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magidSome months ago, a bunch of talented people had a successful Kickstarter campaign to make a new circus show. Tonight was the first of the two performances they're putting on as a result. It was an impressive show, despite a couple of glitches.
The show is a collaboration of Emperor Norton's Stationary Marching Band and the Boston Circus Guild. A partial line-up of the band provided live music as five performers (three female, two male) danced, contorted, performed on lyra and corde lisse, and did a variety of acrobatics with astonishingly few props. Everyone in the band and on the stage was wearing white, which is not the band's usual look; I decided they were the ghost of circus bands past (or future :-).
It was in the Somerville Armory, which has ceilings high enough for aerial acts. I haven't seen a stage set up like this before, with a central rectangular stage, and arms on either side reaching out towards the audience, which is where the aerial equipment was suspended (pulled out of the way when not in use). The band was on one side of the stage, and merchandise was available on the other (plus there's a bar in the room).
I've seen some of these performers before, yet I was impressed yet again with things I'd never seen before. Most memorable for me were Rachel and Ellen doing a duet on a single lyra; one guy holding up another on his shoulders... and two women held up by the upper guy as well; and a person on a person's shoulders... on another person's shoulders. There were other moments I was impressed with, but those stood out even more.
(I'll admit that whenever I see a contortionist, I worry about whether their hyperflexibility will lead to health issues down the road, and as it continues, start seeing their body as a collection of parts rather than a whole, until they're in a position mere mortals could manage again. It's not a voluntary response, strangely.)
There were two glitches that I noticed. One was in the music during one of the two music-only times for aerial switchover; there was something that sounded sort of wrong, and a blank spot around then too. It was momentary, though, definitely minor. And I don't know how much of that was actually in response to the much more major problem that happened: someone missed their landing (or someone missed cushioning someone else's landing, absorbing some of the force), and was injured. It was her hand/wrist (ie, not likely to be a long-term health risk), but it meant that the show had to change on the cuff (there were no intermissions), and so we didn't get to see Roger and Ellen in an acrobatic duet, nor the paired corde lisse act that had been planned. I was impressed that the show got revised on the hoof, but sad that it had to, and I hope Ellen's wrist will be ok (I heard that she went to the hospital across the street to get it checked out right after the show). I don't know what they'll do tomorrow night; I can't imagine how even just a simple sprain would heal enough for her to be able to perform tomorrow night. However, I know that they're all impressive performers, and will make it happen, and beautifully so.
I think there are tickets still available for tomorrow night's performance. (And if you're not going, another option is to enjoy the city of Cambridge's annual dance party on Mass Ave in Central Square, in front of City Hall.)
The show is a collaboration of Emperor Norton's Stationary Marching Band and the Boston Circus Guild. A partial line-up of the band provided live music as five performers (three female, two male) danced, contorted, performed on lyra and corde lisse, and did a variety of acrobatics with astonishingly few props. Everyone in the band and on the stage was wearing white, which is not the band's usual look; I decided they were the ghost of circus bands past (or future :-).
It was in the Somerville Armory, which has ceilings high enough for aerial acts. I haven't seen a stage set up like this before, with a central rectangular stage, and arms on either side reaching out towards the audience, which is where the aerial equipment was suspended (pulled out of the way when not in use). The band was on one side of the stage, and merchandise was available on the other (plus there's a bar in the room).
I've seen some of these performers before, yet I was impressed yet again with things I'd never seen before. Most memorable for me were Rachel and Ellen doing a duet on a single lyra; one guy holding up another on his shoulders... and two women held up by the upper guy as well; and a person on a person's shoulders... on another person's shoulders. There were other moments I was impressed with, but those stood out even more.
(I'll admit that whenever I see a contortionist, I worry about whether their hyperflexibility will lead to health issues down the road, and as it continues, start seeing their body as a collection of parts rather than a whole, until they're in a position mere mortals could manage again. It's not a voluntary response, strangely.)
There were two glitches that I noticed. One was in the music during one of the two music-only times for aerial switchover; there was something that sounded sort of wrong, and a blank spot around then too. It was momentary, though, definitely minor. And I don't know how much of that was actually in response to the much more major problem that happened: someone missed their landing (or someone missed cushioning someone else's landing, absorbing some of the force), and was injured. It was her hand/wrist (ie, not likely to be a long-term health risk), but it meant that the show had to change on the cuff (there were no intermissions), and so we didn't get to see Roger and Ellen in an acrobatic duet, nor the paired corde lisse act that had been planned. I was impressed that the show got revised on the hoof, but sad that it had to, and I hope Ellen's wrist will be ok (I heard that she went to the hospital across the street to get it checked out right after the show). I don't know what they'll do tomorrow night; I can't imagine how even just a simple sprain would heal enough for her to be able to perform tomorrow night. However, I know that they're all impressive performers, and will make it happen, and beautifully so.
I think there are tickets still available for tomorrow night's performance. (And if you're not going, another option is to enjoy the city of Cambridge's annual dance party on Mass Ave in Central Square, in front of City Hall.)