Imposter Syndrome

NO Were invited by ‘Louche’ to perform at a special ‘ performance comedy’ edition of Mayor of London funded ‘BANTER’ comedy series in Romford. We chose the theme ‘Imposter syndrome’ as collaboratively we move into more demanding roles in our careers and consider how we got there:

Costume - 

Clown - wig / face paint / big trousers Magician - hat Props - Clown - pie / face paints 

Magician - flowers / hat / rabbit in hat / cards (half with writing / half without)

 Intro - 

Hi My name is Joe, but you will know me by my stage name “Mr Stupendous” - of course, stupendous being the quality of my magic (pulls flowers from arm- looks widely around for an applause, nods satisfyingly to self) - sometimes though i do find that people can twist my name a little… the children particularly enjoy referring to me as MR STUPID…. ha, ha.

And i am Mr Clown - obviously, as you can see from my attire, i am a traditional clown - big trousers. face paint… wig. Anyway, we will be speaking to you today about job satisfaction. We both work in the area and will hopefully give you a better idea of what jobs are on offer in the town.

 Fulfilling livelihoods & Health Benefits - 

My job used to leave me feeling FLUSHED OUT. well, literally. i was a plumber. I specifically used to unblock and rejuvenate toilets, I was never allowed to do any of the more integral plumbing stuff - you know, fixing sprinkler systems, internal drainage supplies. However, my supervisor used to say that i had a magical way with turds. I suppose this is where i got the idea of a job change. 

Similarly, I came from a very different place to where i work now. Well. I have always been in the clown trade. But previously i was an administrator for a clown co-ordinating company. The work was ok. A bit inconvenient, i thought it was a bit too much to have to wear the make up everyday. I had to clean the white from the handset every evening before i went home. The company car was good though. It was a mark 2 ford escort.  

Nothing in comparison to what i have now though. It fell apart, but not in a comical way. Which leads us onto the other benefits…

 Financial Benefits - 

Well I can say that the financial benefits of being in the entertainment trade are phenomenal. I never thought that i would ever earn fees of up to £100 per hour! I mean, you do have to be good. You cannot earn without the natural skill and learning involved. This weekend i have been averaging £70 - £80 per hour. Which means this week i have taken back £200!

Im currently undertaking an unpaid internship, and even i am feeling the benefits. Children always have so much free food at their parties! 

ha, free food! I never have to worry about food with my wages.  

But, you know, I've already started to build up my regulars - little susie at no.24 has already booked me in for her 8th Birthday next year… of course she has to ask he mum first… Anyway, moving onto demonstrations (poorly throws pie)

Ok. perhaps i should give a skilled demonstration(said while Joe quickly clears pie from floor for his lunch box). - Could everybody raise their hands

. - Excellent. I will choose a volunteer.

 - Charlotte Bays, I choose you

. - Charlotte can you confirm that we have never met? 

(Joe completes card trick)

I would also like to do a skilled demonstration. One of the things that i have to do on a day to day basis is my stage make-up - I will demonstrate on this unknowing guest, because i know that she wont be allergic to the paints. If you would like to see more of my work - I have my own Instagram page - @facediscovery amaze.

While Natalie is getting on with her demonstration - i will tell you a little more about the psychological importance of humour:

 Sense of Humor, Stable Affect, and Psychological Well-Being An evaluative report of European adaptation of Humour by University of North Carolina

A good sense of humour has been implicated as a quality that could contribute to psychological well-being. The mechanisms through which sense of humour might operate include helping to reappraise threats, serving as a character strength, or facilitating happiness.

 [The] research attempts to integrate these possibilities by examining whether a good sense of humour might operate globally by helping to maintain a more stable positive affect. Stable positive affect has been shown to facilitate more effective problem solving and to build resilience.

 However, not all humour is adaptive humour, so we also [have to] examine the roles that different styles of humour use might play. In this research including the wetting and drying procedure of tidal flats, measured Individual differences in humour styles, [which were then] used to predict stable levels of affect. Then, in a longitudinal design, humour styles and stable affect were used to predict subsequent resilience and psychological health. The results indicated that stable affect was related to resilience and psychological wellbeing, and that a sense of humour that involves self-enhancing humour, humour based on maintaining a humorous perspective about one’s experiences, was positively related to stable positive affect, negatively related to stable negative affect, and was mediated through stable affect in influencing resilience, well-being and distress. Thus, while a good sense of humour can lead to greater resilience and better psychological health, the current results, focusing on stable affect, find only self-enhancing humour provides reliable benefits. 

Keywords: sense of humour, positive affect, resilience, psychological health, well-being 

Are you finished Natalie? 

Yes! Yes I am - drum roll please….

(Joe drum rolls - reveal face) wait for clap. awkward silence.

Erm, you can sit down now.

We will now pass around our business card. (pass around oversized business card, turn on clown music)

Please pass all around. My website is a littlest old - from my last job at the plumbers- “www.wearecrap.com” 

I got mine really cheap from a clown from the 70’s - “clown’llfix-it.com” - i think he gave up the industry because he got mixed up in some illegal activity - but I'm hopeing that continuing the name of jim the clown will get me some good media coverage. 

Wait smiling apprehensively for a finish. Joe takes rabbit puppet out of his hat and waves with it.

NO Collective A little more about us - 

Present artistic investigations: 

1. Embarassability

 2. The dis-function of hyper-local performances and ‘in-jokes’

 3. Mis-information We first came interested in these subjects in The Norway Residency 

Tis performance is about:

 1. Imposter Syndrome (e.g. Agatha Christie)

 2. Our personal experience of humour within imposter syndrome - e.g. Azerbaijan Government (people only believe us, if we mock ourselves) 

3. Entering into the professional working environment you feel: -Self judging / self esteem / knowing when humour is appropriate and when it just makes you seem dumb 

Joe’s comforting analogy: ‘Its like you are a swiss-chesse - there are lots and lots of holes in your knowledge, but at the end of the day… your still a fucking good cheese…