Possible Clues:

• On the Waterfront fails to keep French characters off the stage
• Nonsense written in columns exposing clowns
• Sportier (anag) — characters in pantomime, usually with whitened faces
• They're white-faced when supporting pillar crumbles
• Characters in French pantomime with whitened faces
• Characters in French pantomime, usually dressed in white with whitened faces
• Rips tore up the puppet clowns