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Home > Blogs > Things to do in Butler County > Archives > 2009 > April > 02 > Entry
Jungle Fantasy is a colorful and energetic show
REVIEW
Cirque Dreams “Jungle Fantasy,” 8 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday, March 31-April 12, Aronoff Center for the Arts, 650 Walnut, Cincinnati. $19-$55. On-line or by phone at 1-800-982-2787.
There’s not a feat in Cirque Dreams “Jungle Fantasy” that isn’t standard fare for a circus, but the context and style of the elaborate production still makes for a thrilling evening.
Walking into the theater and seeing the bright green jungle set, I heard a lady standing nearby sneer, “Looks like a kids cartoon.” I said, “What a cool set!”
The costumes are even wilder and more colorful, from over-sized animal heads to skin-tight snake costumes the quartet of contortionists.
Interview with producer Neil Godberg
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All of the performers, all from the Broadway run of the show, were not only skillful but artfully practiced. A couple does a pas de deux on a trapeze in the second act that is as tightly choreographed and smoothly performed as any ballet — and the aforementioned contortionists were among the most limber and fluid I’ve seen.
My only real complaint is that the music is sounds cheesily synthesized. Some of it was performed live by a violinist in a tree costume, but even his tones were sampled, and not particularly well. But the fake music didn’t much take away the fun of watching a frog play the drums with juggling balls, though it would have been better had we heard the drums and not the samples he triggered.
Other acts include an elaborate jump rope routine (pictured above), a couple of different aerial acts, including one with beautifully flowing butterfly costumes, and a duo of men doing an amazing balancing act in giraffe costumes (never mind that giraffes don’t live in the jungle).
Many of the acts are performed with good humor, and there are a few running gags (watch for the emus!) and some comic bits, but there’s no clown act, which seems remiss in a production of this sort.
It’s a good show for the whole family too, with only a little mild innuendo.
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