Dan's Papers - August 31, 2007 - review: cirque dreams

This is a show that could be reviewed in just one word - WOW - simply because from the time you enter the theater to the time that the cast take their last bow I defy anyone to be anything other than bewitched and enthralled by Neil Goldberg's imaginative creation, now presented by Gateway Playhouse and running at the Patchogue Theater until September 8.

You are immediately struck by the stage setting and backdrop, which brings to mind a psychedelic forest complete with large mushrooms that could well be one of the magic variations judging by the colorful assault on your visual senses that occurs during the show. Cirque Dreams is the latest of twelve original productions since the first was staged at Bally's in Atlantic City in the early 1990s. There are now permanent shows at Branson, Mo. and at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg Va. The early years of the company were marked by litigation from the world famous Cirque du Soleil seeking to stop the use of the word Cirque but three years ago a federal court ruled that the word is generic and from then on the North American market for this Cirque company really took off. This new creation that debuted at the Trump Plaza at Atlantic City last year is now on a major tour across the U.S. that will last for several more years. Back at their base in Florida, the next production and the one after that are already being worked on.

Performers are drawn from all over the world for these shows. Master jugglers, acrobats, contortionists and trapeze artists and many have impressive resumes as international gymnasts. Cirque Dreams features 24 artists who come from the Ukraine, Russia, Mongolia, Canada and the USA. But this is not just a display of technical prowess. In Cirque Dreams the performers become animals, from frogs to owls to lizards, spiders, giraffes, and monkeys and the whole spectacle is cleverly intertwined and choreographed into a spectacular entity.

There is so much happening that you must never take your eyes off the stage for a moment of the action packed two-hour show. The colors are incredible, especially in the second part of the show when over 10,000 watts of ultra violet light make the magic deepen as the performers and their costumes wildly fluoresce. Even the music is very different as a Lady Bug vocalist and narrator (Julia Langley) is accompanied by the most striking violinist you will ever see. Jared Burnett has long blond hair, seems to be almost seven feet tall, and has a physique that suggests that he would also do well as a gymnast. By the way, he morphs into a Soul Tree and is a very talented musician as well.

Every one of the acts is a wonderful performance in its own right. The beautiful contortionist lizards, who get into positions that seem anatomically impossible and incredibly painful are in fact three very talented performers from Mongolia. A soulful frog deftly juggles in a way that makes everything look so simple. Two men balancing on a plank that rests on a cylinder perform increasingly complex routines.

In fact, because of the very high standard of each performer, the occasional moment of difficulty acts as a salutary reminder of the degree of difficulty and in some parts, the degree of danger that exists. Safety is paramount throughout. The company and performers are trained in falling safely but your heart can still reside in your mouth as you watch acts that depend just on the strength of grasp of a hand to perform complicated, graceful feats twenty plus feet above the stage with no net, but only a crash mattress under them. You marvel at the strength and agility needed for the balancing acts and you will laugh at the antics of the emu that struts periodically across the stage. Gifted mime clowns from time to time, invite the audience to participate - not as contortionists, jugglers or aerialists, I hasten to add!

Everyone in the cast, plus all of the unseen backstage people who were responsible for the stage settings and riggings fully deserved the prolonged standing ovation at the end. The only pity was that the show had to end, a sentiment being echoed by many others in the audience as they filed out, enthusing about the evening's entertainment.

Cirque Dreams is a wonderful evening of pure entertainment suitable for all ages. The Gateway management is to be congratulated for putting on this incredible non-stop action packed show at a ticket price that families can afford. This show should be a total sellout. Go and see it and take the kids.