“…I say this frankly and without hyperbole; my clown training with John Turner and Jenny Hazelton was one of the best experiences of my life. The work is inspiring, rigorous, encouraging, nurturing, inclusive, and the methodology opens the door to endless possibilities. These teachers are attentive to the needs of the individual as well as the needs of the class as a whole. They incubate students and allow for true exploration and self-discovery in a safe environment. I feel honored to have gone through these clown intensives and my work as an actor has deeply benefited from this approach to creation. I highly recommend it…”

- Vincent Leblanc Beaudoin

“…My time at The Clown Farm on Manitoulin Island with John Turner and Jenny Hazelton was a life changing experience. For several years in a row I came every summer from Germany to work with them. The work offers a huge opportunity for personal development, and it enabled me to explore my own creativity…”

- Oliver Zinn

”…The clown work helped me access a point of creativity, spirituality and openness to ideas in such an easy, loving way. As an artist, this work is essential in the way that it humbles you while also letting you know that creatively, the answers are within and available to you. A great way to get back in your body…”

- Chloé Thériault

“…The Baby Clown course showed me that clowning is indeed in everyone! This course helps all of us access the parts of ourselves we deny in order to maintain, and it also helps us ask ourselves: “why do we spend so much time ‘maintaining’?”. Working with all the people at One North and all the fellow workshoppers really was a super special experience that I wish everyone could have. I’m so grateful I did it. There really is not an accurate way for me to describe how cool it was other than to say it is an excellent gift to give yourself!…”

- Elise Dehan

…This course taught me non-attachment in a new way - learning that the process of moving awkwardly without fear is so much more important than trying to reach a state of perfection; that letting go of my own presumptions of what should be opens up new opportunities of finding out what could be. Being under the microscope was thrilling. It’s not often that we have a mirror held up for us in such a supportive way. John’s patience with us was other-worldly and his guidance was mysterious enough that we could have the chance to discover the cracks in our own obstacles and blow them wide open…

- Darlene Raven

Through this course I had the chance to meet and work with professional theatre and clown practitioners from across Canada and the United States. This opportunity to forge connections with a group of peers all with a shared passion and curiosity for this highly specialized work is vital to my ongoing development as an artist. It felt especially poignant after the past three years of isolation. I was deeply grateful to be with my community in such a beautiful location. One North Clown and Creation is a magical place.

Jacqueline Russell - Neo-Bouffon 2023 Participant