INTRODUCTION TO CLOWNING MASTERCLASS
BY THE LITTLE THEATRE, CHENNAI
DATE & TIME:
29 August 2026 SAT, 10AM to 1PM
VENUE:
The Living Room @ The Arts House
TICKETS : $90
DURATION : 3hours
LANGUAGE : English and Tamil
SURTITLES : NA
RATING ADVISE : 16 and above
ADVISORIES : NA
SYNOPSIS
This specialised introductory training programme equips experienced local practitioners with the skills, ethics and methodology of hospital clowning. Participants undergo hands-on modules in physical comedy, presence, empathy, improvisation and healthcare protocols, preparing them to responsibly facilitate clowning initiatives in community and medical settings. The focus is not just on performance, but on building a sustainable ecosystem of trained facilitators who can continue the work locally.
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Presented by: The Little Theatre, Chennai
Commissioned by: Agam Theatre Lab
Trainers: Dr. Rohini Rau & KK
Supporting Trainers : Egypt Dinesh, Shabeer Kalarakkal, Deepthi Orintelu, Praveen Gunasekaran
Art Direction : Harikumar
Partnerships & Outreach: Sankari Elavalahan
Publicity Design: Indian Events SG
Photography: Brandon
Videography and Marketing Materials: Seyyon Media
ARTISTE INFORMATION
The Little Theatre, Chennai
The Little Theatre, founded in 1991 in Chennai by Aysha Rau, is one of India’s leading non-profit theatre companies dedicated to children’s theatre and creative arts education. The Little Theatre conducts creative workshops in drama, dance, music, art and puppetry, helping children explore diverse art forms and build self-expression skills. The Little Theatre also organises The Little Festival, an international theatre festival for young audiences that has featured local and international works and fostered cross-cultural theatre appreciation. Its commitment to community outreach includes educational programmes for underprivileged children and pioneering initiatives like India’s first creative therapy studio and hospital clowning troupe in partnership with the Children’s Government Hospital in Egmore.
With over three decades of experience in theatre production, education, and festival curation, The Little Theatre brings deep community engagement, youth-centric programming and festival-level experience to the table. This makes it a strong and complementary partner for a Tamil Theatre Festival, particularly in expanding audience reach, incorporating youth participation, and fostering creative theatre appreciation across generations.
Dr Rohini Rau
MSc Internal Medicine/ AFMCP Functional Medicine Consultant, Asian Sailing Gold Medallist, TED Fellow
India’s first Medical Clown (Medical doctor/ Hospital Clown) has a Masters in Internal Medicine with Distinction from University of Edinburgh. Worked as a Senior Resident (Internal Medicine) at Kauvery Hospital, Chennai. Currently a Functional Medicine practitioner (AFMCP, IFM USA). She is also Ayurveda lifestyle consultant. In 2016 she served as a Health Researcher with National Geographic Okavango Wilderness Project. She is an Actor/ Dancer/ Singer and CEO of The Little Theatre.
Krishnakumar Balasubramanian (KK) - Director
KK is a prominent Indian theater and film artist, best known as the Artistic Director of The Little Theatre (TLT) in Chennai, one of India's leading non-profit children’s theatre companies. He is a versatile creative force, serving as a director, actor, playwright, stunt choreographer, and set/light designer. Since 2007, he has staged over 150 productions, including Christmas pantomimes and musicals for The Little Festival. He played Captain Che in the National Award winning Tamil Film, "Soorarai Pottru". Most recently, he received critical acclaim for portraying Lord Krishna in the 2024 science-fiction film Kalki 2898 AD.