Sat. Nite Showbiz Take-Outs: Porno Puppets a Vegas Flop; "Paid" Plaintiff a Ringling Suit; Dame Dither a You Tubie -- Have You Something Better?

Punch, Meet Punch. Risque puppet musical Avenue Q took Broadway for some Tony’s, went to Vegas and did not take the strip. Too few voyeurs over a losing one-year run. “Exclusive North American tour,” shot. Now, it’s on the real road, not exactly turning them away at San Francisco where I caught a Wed. matinee, with plenty of seats to spare ... It's bold, fresh, inventive -- a winning little subversive charmer starring hand-held puppets worked by actors walking about the stage. A pair of offbeat romances (one straight, the other gay and very funny) get down and dirty at times, like big people going at it like jackhammers on a kitchen table after having just met at the super market. I didn’t see one kiddie in the house. This is very New York. I'm told it spoofs Sesame Street -- about which I know nearly nothing.

No wonder it failed the Vegas test, where family audiences are now the norm. Avenue Q is not for kids, and maybe too smugly sophisticated for mid-America audiences. Too insistently pc-hip. To its credit, the show is remarkably human and touching despite its raunchiness ... Quibbles? When you sit close to the stage as I did, while the actors move and turn about, the puppets in their arms are not always visible. Nor were all the lyrics easy to understand. Remember, before built-in mikes, when singers had to project? I could have done without the Gary Coleman character (one of a few non-puppets in the cast), pushing a loud-mouthed stereotype. Still, on balance, I would like to take a second look at this party, but only in a much smaller theatre where it belongs.

“Turner Classic Movies”? A lot not, some well worth watching: How did it take me so long to discover the genius of Spencer Tracy (Bad Day at Black Rock, Father of the Bride)? And why does it take so long to get through Boredom on the Orient Express, which I have never gotten through since first surviving it in a movie house? Other night, I enjoyed Roy Rogers and his gang in a fun-bundled Rainbow Over Texas, songs and action, hokey romance with Dale Evans (a year away from being the real Mrs. Rogers), Roy’s good nature, and the curiously charming old Gabby Hayes that I fondly recall from my boyhood. A rare “western.” ... Not so good, but glad I stayed awake through a slow so-so silent from Buster Keaton called College, for what a terrific pay off! He’s trying to win the girl of his dreams by proving himself an athlete; finally he does, by rescuing her from the grips of a jealous suitor, suddenly showing super Olympic skills in one of the most fantastically exciting action sequences I have ever seen. In real life, Keaton was an athlete of sorts who refused to have stunt men stand-ins.

Ringling Fights Back: Feld Entertainment files a lawsuit against various animal rights groups, claiming they’ve violated numerous no-no's of the RICO anti-racketeering statute. Thanks to Don Covington, who e-mailed me the details. In particular, one Tom Rider, ex-Feld employee, is accused of taking “regular payments” as alleged payoff for serving as a “paid plaintiff.” Rider and others said to have engaged in “various illegal acts, including bribery, obstruction of justice, wire fraud and mail fraud." The war of words continues ...

Let’s leave the troubled big top for a moment, okay? Here's Dame Dither, my So Cal connection, linking us to a dazzling collage in You Tube motion of Hollywood’s femme icons ... Mesmerising & dreamy ... This way to Women in Film ... Here is the link; copy and paste it to your address window above ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEc4YWICeXk

And did you want paper or plastic? And, oh yes, here's a free ticket to test your brains on TV's latest reality romp — “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?” If you haven’t seen Avenue Q, you'd better not risk it. Punch! Get out of that men's room before Judy calls the cops and big puppet Lucy spills the beans on you!

[photo above: "Lucy the Slut," from Avenue Q website]

My Next Circus Websites Ratings: Want to be a Judge?

I know, another of my ridiculous offers.   Have I two out there who would like, with me, to form a three-judge panel?  I only ask you to be as fair as you can in assigning points to each of the categories I give you.  Our three scores will be totaled up and averaged, and that will decide the ranking of the circus websites.  Could be fun?  I'm game.

 

The only restriction: You must NOT be connected to the payroll of  any circus. 

 

Now accepting offers!

Blandest Big Top on Earth: I Offer You Cirque du Vegan

Introducing a circus to offend none, where performers wear hard hats, animals stay home, and all concessions are trans fat free ... At a local cafe here in Oakland on Piedmont Avenue where I like to hang out, a good old fashioned chocolate chip cookie has been replaced by a Vegan version — heavy and thick, I’d rather have the real thing and suffer the guilt. .... The upscale set with their iPods and laptops are pretending to adore this tasteless substitute. ... Give them Cirque du Vegan (Jim Judkins, are you listening?), and maybe they will come ... Be sure your big top offers Wireless.

