Biography
Slava Polunin — clown (snow show) with roots in the Russian Empire
Slava Polunin is a Russian clown, mime, and theatre director born in Novozybkov (Russia) who created Slava's Snowshow — a theatrical masterpiece about loneliness, beauty, and the poetry of the absurd that has been seen by over 10 million people in 80 countries. He has lived in France since leaving Russia.
Russian Connection
Tracing the roots — France
Born in Novozybkov (Bryansk Oblast) in 1950, Polunin trained at the Leningrad Circus School and developed his yellow-coated clown persona through Soviet underground performance before creating Snowshow in 1993. His departure from Russia and his Paris base place him in the tradition of Russian theatrical artists who found their fullest expression in the West.
Family Tree
Subject
Slava Polunin🇫🇷 France
↑
Self (Born there)
-
↑
Origin
France🇷🇺
Key Achievements
A career defined by ambition
01
Created Slava's Snowshow (1993) — seen by 10+ million people in 80 countries
02
Laurence Olivier Award for Best Entertainment — London (1999)
03
Artistic Director of the Liceu Theatre, Barcelona (2004)
04
Known as the greatest living clown by theatre critics worldwide
05
Soviet Underground performance artist turned global theatrical phenomenon
Sources