Grave of Joseph Grimaldi, "King of Clowns"

Joseph Grimaldi: King of Clowns.

Next to the former St James's Anglican Chapel, in the small churchyard, you will find the grave of Joseph Grimaldi. 

His name may be familiar to some, while others will have no idea who he was. Those with coulrophobia will probably be terrified, for Joseph Grimaldi changed the role of the clown, in pantomimes and plays, earning him the title 'King of the Clowns'.

Born in 1778, Joseph Grimaldi came from a family with a long history as entertainers and performers. 

His first appearance on stage was at the age of 3, when his father took him onto the stage at Sadler's Wells Theatre.

As soon as Joseph was old enough he became an actor, working at Drury Lane Theatre and Sadler's Wells Theatre, quickly becoming one of the most popular actors of his day.

In 1806, Joseph Grimaldi was hired for a role in the pantomime 'Harlequin and Mother Goose', at Covent Garden Theatre. It was here that Grimaldi created a new style of clown, a style that we still know today. He used white face paint, with red paint around his lips and on his cheeks and he painted his eyebrows thick and black. To finish the transformation he wore bright, oversized clothes and got up to all sorts of mischief on stage. So good was his performance that he upstaged the Harlequin. The name 'Joey' passed into the modern language to mean a clown.

Joseph Grimaldi worked at Sadler's Wells Theatre for over 40 years, as a performer and part-proprietor. 

In 1823, Joseph was forced to retire due to poor health. His joints were giving him problems and, along with a respiratory condition, he could no longer perform as he wished.

Following the death of his wife he fell into debt and became an alcoholic, which didn't help his depression. He died in 1837, penniless and alone.

He was buried in the churchyard of St James's Anglican Chapel.

By the late 19th century the grounds of the church were turned into a public park, which was named Joseph Grimaldi Park, in his honour. The church building was soon redundant and was demolished in the 1980s.

Charles Dibdin musical casket.

Joseph Grimaldi musical casket.

In 2010, the park was refurbished, with Paul Matthews, ex deputy-mayor of Islington championing the restoration of Grimaldi's grave.

Joseph Grimaldi's grave is the only freestanding grave left in the churchyard.

Henry Krokatsis, an artist, was tasked with creating something that would honour Joseph Grimaldi and Charles Dibdin, who had been Grimaldi's employer and proprietor of the Sadler's Wells Theatre.

Krokatsis came up with an installation entitled 'An Invitation To Dance On a Grave', which consists of two casket-shaped boxes, set into the ground. These boxes are covered in bronze floor tiles which, when walked or danced on, play musical notes.

With time and the weather taking its toll on the installation, it has become increasingly more difficult to make the floor tiles chime. Some chime when walked on, while others need to be almost jumped on. The tiles were tuned in such a way that it was possible to play 'Hot Codlins', a song that was popularised by Grimaldi.

There is a story that goes something like this: 

'In the early 1800s a man went to see a psychiatrist, as he was feeling depressed. The psychiatrist told the man not to worry as he had a suggestion that would help. He told him to go to Sadler's Wells Theatre and watch Joseph Grimaldi's performance as a clown, saying that the act would lighten anyone's mood and demeanour. The man immediately broke down in tears, 

"But, I am Joseph Grimaldi.", he sobbed.'

I do not know if there is any truth to this story, but could this be the origin of the phrase, "Tears of a Clown"?