PC stalks the lot: So depressing -- are we all not in this together? -- to contemplate the fallout from a trial evidently to be, in which Ringling will once again be accused of mistreating its elephants. And how sadly ironic: I ask you, World, has there ever been a circus man that has done more than Kenneth Feld to assure the most humane living and work conditions for its animals? Or have I been duped? .... Compare the tragic plight of those vicious fighting dogs and the disgraced football star who enabled such disgusting spectacles ... Mr. Feld can also be on occasion be his own worst enemy. The full page ad he took out in the New York Times following the acquittal of Mark Oliver Gebel on similar charges back in 2001 struck some as being tactlessly brazen. To me, Feld’s remarks made sense ...

Brazenly speaking, all circuses stand to suffer even if Ringling wins. PETA no doubt is banking on the long-term effects of its relentless protesting outside arenas and tents where circus crowds convene. How many more seasons of harassment before too many adults and their kids feel too squeamish and guilty to return? It’s a campaign of coercion.

Michael Moore plays the Al Ringling — his movie Sicko that is, and Bob Dewel, our retired dentist in residence, plans to attend. And what might the good doc’s verdict be, we wonder? Bob, whose nimble keyboard virtuosity powers the "Mighty Barton" theatre organ, has co-authored a classy, just-published book about the house’s history. So few people know that the Al Ringling Theatre only happens to be the first movie palace to go up in the U.S. And that’s not Baraboo boasting; that’s the Theatre Historical Society of America speaking .... Let’s see, in the same small town, you have probably the world’s largest and greatest circus museum; you have America’s first movie palace; you have a genuine carnival relic in the Thimble Theatre — an absolutely charming fun house from the 1920s in storage at Circus World that should be in operation on town square. And nobody in the town has a clue how to ballyhoo Baraboo? For starters, may I suggest an SOS call to the Wisconsin Dells PR center.

Fly, Wallenda, Fly! That’s what Nikolas is kind of doing these days, partnering out with Bello Nock on the new double wheel of steel act at Ringling’s 137th. It just had to happen; for too many years, the public has equated hazardous wire walking, Wallenda style, with flying. I never understood why until reading, recently, why: Seems that, as the public sees it, when the Wallendas fall off the wire, that’s when they fly. And that’s not something I made up, nor is it something you’ll ever witness at Cirque du Vegan ...

And that’s a sicko wrap, trans-fat free, of course.


Raw and real big top birthday bash in San Jose for Ringling-Barnum's Tonka, who turned 24 on August 22.

8/26/07

MIDWAY FLASH ... MIDWAY FLASH ... Ringling Elephant Abuse Suit to Proceed

After seven years of legal wrangling, a federal judge in Washington has cleared the way for a consortium of animal rights groups to sue Ringling Bros. for alleged cruel treatment to its elephants.

 

The show owns 55 pachyderms, of which 34 -- not born in captivity -- were owned by the circus when elephants were added to the Endangered Species Act in 1976.  Says the judge, these animals can not be exempt as are 21 others that were born in captivity.

 

Once again, a national spotlight will cast potentially unflattering light on the nation's largest and most enduring circus. Sadly, all circuses stand to suffer from the media attention, no matter how wrong the plaintiffs might be.  The AP quotes Tracey Silverman, general counsel of the Animal Welfare Institute, "We look forward to unveiling the curtain at the trial to expose the suffering and death of elephants at the hands of the so-called 'Greatest Show on Earth.'  These magnificent animals will finally have their day in court."

 

Answers Stephen Payne, a Feld spokesman, "The ruling dramatically narrowed the issues in the suit ... and validates the importance of our breeding program."

 

More to follow.

Source: Associated Press

 

 

A Tale of Two Circus Reviews: Bellobration or Bust?

It’s lonely being a circus critic, for under the big top those two words sound awfully pretentious and irrelevant to a lot of people. When you take on mediocre acts, ill-directed shows and especially sacred cows, you run the risk of resentment and more. I’ve been publicly blasted in print, once likened, many seasons ago, to “vermin” in one of a slew of hate ads taken out against me in the Circus Report. During my tumultuous teens when the Greatest Show On Earth was foundering through its own tumultuous last season under canvas, I sent off a letter to the circus claiming that all of the organizational chaos was making me sick. In return, Henry Ringling North sent me a tactfully tart note suggesting I see a doctor.

