Monday Morning Takeouts: "Water for Clowns" at NY's Flea Theatre ... Circus Smirkus Goes to Press in Vermont ...

The recent film fizzle Water for Elephants, a depression-era tale of a young veterinarian student running low on tuition cash and defaulting to a creepy circus, gets attention it may not relish when a depression-era meteorologist, ruing the death of his dog, Biscuit, jumps a train and ends up with Martini Bros Circus. Not a film but a stage show titled Water for Clowns, soon to premiere at the Flea Theatre, the work of New York Goofs, a company consisting of professional clowns and clown teachers. Premise is a doozy. The dog was run over by a car driven by the parents of Water's vet student. Are you laughing? The Martini cut-ups must endure "the harsh reality of show business when a drought prohibits the use of water in their routines." Steve ... Ryan, does that resonate? How to get there if you're a tourist: Your destination is 41 White Street between Broadway and Church. Take subway lines A,C,E,R,N,4,5,6 to Canal. Run is a brief four nights, beginning August 11 ... Show sounds like it could be a comedy riot if they spoof the highly spoofable Water ... Which reminds me to make a note to myself: The next time I do Gotham, since I buy the 7-day subway pass, I'm gonna ride the rattlers all over the town, up and down, getting out here and there for brief look-around peaks, back in for another grinding tear to another Big Apple vista. The Bronx intrigues; never been there.

Speaking of clowns, here's two young jesters whose dedication impresses: Kelly-Miller's Steve Copeland and Ryan Combs have the drive, the passion, and/or the madness that marks the true pro. Not locked into same old same old shtick. No, they turn over their repertoire each season. Already, with hammer, nail, scotch tape and glue in hand, the guys are building next year's props, combing hardware outlets and flea markets, carpentering away to give their big boss, John Ringling North II, new gags and giggles. Way to go, joeys! ... But somebody should tell accident-prone Steve: Please, choose your mud puddles more carefully! It's a medical wonder his unscripted pratfalls have not landed him in reality TV, or on Dr. Oz. Reading Steve's blog, we get the sketchy impression that maybe biz is a little more than, maybe a lot more than decent. ... JRN II traveling with the show in his mobile depression-era version of the Jomar ...

Hold the presses! Extra! Extra! Read all about them! Circus Smirkus, the youth show from Vermont, has hit the summer roads with Front Page Follies: Big Top News. I surfed by serendipity into a charming You Tube of one of their recent shows, almost as much ballet as circus, classically scored, a charmer on its own gentler turf. But they also have a little muscle, yes they do! Heck, they might even possess the "strength" that Anonymous, lurking about this blog, insists is the mark of greatness. Promises press copy (thank you, Courier Covington) you can bank on "soaring flips, graceful leaps and colorful hi-jinks." Big Items include a dueling-typewriters skit (boy does that play to my keyboard addictions), a pair of loony scribes attempting to "out scoop each other." On ice cream? (Laugh, please) ... Premise sounds ingenious. Troupe numbers 29 members, ages 10 through 18. Show is now on New England tour through August, making 70 shows in 14 cities.

Out of towners wanting to see both shows? Check Travelocity for a package deal combining Water for Clowns with Tyepwriters for Tumblers ...