The Wall Street Journal-20080124-Home - Family -- Cranky Consumer- Big Top to Burlesque- A Circus Sampler- We Test Shows In Various Cities- Bringing the Kids
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Home & Family -- Cranky Consumer: Big Top to Burlesque: A Circus Sampler; We Test Shows In Various Cities; Bringing the Kids
Which circus really is the greatest show on earth?
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey? Big Apple Circus? Cirque du Soleil? Maybe even the bawdy Spiegelworld?
With an ever-growing number of opportunities to experience life under the Big Top, it is a question that begs to be asked.
The Montreal-based Cirque du Soleil troupe introduced a contemporary style of circus two decades ago, blending storytelling with death- defying artistry. It now has 15 shows running throughout the world and drawing 10 million circus-goers a year. The troupe is adding three shows -- in Las Vegas, Tokyo and Macau -- in 2008.
The Big Apple Circus, a one-ring affair that started 30 years ago playing within New York City's five boroughs, now has an 11-month touring schedule that takes the company from New Hampshire to Georgia.
There's also Feld Entertainment's Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circus, which for decades has billed itself as "The Greatest Show on Earth." To maintain a strong national presence, it has added a scaled- down third show to its traditional lineup of three-ring touring circuses. The "Gold," a one-ring edition touted as an "intimate, interactive event," is playing in smaller markets throughout the country.
So with all this circus fuss, we decided to gather the kids and visit five shows spread in New York, Nevada and Florida.
We were curious about the variety of acts, the ambience and the concession-stand offerings. Would the cotton candy taste as sweet as we remembered it in our own youth?
Our verdict: Each show has its niche, and its strengths and weaknesses. So while there may be no such thing as a one-size-fits-all circus, there is probably a circus that appeals to your taste and budget.
Just don't load up on the cotton candy. When we caught the Ringling "Gold" edition touring show, called "Boom A Ring," at the South Florida Fairgrounds in West Palm Beach, we got a rude awakening. Though Ringling's tickets were the cheapest of any circus we saw -- $15 to $22 ($45 for VIP seats close to the front) -- that cotton candy ran us 10 bucks since it came packaged with a circus hat.
But Ringling, which has been around longer than many can remember, still offers relative value, since admission includes a free preshow. We got to see a few featured performers and animals, and to try on costumes from the circus wardrobe. As for the performance itself, it is Ringling writ small -- that is, the usual pastiche of acts (a tiger tamer and her big cats, a clown who rides a tiny bicycle, a group of high-wire daredevils) -- but with some allowances made for the space (instead of a parade of elephants, you get a couple). Though some acts proved stronger than others, the one-ring nature of the show made it a satisfyingly intimate affair. Plus, the relatively compact venue afforded good viewing from just about any seat. Too bad the "theater" -- more an expo center than a true arena -- felt drab.
The Big Apple Circus is another one-ring affair. We saw the show in New York (tickets ran $38 to $125) during its annual run as part of the 11-month tour. The venue proved inviting enough -- a cozy bright- blue tent in the middle of the city at Lincoln Center's Damrosch Park. (One drawback: portable-style bathrooms.) As with Ringling, there isn't really a bad seat in the fairly small space. But as with Ringling, there is a hit-and-miss mix of acts: A female trapeze artist got plenty of "oohs" and "aahs"; a two-man gymnastics team's segment was a bit repetitious. But the Big Apple's big draw may be its star clown, the grey-wigged Barry Lubin, better known as "Grandma." Some kids and adults find him funny; others rate him mildly amusing at best.
With Cirque du Soleil's Beatles-themed "LOVE" show, at Las Vegas's Mirage casino, you enter a different world. The theater's promenade recalls the cartoonish realm of the Fab Four's "Yellow Submarine." And the performance, which incorporates 34 Beatles songs, brings an element of stylish sophistication to the circus. Artists serve up acrobatics and other circus arts with musical sensitivity. The set, at one point, dramatically recalls the rooftops of an industrial city. The show even appeals to kids, thanks to four young actors in the cast. The negative? Cost. Tickets run as high as $150 apiece -- not exactly wallet-friendly family entertainment.
There is "cirque" beyond Cirque du Soleil, however. Take "Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy," which is touring the country as part of the Broadway Across America series. We saw it at the Kravis Center in West Palm Beach, Fla., a traditional arts center with plush seating, bars, bistros and convenient parking. The show has a strongly theatrical streak and a contemporary whimsy, much in the style of Cirque du Soleil. But it is more affordable. Tickets in West Palm Beach cost $24 to $61.
