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Clowning About Trivia Quiz

Love them or hate them, clowns have been around in one form or another for thousands of years. So, pop on your red noses and your big shoes, and try out this quiz - but watch out for the banana skins!

A multiple-choice quiz by MaggieG. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
MaggieG

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
183,428

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Difficult

Avg Score
5 / 10

Plays
395

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. From which musical does the song "Send in the Clowns" come? Hint

Cabaret

Mack and Mabel

Barnum

A Little Night Music

NEXT>

Question 2 of 10

2. What was the name of the clown in Stephen King's "It"? Hint

Henny Penny

Pennydreadful

Pennywise

Poundfoolish

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Question 3 of 10

3. Shakespeare featured clowns in many of his plays. Which of these is NOT described as a clown, fool or jester in the "Dramatis Personae"? Hint

Lancelot Gobbo

Feste

Touchstone

Bottom

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Question 4 of 10

4. From the commedia dell'arte tradition in Italy came a character whose costume and make up inspired many of the white faced clowns we know today. Which character was it? Hint

Pantalone

Pedrolino

Scaramuccia

Arlecchino

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Question 5 of 10

5. Yu Sze, a court jester during the reign of Shih Huang-Ti, is regarded as a national hero in China today for persuading his master NOT to do what? Hint

Break up the soldiers in the Terracotta Army

Paint the Great Wall of China

Send an army to invade Japan

Execute all his advisors

NEXT>

Question 6 of 10

6. Which singer reached Number 2 in the UK charts in 1973 with a song which he performed dressed as a clown? Hint

Leo Sayer

Gilbert O'Sullivan

Elton John

Gary Glitter

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Question 7 of 10

7. Who was known as the "King of Clowns"? Hint

Clock

Crock

Block

Grock

NEXT>

Question 8 of 10

8. In which Verdi opera is the eponymous character a jester? Hint

Il Trovatore

Rigoletto

Falstaff

Stiffelio

NEXT>

Question 9 of 10

9. Which actor played "Buttons the Clown" in Cecil B. De Mille's 1952 epic "The Greatest Show on Earth"? Hint

Cornel Wilde

Gary Cooper

James Stewart

Charlton Heston

NEXT>

Question 10 of 10

10. What is the word for a fear of clowns? Hint

Cherophobia

Scelerophobia

Coulrophobia

Pantophobia

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. From which musical does the song "Send in the Clowns" come?

Answer: A Little Night Music

Written by Stephen Sondheim and first performed on stage in 1973, the musical was filmed in 1978 with Elizabeth Taylor in the role of Desir�e. Opinions are divided as to whether she sang the definitive version of the song, or generally gave it a pasting.

2. What was the name of the clown in Stephen King's "It"?

Answer: Pennywise

Played brilliantly by Tim Curry in the film version, Pennywise represents many people's nightmares come true.

3. Shakespeare featured clowns in many of his plays. Which of these is NOT described as a clown, fool or jester in the "Dramatis Personae"?

Answer: Bottom

Bottom from "A Midsummer Night's Dream" is described as "the weaver". Lancelot Gobbo ("The Merchant of Venice") is "a clown, servant to Shylock", Touchstone from "As You Like It" is "a clown" as is Feste from "Twelfth Night".

4. From the commedia dell'arte tradition in Italy came a character whose costume and make up inspired many of the white faced clowns we know today. Which character was it?

Answer: Pedrolino

Pedrolino (Pierrot) evolved into what is thought to be the archetypical French clown of today.

5. Yu Sze, a court jester during the reign of Shih Huang-Ti, is regarded as a national hero in China today for persuading his master NOT to do what?

Answer: Paint the Great Wall of China

Thousands of people had died during the construction of the Great Wall, and thousands more would have if the emperor had gone ahead with his idea of painting it. Yu Sze, boldly going where others feared to tread, jokingly advised against it, and the emperor surprisingly, listened.

6. Which singer reached Number 2 in the UK charts in 1973 with a song which he performed dressed as a clown?

Answer: Leo Sayer

Leo Sayer certainly made sure his performances on 'Top of the Pops' singing "I Won't Let the Show Go On" were noticed with his "Pierrot" make up and white suit. Once he hit the big time, he gave up on the costume. I wonder why?

7. Who was known as the "King of Clowns"?

Answer: Grock

Karl Adrien Wettach, known as Grock, performed all over Europe from 1903 until his retirement at the age of 74 in 1954.

8. In which Verdi opera is the eponymous character a jester?

Answer: Rigoletto

Based on Victor Hugo's play "Le Roi S'amuse" the opera was first performed in Venice in 1851, and tells the tragic story of the jester to the Duke of Mantua, and his ill-fated daughter, Gilda.

9. Which actor played "Buttons the Clown" in Cecil B. De Mille's 1952 epic "The Greatest Show on Earth"?

Answer: James Stewart

Although Cornel Wilde and Charlton Heston did appear in the film, it was James Stewart who played the lonely clown with a deep dark secret from his past.

10. What is the word for a fear of clowns?

Answer: Coulrophobia

Coulrophobia has only existed as a word for the last ten years or so. Pantophobia is fear of everything, scelerophobia is fear of burglars or bad men, and cherophobia is fear of gaiety.

Source: Author MaggieG

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Exit10 before going online.
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