A Review

Artistic Fun Under The Big Top

By R. J. Donovan

One of the most welcome signs of Spring is The Big Apple Circus. The festivities are always a good take, but this year's version is particularly sharp.

Each year, the Big Apple comes up with with a new theme. And as much as I love the Big Apple, themes are sometimes just a reason for a new look in the ads.

However, this year's production, titled "Picturesque," thoughtfully applies the World of Art to each of the acts as well as the transitions. Even the ushers are in on the look, garbed like French painters complete with neckerchefs and jaunty berets.

Whether it's the ballerinas of Degas or the bowler headed gentleman of Magritte, the imagery adds just the right touch. It maintains a nice focus throughout the evening without overwhelming the individual talents of the performers. And the performers, as always, are just terrific.

Roman Tomanov starts things off with an aerial ballet that delights. He ends it with a head-first death plummet that brings gasps from the crowd. A svelte and limber Mei Ling does some amazing hand-balancing, Picasso Jr. juggles ping pong balls with his mouth before sending boomeranging dinner plates up to the rafters and GuiMing Meng charms the crowd while balancing a succession of porcelain vases on his head.

Katja Shumann is missing this year from the Equestrian showcase, but Yasmine Smart is filling in and manages her wards with elegance. Valdis Yanovskis and Regina Dobrovitskaya amaze in their aerial spot. And Svetlana Shamsheeva has done the near-impossible by getting dogs and cats to work with one another. She then tops herself with cats assisting a flock of doves. (What’s next, Sox fans sharing lattes with Yankee devotees?)

Trapeze artists aren't part of the show this year, but the extraordinary Kovgar Troupe, in the finale spot in the show, are just as exciting, if not more so. Armed with a teeter board and several very plump mattresses, they soar through the air, somersault wildly and thoroughly dazzle the crowd with their athletic artwork. The fact that one member of the troupe does this while wearing stilts and a second young man dares try it with both feet strapped into a single stilt is beyond amazing.

Lest we forget to send in the clowns, world-acclaimed Russian comedic artist Vallery is on hand to divert the happy crowd between acts. And no visit to the Big Apple would be complete without the inspired shenanigans of Grandma (Barry Lubin, above). She shows up following each act to gently mock their talents by trying a few duplicate stunts on her own. Never condescending, Grandma is a hoot whether tossing popcorn at unsuspecting victims or finding a suitable partner to join her in a merry lip-synching duet of "Unforgettable."

It's been a long winter. So treat yourself to some Spring-time fun with the unquestionably talented entertainers at The Big Apple Circus.

The Big Apple Circus is at Bayside Expo in Boston through May 8. For information, call 617-931-2787.

Production Photo: Bertrand Guay/Big Apple Circus

-- OnStage Boston

04/06/05