Making Time with CLOCKWORK 

A look Inside a Bronze-Plated, Precision Entertainment Machine

by Kathy Kalvan .

 

Most jugglers don't have plastic flowerpots and magic markers in their prop bags. But Clockwork has created a winning team by combining unique props like these with always-in­demand elements like club routines and verbal comedy.

 

Clockwork - as Jack Kalvan and Rick Rubenstein are known ­capped off 1995, their best year yet, with a 10-week engagement at the Wintergarten Variete theater in Berlin, Germany. It was quite a departure from their usual jobs, but a welcome and memorable departure.

 

I was fortunate to be able to take a break from work and join them, which was especially nice since Jack and I had just gotten married. However, I'm not here to tell you about "My Life as a Clockwife," I'm here to give you a glimpse into where the team is today... and where they came from.

 

Europe '95

The Wintergarten is a renowned dinner theatre, and according to its publicity, "the finest variety theatre in Europe." For this show, Italian director Arturo Brachetti created a "mini-play" as a framework around the variety acts. After a week of rehearsals, opening night was quite a success - with four curtain calls! At the posh and crowded party that night, the owner of the theatre, a German Count (honest), climbed on top of the bar and made an impassioned speech. We had a glass of champagne with Karl-Heinz Ziethen.

 

The show featured: American-born clown Peter Shub, Ezio Bedin, who does hilarious sound effects with his mouth; Collin's Brothers, a brilliant comedy acrobat team from Berlin; Duo Veniamin, an artsy dancing-in-a-spider-costume team; Vis Versa, a hand-balancing act from Cirque du Soliel who made my heart soar even after seeing them 20 times; the Tiller Girls dancers; and Clockwork.

 

For European audiences, Clockwork performed routines with visual comedy and music - plus one comedy bit using simple English. Jack and Rick also had other scenes, playing the part of tourists. They did learn a good deal of German backstage, although they figured all they really needed to know was this: "lch bin unwissend Amerikaner; das ist mir gleich." (I'm an ignorant American; it's all the same to me.)

 

Berlin is not a beautiful city, but it was a very exciting place to live. It has several variety theatres and circuses, and the performing scene is flourishing in East Berlin. We caught shows that included jugglers Martin Moll, Victor Kee, and Cotton Macaloon. Clockwork found new inspiration in the creativity the Europeans are achieving, especially in the area of character development.

 

But even the exciting night life couldn't compare to the simple pleasures of visiting the apartment of fellow-American Todd Strong, and enjoying his good conversation, waffles and cornbread.

 

Jack and Rick loved the job at the Wintergarten, even the extra scenes and production numbers for the "mini-play." This was the kind of success they were hoping for - but could not have expected - when they met 10 years ago.

 

Clockwork Chronology

They met as students at Carnegie Mellon University in 1986. Jack was majoring in mechanical engineering and Rick in visual arts. Rick wanted to form a juggling team, but at first was too shy bring the idea up "because Jack was really good and had already worked with Jeff Mason." Their first gig was in the summer of 1989 at King's Island amusement park near Cincinnati. They plowed through 36 shows a week for $258 each.

 

They put together some club routines and entered the IJA competitions in Baltimore. They didn't think they'd win, so they went for original tricks. This was a deliberate choice and direction for Clockwork from the start. After collecting a bronze medal in Baltimore, Jack went off to work at IBM in New York and Rick went back to finish his last year of college.

 

The boys reunited when Rick came to New York after graduating. Jack quit his day job at IBM, and they decided to make a serious bid for a career. First, they did street shows in Washington Square.

 

Rick came up with the name "Clockwork." He said he wanted "a one-word name that sounded as cool as Airjazz." Jack took on the business side of the act, and they were soon lucky enough to get a 10-day gig in Tokyo.