Reg Bolton (clown)


Reginald Ernest Bolton was a clown, teacher, actor and writer. Bolton's 1987 book New Circus has been called "seminal," and influenced a generation of performers. He used the circus for education and community development, working with the children on the streets of the Craigmillar estate in Edinburgh.

Life

Reg was born in Margate, England. He was educated at the University of Warwick, where he studied English and European literature. In 2004 he completed a PhD, , at Murdoch University in Perth, Western Australia.
He married Annie Stainer, a dancer, mime and clown, with whom he had two children, Jo and Sophie.

Work

Reg worked tirelessly with children and communities both in the United Kingdom, and in Australia where he settled with his family in 1985. He owned and ran the , selling a range of circus equipment such as juggling gear and unicycles. He was a pioneer in the area of educational community circuses.
He wrote and produced many works, including:
Reg died unexpectedly while working in Kununurra, Western Australia at the Agricultural Show, "doing what he did best, putting on a great show". His funeral was held at St George's Cathedral in Perth, Western Australia on 29 July 2006, with a celebration of his life held at the Camelot Theatre, Mosman Park on 30 July 2006.