The highlights include some truly extraordinary acts (a team of two men who balanced themselves on a wobbling board), a gifted clown (er, "Jungleboy," as he was called) and enchanting costumes and sets that fit the jungle theme. The negative? A milquetoast score that didn't exactly have the kids humming along.
The final circus we saw, Spiegelworld's "Absinthe" production in Miami Beach, was more burlesque show than kid-friendly entertainment. But that is the point. This is a bawdy affair that features a male acrobat dressed in drag hopping on a pogo stick and scantily clad women doing trapeze-style maneuvers. In between the acts, a ringmaster of sorts -- "The Gazillionaire" -- tells crude jokes.
The venue, a tent decorated in something of a Belle Epoque style, is priceless -- set right on the beach. Tickets are $69, but the on-site restaurant and bar can get a bit expensive. The real surcharge, however, may be the cost of a baby-sitter: Admission is intended for those 18 or older.
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Stefanie Ilgenfritz and Bobby White contributed to this article.
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CIRCUS: Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey's "Boom A Ring" ("Gold"
edition touring unit) / South Florida Fairgrounds, West Palm Beach, Fla. /
$15 to $45
STYLE OF SHOW: One-ring circus -- think Ringling writ small.
VENUE: An expo center that offered all the basic amenities -- convenient
parking, clean bathrooms, a mix of concessions -- but that felt a little
drab.
HIGH/LOW POINT OF SHOW: High: Clown who rode an incredibly small bicycle.
Low: Crossbow act (it was hard to spot the bolt as it traveled).
COMMENT: Ringling's one-ring show -- geared for small to midsize cities
not on the circus's regular touring schedule -- offers a great value for
families (the free preshow is a welcome bonus, too). But it would be nice if
you didn't have to buy a hat along with the cotton candy. (A Ringling
spokesman said it should be offered in most markets -- sans hat -- for $6.)
CIRCUS: Big Apple Circus / Lincoln Center's Damrosch Park, New York /
$38 to $125
STYLE OF SHOW: One-ring circus with a mix of acts and star clown
("Grandma").
VENUE: A bright-blue tent that played up the festive spirit of the show.
Just avoid the portable-style bathrooms, if you can.
HIGH/LOW POINT OF SHOW: High: The Kovgar Troupe, a gasp-worthy group of
acrobats. Low: a horse act (just horses running in synchronized patterns --
no trick riding).
COMMENT: Another family-friendly intimate show -- and a show with a heart,
too. Big Apple is a nonprofit company that has programs to bring the circus
to disadvantaged and chronically ill children.
CIRCUS: Cirque du Soleil's "LOVE" / The Mirage, Las Vegas / $93.50 to $150
STYLE OF SHOW: Contemporary-style circus in the "Cirque" tradition, but in
this case with a Beatles theme.
VENUE: A colorfully designed theater -- the entrance is done in something
of a "Yellow Submarine" vein -- with an audience-surrounded hexagon-shaped
stage; seating is such that you get a markedly different perspective of show
depending on where you're located.
HIGH/LOW POINT OF SHOW: High: There is a flying blackbird, a clever play
on a Beatles song. Low: the low-energy "Eleanor Rigby" segment.
COMMENT: There is plenty of "wow" to a Cirque show -- for kids and adults
-- making it a perfect fit in the Vegas setting.
CIRCUS: Cirque Productions'"Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy" / Kravis Center,
West Palm Beach, Fla. / $24 to $61
STYLE OF SHOW: In the visually creative "cirque" style, but with more of a
Broadway feel.
VENUE: A comfortable, contemporary arts center -- we especially liked
being able to grab a bite in one of the bar areas with seating.
HIGH/LOW POINT OF SHOW: High: A simply amazing team of two acrobats
balancing themselves on a wobbling board. Low: Almost any of the bland
musical numbers.
COMMENT: This jungle-themed show, which works equally well for children
and adults, is playing the touring-Broadway circuit and is expected to reach
Broadway later this year.
CIRCUS: Spiegelworld's "Absinthe" / Collins Park, Miami Beach, Fla. / $69
STYLE OF SHOW: Think circus meets burlesque -- a bawdy, adults-only affair
reminiscent of the cabaret in the musical "Cabaret."
VENUE: A tent creatively decorated in Belle Epoque style, in keeping with
the absinthe theme, plus an outdoor courtyard/restaurant; best of all, it is
right on the beach!
HIGH/LOW POINT OF SHOW: High: A spoof of Cirque du Soleil -- hilariously
vulgar, if you can appreciate that sort of thing. Low: A spoof of Cirque du
Soleil -- decidedly offensive, if you can't appreciate that sort of thing.
COMMENT: Don't even think about bringing the kids to this circus.
