If you are a Comedy, clowning, and theater arts lover, you must have heard of or seen Julia Masli, the wife of Britain Got Talent winner Vigo Venn. She is also a comedian, a clown, and a storyteller; a hilarious one.

Julia is an Estonian-born but London-based of Eastern European, Baltic, and Balkan origins. Her family roots are traced to the oldest ancestry of 10,000 years of permanent inhabitants of Europe.

She is the ‘maestro of the art form’ as the Guardian called her, a ‘mesmeric performer’ as the Scotsman newspaper adorns her, and according to the Telegraph, he is the ‘Chapline-esque Brilliance’. Julia’s Shows is also listed among The 50 Best Shows To See At The Edinburg Festival 2023 by The Telegraph.

She has a vast wardrobe of laurels for her hilarious shows such as The Legs, Logs, Anna Karenina Na Na, and SHOOSH which she has performed and taught all over the world sharing her unique way of comedy.

But who is Julia Masli, the lady behind the red nose and outrageous costumes? How did she become one of our generation’s most celebrated clowns, and what inspired her to create such a unique style and vision of clowning and comedy?

How Julia Masli Becomes Who She Is

Julia Masli was born in Estonia, a small but rich and diverse cultural background country in Northern Europe. Growing up, Masli was surrounded by music and literature because her parents are singers and avid readers of old novels and plays.

At 8, Julia learned how to play the violin as she quickly develop a passion for singing and dancing. She took after her parent by reading books by Russian classics like Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky, and Chekhov, as well as Western authors like Shakespeare, Dickens, and Wilde.

She became fascinated with the power of words and how they were used in books to evoke emotions and imaginations.

By 16, Julia fell in love with theater arts and comedy. She joined a local drama club and was always there in every play and sketch. In blending with aspiring comedians like her, she discovered the works of legendary comedians like Monty Python, Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Laurel and Hardy, and others.

She critically studied their physical comedy, their absurd humor, and their ability to make people laugh without speaking words. She also learned their ability to be authentic, vulnerable, and authentic onstage.

 She Attended Comedy Schools

She decided to pursue a full-time career in acting and comedy. So, Julia loved to London to study at Drama Studio London, where she received a B.A in acting and then to proceeded to Ecole Philipe Gaulier in France, ne of the world’s most renowned clown schools.

At Ecole Phillipe Gaulier, Julia studied under Philippe Gaulier himself. Phillipe Gaulier is a master clown and comedian teacher who has trained many clowns such as Sacha Baron Cohen, Emma Thompson, Helena Bonham Carter, Simon McBurney, and more.

Phillipe Gaulier taught Julia Masli the principles of clowning, which are: how to be playful, spontaneous, generous, honest, and funny. Gaulier taught that the only way to be great at clowning is to find her own style of uniqueness in clowning.

Bgennining of Julia Masli’s Clowning Career

Julia’s career took off after she completed Ecole Phillipe Gaulier in France. She set out to find her uniqueness by creating solo and collaborative shows which combined clowning with music, dance, storytelling, improvisation, and audience interaction.

Some of Julia’s collaborative and solo shows that put her on that pedestal are:

• Legs.

The sequel to Legs explores another body part: arms. Julia collaborates with The Duncan Brothers for rounds of sketches that showcase their arms: boxing, hugging, painting, flying, etc. The show is equally funny, bizarre, and moving. It sold out its run at Soho Theatre in 2021.

• Anna Karenina Na Na

A show that parodies the classic novel by Leo Tolstoy. Julia performs with The Pushkinettes (Anna Zentolova and Tatiana Collet-Apraxine), two other clowns who share her Eastern European roots. The trio plays various characters from the book: Anna Karenina, Vronsky, Karenin, Levin, Kitty, etc.

They use props, costumes, songs, and accents to create a hilarious and irreverent version of the tragic story. The show was nominated for an Off West End Theatre Award for best production at Voila Europe Fest 2019

• SHOOSH!

This was Julia Masli’s debut solo clown show that showcases her talents as a performer and a creator. The show is a collection of sketches that feature different characters and situations: a woman who tries to seduce a man with her accordion skills, a girl who wants to be a pop star, a woman who has a breakdown at a supermarket, etc

The show is full of surprises, energy, and laughter. It sold out its entire Edinburgh 2022 run and was one of the best-reviewed comedy shows in Edinburgh fringe according to British Comedy Guide. The development of CHOOSH! was supported by Arts Council, England.

CHOOSH! was in Guardian’s and Telegraph’s Top Comedy Shows not to miss in Edinburgh Fringe. CHOOSH! toured in the UK, Helsinki, Berlin, France, Lithuania, and London – Soho Theatre.

Julia Masli Is Also A Teacher

Julia is not only a performer, but also a teacher. She has taught clowning at various institutions and venues, such as Ecole Philippe Gaulier, Drama Studio London, Arts Ed Drama School, Bath Spa University, and her own workshops.

She shares her knowledge and experience with aspiring and professional clowns, actors, comedians, and anyone who wants to learn how to be more playful, expressive, and funny.

Julia is also a collaborator. She has worked with many other artists and companies, such as Race Horse contemporary circus company, Stumptown Comedy Night, The Establishment Club, The Weirdos Collective, and more.

Net Worth Of Julia Masli, Viggo Venn’s Girlfriend