Emily Jeffers is a Toronto-based actor, producer and clown. She has trained with clown masters Philippe Gaulier, Aitor Basauri, Deanna Fleysher, Pedro Fabião, John Gilkey, Kevin Krieger, Chad Damiani and more. She has performed at the Toronto Fringe Festival, Toronto Sketchfest, Montreal Sketchfest, the Montreal Clown Festival, and at venues such as The Elysian and PDA Space in Los Angeles. In 2024, her show Bitty-Bat! earned a five-star “Outstanding Show” review at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Here in Toronto, she often creates, performs and collaborates out of Sweet Action Theatre.
How would you describe your comedy style?
I do clown work, which (if you’ve never seen a clown show before) is a bit different from sketch or improv in that there’s no fourth wall, so the clown is always aware of the audience and how they’re reacting. I develop my shows to have a repeatable structure or sequence, but there’s room for improvising or adapting to whatever is happening in the room during any given performance, so each show is a little different!
In terms of style, my work is usually character-driven, very playful and physical. The vibe is generally a healthy mix of strange, charming and joyful without being saccharine or infantilizing.
Who are some of your influences?
My major influences are probably the cartoons I watched as a kid. A lot of my humour and aesthetic choices can be traced back to Looney Tunes, Ren & Stimpy, The Simpsons, and the film Fantasia (the music of which features heavily in my shows so far).
Who was your favourite comedian growing up?
Jim Carrey, but I also watched a lot of Monty Python and Kids in the Hall.
Who is your favourite comedian now?
I love Mae Martin. I’m totally inspired by the expansion of their artistry beyond standup into so many realms without limiting themselves to a format or genre. Their Netflix series Feel Good, for example, was brilliant because it was dramatic, dark, sexy, funny, and deeply moving.
What is your pre-show ritual?
The minutes before showtime are always a bit angsty. I usually try to give myself a little pep talk, remind myself to stay nimble and enjoy myself, and then I’ll do some jumps or lean back until I have to catch myself from falling so that I can be present in my body. If there’s a mirror around, I’ll peer at myself or try to make myself laugh in character so I can get into the playfulness and stupidity of what I’m about to do.
What is your favourite place you have performed? Why?
When I was at the Edinburgh Fringe last August, I performed at this great venue called The Vault at Paradise Green. It was a small black box theatre set up in the basement of an old church, but the space had a brick archway framing the stage, which was appropriately cave-like for my Bitty-Bat show. Given more time and rigging equipment it would have been perfect to hang upside down from, but alas, the logistics were just out of reach. The staff there were amazing too, which makes all the difference!
What is your favourite bit you have written and why were you proud of it?
As with all clown, the best bits are ones you can’t write. When I first performed the current iteration of Bitty-Bat! (or Bitty-Bat on Planet Earth) at Toronto Sketchfest 2024, I had a bit where I was flying in slow motion to theme music from BBC’s Planet Earth. By the end of the sequence, I was fairly out of breath. I exhaled sharply and accidentally ejected my rubber bat fangs from my mouth and directly onto the middle of the stage. The room absolutely lost it as I just stared at my teeth on the floor. I think what I’m proud of is that I was able to hold onto the moment and stay in character while I used my tiny bat hands to get my teeth back into my mouth. It was a beautiful gift from the clown gods, and I will spend the rest of my performing career chasing that high.
What is your favourite medium for listening or finding new comics/comedians?
Love a good Instagram doom scroll to find new comedians. It’s how I came across folks like Atsuko Okatsuka, Rosie Jones and Biswa Kalyan Rath.
Tell us a joke about your city.
Why does Toronto suck at golf?
Because we have terrible drivers.
Do you have anything to promote right now?
I produce a variety show called Tight Five at Sweet Action Theatre, generally on the first Friday of the month.
Where can we follow you?
PAY IT FORWARD: Who is another local comic/comedian we should know about?
In terms of Toronto Sketchfest, there are so many great acts to see this year. The top names on my list are Vivek Srikanthan, Carson & Taylor, West2West, Cam Wyllie, and the Templeton Philharmonic. And of course, I’ve gotta give a shout-out to my fellow clowns in the Sketchfest lineup: Santosh Santosh (Srutika Sabu) and Colonial Circus (by Two2Mango, Sachin Sharma and Shreya Parashar).
I know the question is for local acts but my out-of-towner recommendations for the festival are Allison & Jackie, Woody Fu, and Amanda Xeller! Show them some Toronto love!
