Family always has been regarded as a key to the success of a circus, whether it’s in family groups that buy tickets and fill seats, or in the long circus-performer tradition that sees skills handed down from one generation to the next, and families working together under the big top.
Circus Flora, our own delightful, one-ring entertainment now in its 25th season, thrilled a near-capacity audience last night, and small children of circus performers marched in the parades and took curtain-call applause with the aplomb of the troupers they will be one day. A little Julien Zoppe, in matching costume, took his place in center ring with the aplomb of his father, Giovanni, who did the wonderful, if old-fashioned clown routines he does every year. As usual, that included bringing a young audience member into the ring for the thrill of his life, and he and longtime ringmaster Cecil MacKinnon work so well together.
There was a tiny Flying Wallenda-in-Arms, too, though he did not actually fly, and a youthful Mercedes Page and Aurelia Wallenda learning the ropes, and trapezes, and other circus necessities. And speaking of young, the St. Louis Arches returned for another year and showed off a whole row of ages, from little-bit to adolescent, engaged in tumbling and balancing to turn one goggle-eyed. Two of the senior members, Sidney “IKing” Bateman and Terrance “T-Roc” Robinson, dazzled with their tumbling and balancing duet, and in the routine with the younger Arches, all better from year to year under the tutelage of Jessica Hentoff.
Fine animal acts, too, with the Donnert brothers, Robert and David juggling balls, rings and Indian clubs while standing on the broad backs of a pair of elegant Percherons. Funny performing dogs, too, and a rooster who was not funny and who didn’t do much else, either. (Fortunately, roosters don’t read reviews.)
Una Mimnagh was Lottie Luppu, a mysterious woman who climbed ropes, danced, rode horses and generally entertained very well.
The closer the performers get to the ceiling of the tent, the tenser the crowd, so the Flying Pages, who closed the show with some exciting trapeze work, are most impressive, though the Flying Wallendas, whose balance on the wire, or on a bicycle on the wire, remains catch-your-breath time no matter how often we’ve seen it.
Hard to realize Flora and her descendants have been spending time here for 25 years, always bringing entertainment and always reminding us that the old jokes and the old routines remain the best jokes and the best routines.
Circus Flora, performing in the tent next to Powell Symphony Hall, will be in action through June 26
—Joe
Comments
One response
I read the review out loud to Clarkie Lewis. the rooster…He GOT IT! He suggested. had you attended Bob Duffy’s Beacon Festival Garden Party only a few days ago, you might have seen him playing the piano!!!This year Clarkie had a supporting role in the Circus production…not necessarily requiring a lot of performing…BUT. you might remember last year in the Circus ring. Clarkie was seen presumably laying an egg!!! which. as you know. is a very good trick for a rooster!!