Bullied as a gay teenager, Clint Bolster has broken free to become a performer to watch. Shirleene Robinson reports.
This year looks set to bring big things for Clint Bolster, a young, out-and-proud performing artist whose career is on the upswing.
Clint has worked professionally in Australia and Japan as an actor, physical theatre performer, stilt performer and clown. Right now, he’s attracting attention and gaining an impressive profile by performing some remarkable performance feats and acting as a stilt performer with Aerial Angels at Conrad Jupiter’s Casino on the Gold Coast.
Clint’s journey into the performing arts is an interesting one. He told us that he used to be a “shy person who was bullied” and that he initially started performing to build up some confidence.
“Performing is an escape for me – an opportunity to become someone else,” says Clint. “[It’s] like riding a wave of joy.” With this sort of love for what he’s doing, it’s no wonder he’s enjoying considerable success.
Although Clint is only 22 years old, he has had an extremely active career. He worked overseas in Japan, performing over 750 shows. He has toured secondary schools across Australia and performed constantly in all sorts of environments, ranging from festivals and corporate events to nightclubs.
If that wasn’t exhausting enough, he’s also worked as a roving theatrical clown, stand-up comedian and stilt performer. He cultivated his performance skills through his theatre studies at Queensland University of Technology, and he further honed those skills through training with a range of companies, including the Zen Zen Zo Physical Theatre group, the Queensland Shakespeare Ensemble and Expressions Dance Company.
Clint isn’t resting on his laurels, though. He says he’s thrilled to have been accepted to undertake training at the Circus Centre in San Francisco and the International Commedia Dell’Arte School in Italy.
In addition, next year he’ll be taking up a nine-week residency at the School of Visual and Performing Arts in Tasmania, and then heading to Paris, where he will study at the L’Ecole Philippe Gaulier, a theatre school that specialises in clowning. One day, Clint hopes to work either with Cirque du Soleil or perform his own solo show.
The type of performance art Clint undertakes obviously requires quite a lot of stamina and Clint keeps fit by swimming with the GLBTQ swim club Aqualicious in Brisbane. He’s a great addition to the Aqualicious club, as he was a state level swimmer for four years.
Clint is a very proud member of the GLBTQ community and we asked him if he had an advice for younger members of the community who might want to follow in his footsteps.
“[A successful performer] needs energy, intelligence, creativity, courage and discipline.” But more than that, he recommends that aspiring performers “stay true to who you are. Follow your dreams and hold on tight with all your heart. Be bold. Be brave. Never be afraid of failure, it is how you learn.”
Clint says he enjoys a range of sports but can also be found dancing and jumping on his stilts in New Farm Park on Saturday or Sunday. Or you might spot him on the dance floor at the Wickham, Sporties or the Family every now and then.
But interestingly, for a performer who’s on the verge of real international success, he told us that his favourite place in the world is his home with his family. “I’m a Cancerian – we love our nests!”
Bullied as a gay teenager, Clint Bolster has broken free to become a performer to watch. Shirleene Robinson reports.
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