I quit my job to become a full-time clown

As Nelly Scott stared at her computer, bored, she tried to make it look like she was doing something useful. 

At 27, temping at a health and safety company in , she felt uninspired, to say the least.

‘One day, after I’d finished my duties and was sitting waiting for people to ring the doorbell, my boss told me to at least pretend I was working,’

‘It was my lightbulb moment. I remember thinking to myself: What am I doing with my life?’

A couple of months later, Nelly handed in her notice. And she knew exactly what she was going to do instead. She wanted to become a clown.

She said: ‘It may seem like an unusual calling, but performing is in my blood. 

‘Growing up in Ontario, Canada, with a theatre director mom and set designer dad, it was inevitable I’d end up on stage. 

‘In fact when I was a little girl, my parents put me into their productions rather than paying for childcare!’

Nelly originally wanted to be a professional theatre actress, but during a family trip to Paris, aged 15, a street show of clowns captivated her.

‘To me, their antics represented absolute freedom. They were so playful and it was clear they weren’t taking themselves seriously.

‘During our holiday I went back to that show about five times, and one afternoon I got talking to the performers. That’s when I discovered there was such a thing as clown school.’

Back home, Nelly had a civics and careers class in high school so she asked to research clowning. 

Her teacher told her it ‘wasn’t a real profession’. Luckily, her parents were more open-minded.

It gave Nelly something to aim for, but she had challenges to overcome first. Aged 17, an accidental overdose at a teenage party left her fighting for her life.

‘My recovery gave me time to rethink my priorities and make some changes. In hospital I’d spent my days thinking about comedy and clowning. 

‘As soon as I was discharged, I auditioned for a year-long role at Canada’s Shaw Festival, a theatre company.’

Aged 18, she started studying at several clown schools. After six years, she moved to London and began supplementing her acting and clowning income with temping jobs. 

She also found some work as a clown teacher on a part-time basis.

And finally, after quitting her reception job, in summer 2016 she became a full-time clown performer and teacher, working under the stage name Zuma Puma.

‘Friends and family told me I was crazy, asking how I’d pay my rent. But a friend helped me to produce my first clowning workshop and it immediately sold out.

‘With clowning comes the freedom to tap into the ridiculousness of life, embracing fun and joyfulness, or fully expressing yourself during challenging times, whatever is happening. 

‘When people came to my clowning classes I could see huge transformations — they became more confident and playful.’

Nelly is determined to make clowning for everyone and her love of retreats led her to create clown-specific retreats.

‘For me, clowning is the ultimate way to get in touch with yourself because life really can be ridiculous, so it’s about celebrating that and allowing yourself to act with total freedom.

‘My advice is to follow your instincts, embrace those lightbulb moments and let curiosity be your guide. That’s my Red Nose Philosophy!’

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