Mump and Smoot

Experiencing Technical Difficulties with Mump and Smoot

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Clowning around with Mump & Smoot Back when the thought about doing a documentary about Fringe Festivals was just in the conception phase (those were the days!), a number of folks told me one thing: You have to interview Mump and Smoot.

Mump and Smoot is (are?) a Canadian clown duo who got their start in the very early days of Fringe. In fact, they performed at many inaugural Fringes like Toronto, Saskatoon and Orlando. The team and I were incredibly excited to meet with them and, as luck would have it, the Gods of Timing would be in our favour as both John Turner & Mike Kennard would be together, at what was once known as the "clown farm" on Manitoulin Island, in the brief window we had between the Toronto and Winnipeg Fringes.

We left Toronto on the Saturday afternoon following my last performance and drove well into the night, arriving at our Cabin in the Woods™ well after midnight. Considering not getting murdered by evil spirits or escaped convicts a victory, we woke up to a beautiful sight before us.