Whatever Became of the Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze?

Moody intermission at Circus Vargas. Not even two hundred people in the seats. Darkened moody tent, jazz riff through the sound system. Moody, too. Feels like sitting on the edge of spangled oblivion. This is how the world ends, not with a bang, but the last pony ride under the last big top during the last intermission. But there over the ring is the net and the promise of artistic redemption, and all of us no doubt are banking on the flying trapeze, once the show resumes, to give us the thrill we expect at a circus.What suckers we were that downbeat day. Don’t look over too many rings these days with much hope; the thrill may be gone.The Vargas Flyers, they are really the Tabares, but not really the real Tabares whom the overactive ringmaster...

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Sunday Morning with Showbiz David: Critical Conflicts of Interest

How is a critic to function given conflicting personal and business associations? Ideally, a critic should have no previous or current associations with any of the artists he is setting out to review. Rather impossible, isn’t it. However, the farther away you can stay from all those individuals whose work you might eventually review, the better off you are to render fair verdicts. So many hidden agendas can color reviewing. New York drama critic Brooks Atkinson was known and respected for shunning social contact with theatre people. Need we even explore why?Now, ask yourself, should a “critic” review the work of his spouse, close friend, brother, sister, uncle? I hope the answer is obvious to you. You should be a friend to your friends and...

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Friday Fliparounds ... Bearish Root Canals ... Unsafe Juventas Seats ... Big Biz for Cole ... No Reviews for Zing? ... Enter Laughing, If You Will ...

First off, about that Cirque du Soleil book alleging late night adult fun hosted by Guy Laliberte, a book that Henry Edgar just had to gets his hands and eyes on. Says Henry after a dry read, it’s about “a lot of nothing, written kind of like a gossip column with all the substance of a pit show illusion. There may be a book out there but it hasn’t been written.” Perhaps, Henry, the naughty deeds alleged never quite rose to the level of a sheet turner. While we are on the subject, Charlie Rose (how did he ever get in here???) interviewing author Jim Collins about his book, How the Mighty Fall, in particular how they fail to foresee their own downfalls stalking them in the wings. In 5 easy stages. Hubris is number 1, followed by, Number 2, “undisciplined pursuit” of more more more. Which calls...

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The Greatest Mystery About PETA's Ringling Elephant Video: Why Was It Not Shot by Kenneth Feld Instead?

Comment offered, 8/19: see update at end of story, below.Just when the American public was beginning to give American circuses the benefit of the doubt, here comes perhaps the most troubling exposure of alleged animal mistreatment so far: the highly hyped PETA video showing Ringling elephants being beaten and cursed at while awaiting their performance time in the wings. It is, on face value, ugly. And, on face value, it may set back growing public support for animal acts by many seasons. Back at least to the wretchedly awful Carson & Barnes video.Here is the greatest mystery of all, in my opinion: Why on earth was the “undercover” employee who filmed Ringling elephants apparently being mistreated not on Kenneth Feld's payroll? Feld...

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Ringless Bros. in Overdrive: Zing Zang Zoom Makes Magic in the Rough ...

Circus Review: Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey / Zing Zang ZoomOakland, August 13, 7:30 p.m.$15.75 to $108.002 hours, 10 minutesRingling’s illusional Zing Zang Zoom tries hard to turn a reasonably good slate of acts into a wildly creative sight and special effects show. If only there was a little more focused artistry — and a little less overblown zing. The Felds, who have long used the lure of pyrotechnics to seduce audiences, are back at it in a big way with this one — no match for the sleeker, decidedly more disciplined and talented Boom A Ring, currently playing at Coney Island.Nonetheless, whatever Zing is, it keeps on giving: Costumes offer bright eye candy diversions. Exotic ensemble opener is Cirque du Soleil on steroids, leading...

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Friday Nite L’Amyxery: Cirque Insects S.F. Bound; Bolivia Circus Animals Banned; Barnum Headed for Silver Screen; Museum Glory, for Hugo ...

I can’t wait, I think. Cirque du Soleil’s newest darling named OVO, the one about insects, is San Francisco bound. This latest Montreal offering sounds and looks, in snippets, suspiciously cerebral, but who knows? I'm game; I'll take out another mortgage on my one bedroom rental to pay for a plank in the Gods ... Did 'ya know, by the way, that Bolivia, per an AP report I have right here from a certain Don Covington, is the first country to ban all circus animal acts? .. I say send over the Pizza Whisper guy to intervene. Yes, I’d buy a best-of DVD of this character’s inanely hilarious tender conversations with pizzas about to be served ...Okay, you didn’t like that. How about this: Broadway actor Hugh Jackman to play P.T. Barnum in a movie in the planning stages, The Greatest Showman on Earth....

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My Day in the L.A. Sun: Talking About the Rise and Fall of Trapeze

I’m on the frosting on top of the frosting. Monrovia. Next door to Pasadena. Big house with a mansionesque feel perched on hills that look mountainous. Maybe it's all an L.A. illusion set up for the day’s shoot.This is where I’ll be making my return to the screen — first cameo since co-starring many years ago with Bette Davis (okay, co-starring with the extras in a Bette Davis film, but my mug did make it in) when she came to Santa Rosa to shoot Storm Center. That’s me up there, being prepped with the props for an interview about a legendary circus flyer. To my left, assistant Bryant Williams; to my right, documentary producer-director Philip Weyland.It feels so L.A. Heck, everything down here feels so L.A. Show me a gutter on Sunset Boulevard,...

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Little Big Top Bits: Bello Back to Big Apple ... Wandering Tortoise Berta Back to Zerbini .... A Boon to Boom A Ring!

He's a super cool-looking guy, who kinda still looks young and kinda looks funny and kinda entertains in his own quirky way. I Hear the kids are high on him. Maybe that's circus today. Anyway, Bello Nock, who ran away from the Big Apple Circus in 2000 to join Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey, is running back to rejoin New York's treasure tent. Bello is promising "high falls, bungee-ing and trampolining." ... Circus Vargas offering a fine and well illustrated "40th Anniversary edition" program magazine, and for the not outrageous price of $7 ... Not quite accurate, Guys and Gals. Cliff Vargas switched over from Miller-Johnson to Circus Vargas in 1974. Anyway, I'm not sure he would be very thrilled with the current edition -- one of...

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