Words are often the tools used to move us, whether it’s to laughter, tears, disbelief or something in between. In the discipline of clowning, however, words are used far more sparingly, instead calling upon other forms of physical communication to rouse audiences in an almost primal way. Just look at Britain’s Got Talent winner Viggo Venn’s seemingly silly act. With little more than hi-vis vests, a Daft Punk song and impeccable timing, Venn managed to nab the show’s £250,000 cash prize and a Royal Variety Performance slot.

Of course, Venn’s success didn’t happen overnight. Performing around the world as both a solo act and as part of Zach & Viggo, he’s been honing his craft over several years, first sharpening his teeth at École Philippe Gaulier under the watchful eye of professor and master clown Gaulier himself. Venn believes that this fully prepared him for the harsh judgement of a BGT panel. ‘[Gaulier] tells you when you’re failing fast; and quite insultingly. Sometimes you would be on stage for six seconds and he’d be like “ba! Thank you Viggo, you are shit. Ah, you remind me of a shit on the street of Paris, a little dog shit”.’

As a former student of the late, great Jacques Lecoq, Gaulier’s eponymous acting school builds on those formative teachings of physical theatre, movement and mime, and has been attended by the likes of Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter over the years. So how does Gaulier’s frankness compare to the notoriously grumpy Simon Cowell? ‘Simon is so much nicer,’ Venn admits.‘They have a similar quality actually. Simon has a buzzer and Philippe has a drum, and if they hit it, you’re out. So actually they’re kind of the same.’ Nodding in agreement next to him is fellow award-winning performer (and Venn’s partner) Julia Masli, who attended Gaulier’s school at the same time. ‘When you come out of the school, you feel like you’ve been through a war zone. We just see each other fail, fail, fail, but then something happens once in a blue moon where you have a breakthrough!’

Gaulier calls this breakthrough ‘finding your inner clown’, a challenge that remains for even very experienced performers. ‘I do not know my clown, but I know when the clown is around,’ explains Venn. ‘When the audience is laughing and I’m playing, then I know “ah, my clown is here”, but then, zeep! He’s gone again.’ Masli explains it in different terms. ‘It’s the part of yourself your best friends laugh about behind your back,’ but she also believes there’s something profound in the continual search. ‘[Gaulier] made this beautiful speech at the end of our clown module where he said you have to believe that Godot will come one day. “I’m 73 and I’m still waiting for Godot every day”, he said. The journey never ends.’

Masli and Venn may have first bonded over being students of Gaulier, but their performance styles couldn’t be more different. In Masli’s critically acclaimed shows Legs and Logs, as well as last year’s CHOOSH!, it’s her captivating calmness and ingenious use of props that distinguish her. ‘She has such an absolutely ridiculous imagination that is so free and charming,’ Venn attests. In her new hour, facetiously named ha ha ha ha ha ha ha, Masli leans into audience participation, building the show’s narrative around stories offered up by attendees.

‘It’s really moved me actually,’ says Masli. ‘People stay after and meet each other because it feels like “oh, I know you” now you’ve shared this thing and we’ve laughed about it and made it into something.’ As for Venn, ‘I love the wild energy and chaos he brings,’ says Masli. His show British Comedian, named after a deep desire to be exactly that, has ‘a theme of increased visibility’ (said with a wink).

‘My biggest dream was to become a British comedian,’ says the Norwegian Venn. ‘And now I’m touring a show called British Comedian. So my next dream is to get King Charles in hi-vis.’ A dream not outside the realm of possibility considering he’ll be performing for him in November. But first Venn needs to get through August, something he has characteristically chosen to make more ‘risky’ for himself.

‘My producer called me and was like, “you can have any time slot and room you want now”. I was silent and then he kind of giggled “hehehe”. And then I giggled “hehehe”. And then I said “midnight, huh?” And he was like “oh yeah”.’ Masli shares his excitement for a midnight slot. ‘There’s a special wild atmosphere; people are ready for anything, ready to do anything.’ Most importantly, adds Venn, ‘there are no accountants. Only the festival crowd who are really interested. It’s just perfect.’

Julia Masli: ha ha ha ha ha ha ha, Monkey Barrel, 4–15 August, 12.05am; Julia Masli: CHOOSH!, Assembly George Square Gardens, 22–27 August, 8.55pm.

Viggo Venn: British Comedian, Lodge Grounds, North Berwick, as part of Fringe By The Sea, 13 August, 9.30pm; Monkey Barrel, 16–27 August, 12.05am.