Roly Bain- Holy Fool

Simply, Let Us Play

Roly performing at Swindon Football Ground,

Pentecost 2000

About Roly Bain

Phone: (0)1454 616593

E-mail: roly@rolybain.co.uk

▪ Ordained in 1978 (C of E)

▪ Co-founded Holy Fools 1982: www.holy-fools.org.uk

▪ Circus school 1990-91

▪ Clowns International Clown of the Year 1994.

▪ Clowns International Slapstick Award 1999

▪ Clown Impact Award (USA) 2001

▪ Member of College of Evangelists, 2003

▪ Full-time, free-lance, worldwide clown ministry

▪ Author, radio, TV

▪ Member of Clowns International: www.clowns-international.co.uk

Roly Bain is a full-time, freelance professional clown, and an Anglican priest.  His clowning is rooted in the Gospel, and his thought-provoking and entertaining presentation of Gospel themes never fails to provoke a profound response.

Roly Bain was born in 1954, a triplet son of Richard Findlater, biographer of the first great English clown Joe Grimaldi.  At the age of eight, having read the biography of Coco the clown, he wrote in his school book that he wanted to be a clown in Bertram Mills Circus, make people happy, visit hospitals and, of course, do it for nothing!

Instead he ended up being ordained a priest in the Church of England in 1978, but he hadn’t managed to forget clowning, and in 1982 he helped found Holy Fools, a loose-knit network of loose nits committed to clowning in ministry and worship.  In 1990 he resigned his parish in London and did a year at Fool Time, the circus school in Bristol (now called Circomedia), and he’s been clowning full-time ever since.

He has appeared regularly on TV and radio, and is often featured in the press.  His talent has won him several awards, including 1994 Clown of the Year, the Clown’s International Slapstick Award in 1999, and the Impact Clown Award from USA in 2001.  In 2003 he was invited to become a member of the College of Evangelists. 

He has clowned all over the UK, and throughout Europe, as well as at international events in the USA, Canada and Australia.  He has written three books about clowning and produced three videos/DVD’s.  He is widely read on the subject and has a whole library of books on clowns and circus.  He is an Equity member, and has also been a member of Clowns International for many years and is now their Benevolent Officer.

He lives outside Bristol and his hobbies include watching cricket, supporting Chelsea Football Club and a spot of fishing.  Oh, and he likes a pint too!

 

 

 

 

“When all the main speakers and everything else has all been forgotten, people will still remember how you brought scripture to life.”(Bishop)