Flaming Idiots at New Victory now through January 3- Discounts!

I saw this show today, in the midst of my wacky craziness.

(One of my very good friends is their stage manager.)

The show is delightful- funny, quickwitted, and well-done.  The Idiots are legendary on the RenFaire circuit, and this show shows them off quite well.  Still going after 20 years-- their show is even more finely honed.

Some jugglers are about juggling, but these jugglers are about comedy.  In fact, if you are a juggling aficianado, you might be disappointed.  Not that there isn't some great juggling in the show, because there is.  But the juggling is stuff you've seen before (admittedly, very well done)

It's the comedy that makes this show great (and at $12, a steal)

This is the first time I've seen pedological leger-de-main, and it's simply beautifully done and handled. And hilarious.  (You want mayonaise with that?)

And they get a nine year old girl to kick the droppers of a complicated passing routine in the shins.  Very funny.

Go see it, you won't be sorry.

To get your discount:

For a limited time only, Playbill® Members can save 20% with code PBIdiots1700.

THREE EASY WAYS TO SAVE

1) Click here to visit NewVictory.org

2) Call 646-223-3010 and mention code PBIdiots1700.

3) Show this offer to the New Victory box office.
209 W 42nd Street, just west of Broadway
Box office hours: Sun & Mon: 11am - 5pm | Tue - Sat: 12pm - 7pm

Dick Van Dyke on Slapstick

Thanks to Drew Richardson, Dramatic Fool for pointing this out -- a hilarious mini-lecture about how slapstick is no longer funny, and then Mr. D.V.D. proceeds to schlap the shtick all over it.

This is an object lesson in how to build a physical routine where the audience know what's coming, but they can't help themselves from laughing anyway.

Big shoes can be dangerous!

This article from the UK Telegraph is pretty crazy. If people stopped doing dangerous stuff, there'd really be no point to a circus, y'know? Who wants to see a guy step into a ring of docile cows? Or brave the rope on the ground?

Clown cannot wear giant shoes due to health and safety

A clown has been told he cannot wear his giant comedy shoes due to health and safety.

By Chris Irvine

Last Updated: 9:14AM BST 23 Apr 2009

Valerik Kashkin, a clown in the Moscow State Circus, was performing in Liverpool's Sefton Park last Saturday when he fell from a three metre high slack wire, injuring his foot.

Although he continued to perform for the rest of the show, when he went to hospital later that evening, he was told he had broken the metatarsal bone in his left foot.

When he returned to the circus he was told by management he could no longer wear the size-18 shoes because they compromised his health and safety.

Mr Kashkin features in the circus' reworking of the Rasputin tale, The Monk's Dream.

His routine includes dressing himself whilst walking on a wire, dress himself within a hoop of fire, and playing a drum-kit, trumpet and double-bass all at the same time.

But he is now worried performing in his regular sized footwear will lose impact on the audience.

Mr Kashkin, 40, from Temruk, Russia, said: "The shoes are an important part of my costume, and I was disappointed to be told I couldn't do this part of my act.

"I feel fine, and think I could do it in the shoes – the impact might be lost on the audience now."

Rejecting that it was a case of health and safety gone mad, Larry Dewitt, Health and Safety adviser to the circus said: "I'm not a believer in political correctness, or doing things for the sake of doing it however.

"You have to take a common-sense approach with these things – if it's stupid, don't do it."

Paul Archer, General Manager for the Moscow State Circus, said: "I think it will definitely detract from the visual aspect of the performance.

"It's very important because there's a language barrier to the whole performance, as it's in Russian."

He added: "But we live in a litigation world, and I guess we just have to follow through these procedures.

"It's a real balancing act."

ClownLab show- Feb 13, 14 (NY)

Jef Johnson is a principal clown in the international touring company of Slava’s Snowshow. As Clown, he has also toured with Cirque du Soleil. Jef has more than 20 years of experience working in a wide range of physical styles. His approach is rooted in subjective expression, physical expression of condition through impulse and reflex. He has studied corporeal expression from disciples of Grotowski, Suzuki, Marceau, Decroux, Lecoq, Meyerhold, M. Chekhov, Vakhtangov.

He teaches a Clown Lab in NY on a fairly regular basis. The product, or clinical trial, as he prefers to call it, of one of those Clown Labs will be coming up on Feb 13 & 14.

I haven't studied with him, so can't really say what his teaching style is like. His website and (clown journal) was a bit too impenetrable for me to figure out exactly what he is all about.

With most things like this, the best way to figure out if you want to study with him is to go see some of his work. Here are the details to check it out for yourself.

Clownical Trials
In situ modulation using perception action coupling and combined object vectors.

THEATERLAB
137 West 14th Street
New York, NY
February 12-13 at 8 pm
$10.00 Reservations: 212-929-2545
Featuring: Golan, Kathie Horejsi, Julie Josephson, Michaela Lind, Andrew Valins

Jef Johnson's CLOWN LAB is dedicated to the exploration of the mechanisms underlying the nature of clown through behavior, experience and creative association. This is a clinical trial. Real humans will be used.

