The Bindlestiffs: America’s Last Family Circus

An independent 10-part documentary series about one of America’s last traveling family performance troupes, The Bindlestiffs, follows a pair of circus-loving lovebirds as they struggle with financial burdens that may ultimately shutter their family-run biz for good.

The camera opens on the founders, performance polymaths Keith Nelson (sword swallower, fire eater, knife thrower, etc) and Stephanie Monseu (stilt walker, nail-bed layer, whipstress, etc), who recently lost their sole sponsor and find their six-person troupe beset by everything from rising maintenance costs (insurance, gas) to changing tastes (i.e., the diminishing demand for vaudeville/burlesque/clown entertainment).

It’s a bittersweet irony that those troubles make for such compelling viewing.

The first vid, which clocks in at a very entertaining 10 minutes, explains the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus through Nelson and Monseu’s experiences. The couple shows off their Brooklyn warehouse, which is piled high with trapeze wire, clown makeup, juggling pins and other circus sundries. Despite the romanticism of this vaudeville hodgepodge, the real work of the circus, they say, is on the backend: booking the acts, designing the flyers, accounting, set design, garment knitting and driving. The circus’ monthly maintenance costs: $75,000.

It’s a compelling plight. If there’s anything odd about this intro, it’s that the mid-tempo rock playing in the background is vaguely reminiscent of the intro credits for a suburban sitcom. No need to knock the viewer over the head with the “just like us” trope.

The vid continues to explain the troupe’s obstacles — buses that break down, salaries to be paid, etc. — while introducing the Bindlestiff ethos: freedom from corporate circus constraints (e.g., performers have little creative input) and support for homosexual acts (e.g., Scott the Blue Bunny, who flaunts his orientation openly and to comic effect). Apparently Barnum & Bailey and Cirque du Soleil are oppressive! Who knew?!

Two vids have published already, with new episodes planned every Friday. Throughout the rest of the 10-week season, the Bindlestiffs face a litany of challenges, including increased attention for Keith’s “Kinko for President” campaign and Keith and Stephanie’s possible eviction from their Brooklyn loft.