“WATER FOR ELEPHANTS”

 “Water For Elephants” now on its North American tour, has finally reached San Diego and is playing at the Civic Theatre through Sunday evening.  

Based on Sara Gruen’s best -selling novel of the same name, Bruce Elice’s Book and Music and Lyrics by Pig Pen Theatre Company, “Water For Elephants” comes with its own company of circus performers including high flying acrobats, aerialists, life sized puppets, contortionists, and basically everything a traveling circus in the 1930’s needed to travel from town to town. Oh, of course there is also a love story. 

Zachary Keller and Javier Garcia

"Water For Elephants" is a memory tale about a widower, (Robert Tully playing the older Jankowski ), who runs away to join the circus, the Benzini Brothers Circus. As an unlicensed  veterinarian and out  out of work, he hop’s the train to wherever the circus heads. 

The story, like the circus, travels back and forth in time and shows Jacob (Zachary Keller) as the younger version who joins up with the circus, meets and falls in love with Marlena (Helen Krushinski), the abusive circus owner (Connor Sullivan) and ringmaster’s wife. 

Scene From "Water For Elephants"

The music and lyrics by Pig Pen Theatre Company, in comparison,  falls far short of the circus performers, juggling acts, clowns, and physical stunts. With technical elements including the life sized puppets, a huge Asian Elephant (Rosie) designed by Tony Award Winner, David I. Reynoso (costumes as well) of San Diego, and puppetry designed by Camille Labarre and her menagerie of animals the production comes alive.    

Zachary Keller, Helen Krushinski and 'Rosie'

Actually, the presentation of Rosie ‘coming out’ is worth the price of a ticket. And just for you know what and giggles, her eyelashes really blink!

Scene from 'Water For Elephants'

With original  direction by newly appointed La Jolla Playhouse director Jessica Stone, who recently won a Tony nomination for “Water For Elephants”, the circus element of the show is eye popping, breath -taking and exciting. Sadly, the score is bland, (there are 21 musical numbers) the hopping on and off circus trains is overly done and the evening stretches out for long periods of sameness. The production runs about two and a half hours.

Helen Krushinski and Zachary Keller

The good news is that Zachery Keller and Helen Krushinski make a believable couple. Tyler West is super as the circus clown and  the aerialists and those who fly through the air remind us that we are , in fact, in a circus. 

Helen Krushinski and Zachary Keller

Many moons ago while I was at a Ringling Bros. & Barnum and Bailey Circus (cutting classes from college) a circus clown sat on my lap and frightened the beejesus out of me. The good news is that no one from “Water or Elephants” ventured off the stage. 

Enjoy.

See you at the theatre. 

When: 7 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday; 7:30 p.m. Thursday; 8 p.m. Friday; 2 and 8 p.m Saturday; 1 and 6:30 p.m. next Sunday.

Where: San Diego Civic Theatre, 1100 Third Ave., downtown

Photo: Matthew Murphy/MurphyMade

Tickets: $68 and up

Online: ticketmaster.com