Big Apple Circus: Silly & Thrilling

1. Cape Code Times
2. Laurie Higgins
3. 06 Apr 2009

BOSTON — A tightrope walker plucks her rope in time to some cool guitar riffs before climbing aboard.

Two clowns have more fun "Singing in the Rain" than Gene Kelly.

An unsuspecting audience member gets pulled into the ring for a dance contest with Grandma Clown and proves he can boogie.

That can mean only one thing — the Big Apple Circus is back in Boston. This year (its 31st season) it simply rocks — which is exactly the point, since the 2009 theme is all about music with the title "Play On!"

Featuring stars from all over the world, the Big Apple Circus combines the magic of the big top with the intimacy of a one-ring show, and every seat in the house is fabulous. This year the show is hosted by the lovely British ringmistress Carrie Harvey, who struts her stuff with great style.

For those who love to watch performers "fly through the air with the greatest of ease," Russian-born Regina Dobrovitskaya performs a graceful solo act on the trapeze early in the show, and the Colombian quartet, The Flying Cortes, simply sail at the end.

But the trapeze is not the most gravity-defying act this circus has to offer. The Rodion Trio gives an artistic performance with its Russian barre act.

Gymnasts Valery Rodion and Aleksandr Mikhaylov hold opposite ends of a 5-inch barre on their shoulders and toss Anna Gosudareva high in the air, where she performs multiple somersaults before gracefully landing back on the barre, time and time again.

The Nanjing Duo from China is equally breathtaking. Zhu Zhengzhen does a graceful ballet en pointe on partner An Nan's back, shoulders and, finally, head. It's beautiful and amazing to watch.

Also from China, Guiming Meng juggles ceramic vases and jugs, wowing the audience as he spins crockery like a basketball and balances an enormous jug on his head while pirouetting in a full circle.

In addition to plucking her tightrope, German Sarah Schwarz gives a sultry performance dancing along the taut line, and identical twins the American LaSalle Brothers double the fun with their juggling and acrobatics.

Oliver Taquin and Valdis Yanovskis offer an excellent mime routine that has the children in the audience whispering among themselves wondering if Taquin is really human.

In addition to fabulous artistry, there are some pretty big laughs, thanks to a talented trio of clowns, including audience favorite Grandma Clown (performed with great hilarity by Barry Lubin since 1982).

Dressed like a geek with oversize dark-framed glasses and red suspenders, Mark Gindick gives a rocking performance on the air guitar accompanied by Big Apple drummer Sam Wiley Jr. Glen Heroy invites three people from the audience into the ring to help him "lead a band" with comical results.

Of course, every circus needs animals, and equestrians Christine Zerbini and Sultan Kumisbayev perform flips and other acrobatic maneuvers in the saddle while their horses canter majestically in a circle around the ring. It was my 4-year-old companion's favorite part.

Luciano Anastasini lets his dogs get the best of him every time in his humorous act with well-trained (and -loved) dogs rescued from the pound.

The orchestra is always an integral part of the Big Apple Circus, and thanks to this year's musical theme it really gets to shine.

Set on a lighted, multitiered stage, under the direction of musical director and conductor Rob Slowik, the eight-member band plays a score of blues, jazz, rock 'n' roll and assorted ethnic music that perfectly complements each act.

Now, that's entertainment!