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New show makes great fun of lousy economy

Funny money, Walt Whitman and Robinson Crusoe are all just off stage
Jonathan Slaff

It’s current! It’s humorous! It’s educational! It’s “Tally Ho! Or Navigating the Future,” a slapstick comedy with trap doors, giant puppets, and the economy, stupid.

So, naturally, it’s a madcap comedy: The outdoor, free production follows the rise and fall of two account executives through the current fiscal meltdown. When their once-profitable, but now-toxic, assets become a problem, all hell — we’re talking worthless hedge funds, bad credit default swaps, and inexplicable derivatives — breaks loose.

Of course there’s a 1930s musical number!

But it’s not all fun and games, said Jon Weber, a spokesman for Theater for the New City, which is producing the show. “We want to make people aware of what’s going on and how they can get involved.”

Sounds preachy. But the good news is that there are plenty of pie-throwing and selzer-spraying to keep it all fun.

“Tally Ho! Or Navigating the Future” will be performed at the Coney Island Boardwalk (at W. 10th Street) on Aug. 14; and the Prospect Park Concert Grove (enter park at Lincoln Road and Ocean Avenue) on Aug. 22. All performances are at 2 pm and are free. Call (212) 254-1109 for info.