Word in the hutong is that a posse of brightly attired, prosthetically enhanced foreigners is coming to town to conduct some funny business. Look out, or risk laughing so hard soymilk squirts out of your nose as more than 20 clowns from over 10 European and Central Asian countries take over the stage at the Poly Theater from May 29 to June 1. Acts include Dutch whistling vaudeville, Ukrainian puppeteers and Polish acrobats. Beijing will be the troupe's third China stop after opening in Shanghai on May 25.

Mr. Magic, an American expat who has lived in China and worked as a clown since 1994, says that the Europeans should bring something quite unique to the stage. "In America, you have a drunken dude with a bottle," says Mr. Magic, aka Christopher Parsons. "In the United States it’s degraded over the years, but in Europe, it's still real art." Clowning has existed in almost every culture for thousands of years. According to legend, Qin Shihuang, the first emperor of China, had a court jester who dissuaded the emperor from having the Great Wall painted, thus becoming a hero not only for saving thousands of lives but for preventing aesthetic infamy.

The clowns Westerners tend to be familiar with wear exaggerated face paint, wigs and bright costumes and make appearances at carnivals and children's birthday parties, but have little traction in China.

"Chinese clowns are very behind the times," Mr. Magic laments. "They look like clowns from a hundred years ago in the West. [Seeing one] is like time traveling."

According to Mr. Magic, clowns in China are often offshoots of older and more Chinese performing traditions, like Peking opera. Worldwide, interest in clowning is also dwindling. "After David Copperfield came, everyone wanted to don a black suit and become an illusionist," Mr. Magic says. "If you find a younger clown, they are almost always the son of a clown."

For Mr. Magic and company, the upcoming showcase of hilarity may usher in renewed interest in the art form. Mr. Magic concludes with a toot on his clown horn: "I just hope [the show] makes people excited about clowns again."

International Clown Carnival

Date: May 29-June 1
Address:Poly Theater
Price: RMB80-380
Tel: 010-6590-3399