THE BALLOON MAN

REVIEW: The Big Apple Circus delivers a lovely ‘Legendarium’


Canadian acrobat Daniel Cyr spins around on his celebrated Cyr Wheel. - PHOTO: BERTRAND GUAY/BIG APPLE CIRCUS
Old-fashioned looks winningly mix with international modern-day acts
BY MICHAEL SOMMERS
NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
OFF BROADWAY REVIEW
25 November 2012
How The Big Apple Circus keeps on coming up with one distinctive show after another is remarkable. If you have not heard about it by now, the company’s latest edition, “Legendarium,” is a genuine treat.

Just to keep my rapidly aging viewpoint fresh, I brought my two cousins, ages 5 and 7, from Kinnelon, NJ, along with another chum who is 3 and resides in SoHo -- with their moms -- to catch “Legendarium,” which is now in residence through the holidays at the circus’ comfy big top tent pitched at Lincoln Center.

And we all enjoyed a real swell time, thanks.
Representing The Big Apple Circus at its coziest best, “Legendarium” delivers an energetic two-hour celebration of circus arts aimed for family audiences. John Kennedy Kane is the jolly ringmaster who occasionally drops historical factoids. A brassy musical ensemble obliges with vintage selections from the sawdust world like “The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze” and “The Camptown Races.”

Over a dozen contrasting acts show off their expert artistry, which proves to be more modern in style and international in flavor than the production’s overall Victorian atmosphere suggests.

 

The biggest hits with the younger generation seemed to be the two animal routines led by Jenny Vidbel whose smoothly synchronized horses and frisky dogs had the kids squealing with glee.

 

Jenny Vidbel trained Arabian horses and ponies for this year's Big Apple Circus show.
- PHOTO: BERTRAND GUAY/BIG APPLE CIRCUS
Already a legend, Daniel Cyr, the Canadian acrobat who invented/perfected the Cyr Wheel, offers an impressive series of different spins in which his hoop appears to become a living creature. For all of Cyr’s muscular intensity, his segment becomes surprisingly romantic as he bonds with his silent partner.
read more:
http://www.newjerseynewsroom.com/new-york-theater/review-the-big-apple-circus-delivers-a-lovely-legendarium