They do workshops for kids in the circus arts at Time & Space Limited and the Hudson Opera House. And each summer, the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus performs in Waterfront Park as part of the City of Hudson’s free Summer Concert Series.

Sunday, August 24, was circus day in Hudson. On a perfect late summer afternoon, the Bindlestiff Family Circus took the stage, against the backdrop of the Hudson River and the Catskills beyond, to perform a show that was a little bit circus, a little bit sideshow, and a whole lot of fun.

Keith Nelson in the character of Mr. Pennygaff, Stephanie Monseu as Ring Mistress Philomena, and Adam Kuchler put on a 90-minute show that included “daring acrobatical and comedical prop manipulations,” juggling, target bullwhip cracking, plate spinning, and sword swallowing—all accompanied by the appropriate sounds of circus music produced on the electronic keyboard by Francisco Monroy.

The “daring acrobatical and comedical prop manipulations” were provided by Adam Kuchler, who amazed and amused the audience by pushing his entire body, tush first, into and through a large, but not uncommonly so, tote bag. Another memorable moment was provided when Ring Mistress Philomena performed her target bullwhip cracking act with a willing but not exactly eager volunteer from the audience, Hudson Common Council President Rob Perry.

The show also featured the winners of the Library Lion Coloring Contest held by the Hudson Area Association Library as special guest stars with the circus. Emilia Ortiz, Laura Coe, and Shannon Lachance demonstrated their natural circus talent and awed the crowd with their plate-spinning prowess.

But the most awesome performance was delivered by Mr. Pennygaff, who swallowed first a very wicked-looking pair of scissors, then a bayonet, and finally a 24-inch sword blade, which went, to paraphrase his own words, “past his heart, past his lungs, past his liver, all the way down to the bottom of his stomach.”

Keith Nelson prepared for his future circus career while at college, although the skills he learned—fire eating and juggling—weren’t part of the standard curriculum. “Post-graduate study” taught him additional skills: sword swallowing and clowning. In New York City, he met and teamed up with Stephanie Monseu, a graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology with an interest in the performing arts. Keith taught Stephanie how to juggle and eat fire, and together they founded the Bindlestiff Family Cirkus, a not-for-profit performing arts organization, in 1994.

Since then the company has toured the world performing shows that combine, in different ways depending on the audience, circus, sideshow, vaudeville, and burlesque. Needless to say, Sunday’s performance meant for children of all ages included no burlesque and just a bit of vaudeville. Check out the circus at www.bindlestiff.org.