Comediennes: Lulu Adams

Episode Summary

Lulu Adams was born in 1900 to a family of circus performers. Her father was a clown, her mother trained performing dogs, and her grandmother was one of the first tightrope walkers at the Brighton Hippodrome. At age 12, Lulu made her circus debut alongside her sister as a musical act that toured Europe. Although a talented multi-instrumentalist and singer, Lulu shone as a clown. She developed her own feminine clown style and was often billed as the first female clown at venues, including the Grand Olympia in London. In 1927 she married fellow clown Albert Adams and together they formed the successful act "Lulu and Albertino." During WWII, Lulu worked as a nurse while Albert entertained troops. Afterwards, they resumed their US tour with Ringling Bros until Albert died of a heart attack during a 1948 radio interview. Though devastated, Lulu performed the next day. She continued clowning until retirement in 1962. Lulu is remembered for entertaining civilians and troops during WWII and continuing her act despite hardships. As she once said, "I shall go clowning till I die."

Episode Show Notes

Lulu Adams (1900- c.1989)  was an early female clown who appeared in some of the most renowned British circuses of her time. She formed a famous clown duo act with her husband, Albert, and toured the U.S. with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.

Episode Transcript

SPEAKER_02: If you're prescribed NERTEK® ODT, or MedJapan® 75 mg for migraine attacks, does the fear of running out of medication stop you from treating every migraine attack? If so, ask about two eight-packs per month. That's 16 tablets, and most insurance plans cover it. NERTEK® ODT is approved for the acute treatment of migraine attacks SPEAKER_01: and preventive treatment of episodic migraine in adults. Don't take if allergic to NERTEK® ODT or any of its ingredients. Allergic reactions can occur even days after using and include trouble breathing, rash, and swelling of the face, mouth, tongue, or throat. Most common side effects were nausea and indigestion stomach pain. A maximum dose of 75 mg can be taken daily to treat migraine attacks or every other day to prevent them. The safety of using more than 18 doses of NERTEK® ODT in a 30-day period has not been established. For full prescribing information, call 1-833-4-NERTEK® or visit nertek.com. Double the packs to treat more migraine attacks. SPEAKER_02: Ask your doctor if two eight-packs of NERTEK® ODT is right for you. SPEAKER_00: Hello! From WonderMedia Network, I'm Jenny Kaplan, and this is Womanica. This month we're talking about comediennees, women throughout history who've made us laugh. They transgress societal norms through comedy and often spoke out against injustice using their sharp wit. Today we're talking about an entertainer who was born to be in the circus. She's often regarded as one of the earliest female clowns, and she was devoted to her craft. She once said, I shall go clowning till I die. Let's talk about Lulu Adams. Lulu was born in Belgium in 1900 to a family of touring performers. Her father was a clown and acrobatic bareback rider, and her mother was an equestrian and performing dog trainer. Lulu's grandmother was one of the first tightrope walkers at the Brighton Hippodrome, and her uncle was a theater set designer. The circus was Lulu's destiny. Lulu was a multi-talented performer. She played at least seven instruments. She also sang and danced as well as designed sets. When she was 12 years old, Lulu put her talents to the test. She made her circus debut with a musical act alongside her sister. The duo became a hit and performed across Europe. While Lulu was a talented singer, she really shined as a clown. Lulu developed her own style of feminine clown makeup. With white grease paint, a red blot at the end of her nose, and big black eyebrows. At the time, circus promoters jumped at the opportunity to hype up their featured female clowns in order to draw crowds. They'd often overstate their novelty, especially since many early women in clowning hid their gender. Nonetheless, Lulu was often touted as the first of her kind at circuses across the UK. In particular, she was known as the first female clown to perform at the Grand Olympia London. In 1927, while on tour with her family, Lulu met and married fellow clown Albert Adams. The pair formed their own clown double act known as Lulu and Albertino. The act was wildly successful in the UK. The couple performed in the Blackpool Tower Circus and Tom Arnold's Mammoth Circus. And in the late 1930s, they joined the Ringling Brothers Circus on a US tour. Lulu was conscious of her position as a woman and a clown. The couple's act was often performed for children, and she wanted to avoid the usual slaps and other forms of violence. Instead, Albert would get a rise out of their audience by pulling a seemingly endless supply of instruments and noisemakers out of his costume. Every time Lulu would take a whistle or horn from Albert, he would produce another one, just like that. While on their US tour, life in Europe became rather serious. World War II had just begun, and Albert was called back to the British Army Reserves. Lulu and Albert left the United States and returned to England. Albert was deemed unfit to serve and was relieved of his duty. Albert and Lulu found other ways to help out during the war. Lulu worked as a nurse for the Red Cross, and Albert provided entertainment to soldiers at military stations. The couple also revived their Lulu and Albertino Act for evacuated children at a miniature circus. The pair provided much-needed comic relief to troops and civilians alike before eventually returning to the United States. Lulu and Albert were ready to resume their pre-war lives. They were hired by Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus to perform in the 1948 tour of The Greatest Show on Earth. One night in New York, Lulu and Albert appeared on a radio program to promote the show. As the host was interviewing them live on air, Albert collapsed. At first, everyone in the studio thought it was part of the act, but he never got up. Albert had suffered a heart attack and was pronounced dead shortly thereafter. Lulu was shocked, but she didn't let it affect the show. She attended dress rehearsal an hour after her radio appearance and performed the next day. Lulu continued the tour and performed until her retirement in 1962. Lulu Adams spent her later life selling fabric dolls, a hobby she began during the war. She also ran a bed and breakfast with her sister until her death sometime around 1989. Lulu Adams is remembered today as a woman who put the smiles of others above her own. She entertained England during the dark period of war and kept the show going during her own tragedies. All month we're talking about comedienne's. For more information, find us on Facebook and Instagram at Womanica Podcast. Special thanks to Liz Kaplan, my favorite sister and co-creator. Tune in tomorrow for a special episode brought to you by NERTEK. Talk to you then. SPEAKER_02: Migraine attacks. Does the fear of running out of medication stop you from treating every migraine attack? If so, ask about two eight packs per month. That's 16 tablets and most insurance plans cover it. SPEAKER_01: NERTEK ODT is approved for the acute treatment of migraine attacks and preventive treatment of episodic migraine in adults. Don't take if allergic to NERTEK ODT or any of its ingredients. Allergic reactions can occur even days after using and include trouble breathing, rash and swelling of the face, mouth, tongue or throat. Most common side effects were nausea and indigestion stomach pain. A maximum dose of 75 milligrams can be taken daily to treat migraine attacks or every other day to prevent them. The safety of using more than 18 doses of NERTEK ODT in a 30 day period has not been established. For full prescribing information, call 1-833-4-NERTEK or visit nertek.com. Double the packs to treat more migraine attacks. Ask your doctor if two eight packs of NERTEK ODT is right for you.