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Cole Brothers bills its new production as the “Circus of the Stars,” but this better-than-average cavalcade only reached the moon.
Yes, some acts garnered wonder and amazement, but too many induced yawns.
The show’s first act — that old motorcycle “Globe of Death” routine — was undoubtedly one of the best. Watching a cyclist ride around the inside of the cage at high speeds was exciting enough, but then two more riders entered the cage and took off.
Audience-members — of all ages — were justifiably awe-struck.
But “Circus of the Stars” couldn’t ride that moto-momentum. The death-defying riders were followed by some sumo-wrestling clowns, whose slapstick comedy was a drag that had me wishing someone locked them inside an actual “Globe of Death.”
The show’s animals, though, were a blast. I never knew dogs jumping through hoops and over hurdles could be so entertaining (perhaps I don’t get out enough).
And despite my well-documented refined taste in comedy, I also couldn’t help but chuckle at the sight of one of the pups riding a pony around the ring.
The show’s three elephants also got some hearty laughs from children and parents alike as they stood and sat on stools, piggy-backed on one another and rolled over on command.
But not all the animals were great. Synchronized camels? That act was so boring that wouldn’t even wind up on the unedited DVD of the Ringling Brothers’ superior (and cheaper!) one-ring show now going on in Coney Island.
Some of the humans picked up the slack, though.
The seven-man tightrope-walking pyramid was incredible, and the gyroscopic “Wheel of Destiny” was one of the coolest things I’ve seen in a long time.
But the rest of the Homo sapiens were absolutely Neanderthals of entertainment. Juggling bowling pins? I’ve seen better on youtube. Next time, let’s see some torches. Or some knives!
And where was the trapeze act? Can a spectacle even call itself a circus without high-flying action?
But I must be a kid at heart because when I left the Aviator sports complex, I had a smile on my face, happy in the knowledge that one of the world’s oldest forms of family entertainment could still impress in an age of big-screen TV’s, viral videos, and octomoms.
“Cole Bros. Circus of the Stars” at Aviator Sports [3600 Flatbush Ave. between Avenue U and the Belt Parkway, (800) 796-5672], through Aug. 2. Tickets, $12–$17.
©2009 Community Newspaper Group
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