Blame it on the late White Tops editor Walter H. Hohenadel, who dared to publish my first review when I was only 14-years old and who let stand my nitpicking away over choreography and costuming and off-pointe dancing showgirls. This act of courage (or blind faith in an article he might not have fully read) sent my precocious ego into orbit. Ever since I have suffered from chronic criticitis.

My favored mode for turning out a review is being able to write it before I have seen any other notices of the same show. This forces me to walk my own high wire, to commit to my own thoughts in a lonely state of raw independence, totally uninfluenced by what others think. A little scary, yes, but an exercise I relish. I like to think it keeps me honest — or honestly stupid.

Such was the case with my review of Bellobration. I had not seen a single write up of the show before posting my reaction to it last Saturday. Then I took a look at a review by Leslie Katz of the San Francisco Examiner, which a friend had sent me. What a surprise to find how amazingly in sync we are on so many of the acts and production elements of the 137th, though we reach markedly different conclusions.

Katz is a staunch New Pickle Circus supporter who once derided the “ tackiness” of Ringling Bros., which she now seems to miss. Well, we are all missing something, aren’t we.

Here is how our reviews compare in most respects

Favorite acts, in order discussed:

She: dogs, tigers

Me: dogs, tigers

Production elements:

She “Costumes seem thinner and less sparkly... the big production numbers don’t quite have the delightfully tacky glitz and glamour of years gone by. Still they work.”

Me “The skimpy parades ... are about as humdrum as they can be.” I did praise the oriental spec which introduced the Chinese equilibrists.

Clowns:

She: Makes no comment other than to note there are fewer of them.

Me: I liked the “Dancing with Clowns” gag, writing. “I would welcome seeing it again.”

The new double Wheel of Steel:

She: “less engaging than it sounds.”

Me: I make no comment; it struck me as inconsequential.

Bello Nock:

She: “Affable and able stunt man, “ [but] his “shtick doesn’t quite sustain the show.”

Me: “More cute and charming than amusing.... they fail to make a case for him as superstar”

Ringmaster Tyron McFarlan

She: “A commanding presence”

Me: “Emphatically efficient... [but] unmemorable.”

The "story line":

She: “less engaging than it sounds.”

Me: I don’t even mention it because it struck me as near non-existent..

Music:

She: did not pass comment

Me: “unmemorable.”

Elephants:

She: No comment.

Me. “persuasive and to the point.”

The Aguilar Bros.

She: “gets your heart started.”

Me: “dashing ... [but the act] lacks compelling content.”

Our conclusions.

Here we differ greatly. I was so put off by all of the distracting staging gimmicks from video screen to straight line ring curbs constantly being reconfigured, that it made me feel at times like I was watching the circus “through a freeway collusion zone.” Thus, I handed the 137th two-and-a-half stars rather than three. Katz, a kinder gentler critic (whose review strikes me as rating 3 stars), was apparently able to look through and maybe ignore it all, for she wrote “traditional elements ... are by far its most fascinating parts.” On that, we emphatically agree. Boffo to us both! And I will let Ms. Katz have the last word.

Me: “Not until the superior second half does the show reveal a semblance of the old Ringling magic ... clearly, there could and should be greater impact here.”

She: “...a pleasure to enjoy each astonishing feat as it happens, rather than experience the frustration of trying to look three places at once.”

Lonely up there on the high wire. And each time I come down, sometimes it’s not as bad I fear.

Animal Stars Shine in Ringling’s Tacky Bellobration

Circus Review: Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, 137th edition.

Oakland, California, August 18. Tickets: $15 to $95.

After seeing Ringling-Barnum’s latest, I was surprised to discover that the $15.00 program magazine does not contain a show order listing of the acts. That’s another first from the Felds in recent seasons which I have just now noticed. The strange omission only adds to my sense of sadness and uncertainty about the plight of this once great circus.

Perhaps the producers are leaving themselves the freedom to tinker with the program, although it needs more than tinkering to achieve first-rate respect.

It is certainly not a bad show — except for a number of things about it that work against its better ingredients and give it a slightly desperate air. For starters, direction — or lack of. Out of the gate comes a lumbering parade of dancers and performers in semi-disarray. Announcing the show this year is the emphatically efficient Tyron McFarlan — whose generic contributions, however, tend to be as unmemorable as those of the band and of certainly the lights. Or are the lights purposely confusing in order to detract our attention from certain feats booked to fill time and space? Another irritating distraction is the video screen, a holdover from last year’s critically dismissed “breakout” edition. On it are projected images of Bello, the touted star, of various acts in motion and, during the interval, of ads and fun questions.