To find out more about Jef's work, visit his website listed below:

http://www.nyclown.com

Bindlestiff Cavalcade of Youth seeks performers

Got this in from Viveca Gardner, of Playful Productions, and the Youth Director of the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus. They are looking for Youth under age 21 to perform in the Cavalcade of Youth-- see below for more information. If you'd like to perform, email or call Viveca pronto. They've got spots available, and are always looking for the next generation of fantastic new performers. ======= Hello! It's that time again--we're looking for jugglers, clowns, magicians, musicians, dancers, acrobats, and other variety performers under age 21! We want to put you in the spotlight! The next Bindlestiff Family Cirkus Cavalcade of Youth performances will be September 26 and November 16 (both Sunday afternoons) at the beautiful Zipper Factory Theater in Midtown Manhattan. If you would like to participate, please reply soon! Also, please help spread the word about these great shows--both to potential audience members and to potential performers. All the information is below. Thanks and best wishes to all. I look forward to hearing from you! Viveca Gardiner Director of Youth Programs, Bindlestiff Family Cirkus President, Playful Productions 212-989-4718 EMAIL: Viveca@playfulproductions.com

*****

The Zipper Factory Theater presents
a Bindlestiff Family Variety Arts, Inc. and Playful Productions production

Bindlestiff Family Cirkus's
CAVALCADE OF YOUTH
The Performers of Tomorrow Steal the Stage Today!
_______________________________

What: Bindlestiff Family Cirkus's Cavalcade of Youth
When: Sunday, September 28, 2008 Showtime: 2 pm
Where: Zipper Factory Theater
336 West 37th Street, New York City
Admission: Advance Purchase: $7 youth / $12 adults
At the Door: $10 youth / $15 adults
Info/reservations: 212-352-3101 http://www.thezipperfactory.com
_______________________________

Bindlestiff Family Cirkus presents a special showcase for young variety performers, ranging from amateurs to world-class professionals. Juvenile jugglers, diminutive dancers, adolescent acrobats and a host of other moppets and mummers present a full show of vernal vaudeville. Acts range from debuting amateurs to world-class champion performers—all under the age of 21.

Now in its fifth year, Bindlestiff's Cavalcade continues to feature an amazing array of young talent. These are the future stars of Cirque du Soleil, Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, and television. Where else can you see juvenile unicyclists, tap dancers, magicians, clowns, and contortionists sharing the stage with Broadway-bound singers and classically trained musicians?

Since its inception in January 2004, Bindlestiff's Cavalcade of Youth (COY) program has grown markedly. In September 2006, a few of the COY participants were featured performers in the Speigeltent at the South Street Seaport. In the past year COY has had programs at Abrons Arts Center, Snug Harbor Cultural Center, and COY instructors are offering circus skills in after school programs throughout the city. This past summer, COY participated in the American Circus Youth Festival in Illinois. The 2008 Cavalcade of Youth performance season is hosted by the Zipper Factory.

* * * * * * *

http://www.bindlestiff.org * http://www.thezipperfactory.com * http://www.playfulproductions.com

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Besserwisser

What do you get when you take two European Cirque du Soleil performers who decide they want to focus a little bit more on clowning and a little bit less on spectacle? Besserweiser. Which in English translates roughly as "Know-it-all" , features two very skilled performers from Cirque who do just that.

In their own words:

In our society we are constantly trying to be faster, better, and smarter… only to realize that we are consistently trying to reach unattainable goals. Rather than be content with where we are, we deform ourselves to reach an ideal that we have self created or bought into. This pushes us to the ridiculous, eventually becoming a know-it-all, hence a Besserwisser.

Jesko and Guennadi present their comedic duo “Besserwisser”. They offer unique situations with extraordinary objects to reveal the human interaction between he who thinks thar “he knows” and is perfect, and he who tries to aspire toward perfection. Two sides of the same psyche… A besserwisser, Nothing more annoying…

The artists
Jesko von den Steinen
Jesko von den Steinen was a solo clown with Cirque du Soleil’s “Saltimbanco” for 5 years. He is currently also performing with Familie Flöz, a Berlin based, physical theatre company. Jesko works on occasion in Paris, France with Philippe Gaulier, as his teaching assistant. He recently co-wrote co-directed and choreographed a film for Bravo! TV. The film “Corps” uses acrobatics and contemporary dance as its form of narration. It has been selected for various international film festivals.

Guennadi Tchijov
Guennadi has performed with Cirque du Soleil for 12 for years. Creating the role of “The Dreamer” for Saltimbanco and later working in Mystere. He originates from the Ukraine and is a former student of Valentine Gneuschiev. He subsequently has worked as Character and clown, for example with Rolf Knie’s “SaltoNatale” and has performed in various Varietés such as Roncalli’s WinterGarten.


You can find out more about the duo on their website, listed below:

http://www.jesko-guennadi.com