pick their brain. You would be so surprised at how willing people are, and interested in doing that. I would be happy to do the same and I still contact people all the time. People have great ideas and everyone wants to help everyone in this community. We know it’s not easy and there’s so much creative talent in this city.