The setting for a Feld circus grows more schizophrenic with each passing year. Kenneth and Nichole have evidently convinced themselves that the sight of three rings — even one – marks them as hopelessly old hat. This season they have introduced what might be termed straight line ring curbs, and during the performance the crew continuously reconfigures them. This constant shuffling (like moving the deck chairs on a doomed ship), only reinforces the off-putting image of a circus suffering an identity crisis. It makes it feel like the show is being performed through a freeway collision zone. I think I prefer last year’s parking lot over this.

Not until the superior second half -- which includes a pair of flying returns performed by the Poemas and a double cannon shot from the Misers -- does the show reveal a semblance of the old Ringling magic. A taste of that magic clearly comes alive when the bulls and the gals, decked out in fetching oriental garb, enter to introduce a fine display of equilibristics by the Zunyi Troupe, six women from Southern China. Here too, the music for once is outstanding. Everything is of a piece. Unfortunately, a costume splash that promises Chinese gusto only delivers the one rather static display.

This is Bello’s show, we are told, though they fail to make a case for him as super star. And the skimpy parades pushing his status are about as humdrum as they can be. Worse still, they fail to exploit Bello’s appeal or talents during climactic moments. I’ve always found Bello to be a cool dude, more cute and charming than amusing. He has fun working standard tricks on the sway pole. And he delights working a double big wheel novelty with Nikolas Wallenda. Watching him once again, it struck me that he might make a very good -- indeed, perhaps the very first ever -- performing ringmaster.

Ironically, the animals are the true stars of this edition. The Olates and their engaging pooches from Chili are one of the best dog acts I’ve seen in years. Inventive and clean, snappy and infectiously upbeat. In the big cage, Tabayara Maluenda, another Chilean, was another rare refreshment for me. He is a hoot. Loved his frantic manner of talking loudly to his charges while directing them through impressive executions. A great gag has him ordering the last tiger to break from a stand up pose and exit. No luck. So Tab switches to Spanish, and his tiger complies. Very funny. Think Joan Rivers in a cage trying both to talk her way out of misfortune and prove to the world that she is another Mabel Stark.

The elephants were persuasive and to the point: three of them did head stands; all of them did sit ups and mini-long mounts from pedestals. Solid circus. Solid excitement from the audience.

Only did the formless liberty horse routines fail to impress. Among other so-so items, a teeterboard offering by the Palazovi’s is only okay. And the dashing Aguilar Brothers bring youthful energy to a double high wire act that lacks compelling content. Opening aerial displays, likewise, are pretty but uneventful.

The dozen company jesters scored at least once, in a quirky tv satire, "Dancing with the Clowns," which I would welcome seeing again.

Clearly, there could and should be a greater impact here. And less Feld frizzlze. And therein lies the perennial problem. During pre show, the producers have the audacity to work a brainwashing commercial for Campfire Marshmallows by having the clowns coax the kids to repeat the phrase over and over again. (It makes Jim Judkins’ Peterson Peanut pitch seem positively innocent) I found this unseemly.

I wondered what sort of a crowd I would find following last year’s let down. Much bigger might indicate that, commercially speaking, Ringling is on the right track. The crowd I sat with (perhaps a fourth of the seats were occupied, and a number did not return for the second half) if anything suggested at best stagnant interest. My rough house count would be three thousand, maybe a little less than last year’s turnout for the same Saturday morning slot. About a third of the seats are not sold because of the new shrunken set up.

Of course, it might be the animal protesters outside more than the show itself that is the real cause for stagnant or reduced attendance. Oakland, once regarded as a great circus town, is still a part of the most liberal region in the country. Across the bay in San Francisco, Ringling has now been missing in action for two consecutive seasons.

In the program magazine, Nicole Feld is quoted as stating “This year we set out to outdo not only last year’s show, but 136 years of shows. And you know what? We did it with Bellobration."

And you know what? Ah, that old reliable Feld family confidence is something to behold. Dream on, Ms. Co-Producer.

Overall score: ** ½

*********************************************************************************

Comments? Have any of you five out there seen the show? I welcome all opinions, well aware that this evolving saga can be viewed from many different angles.

Hold Your Hopes! Here Come the Elephants!?! --- Well, Maybe ...

Holiday Look Backs, this from 2007

THEN AND NOW

1955, the Ringling-Barnum herd.


The herd, 2007


Next year?


8.16.07 12.10