NESS TECHNOLOGY SCIENCE HEALTH SPORTS OPINION ARTS STYLE TRAVEL JOBS REAL ESTATE AUTOS
ART & DESIGN BOOKS DANCE MOVIES MUSIC TELEVISION THEATER
CIRCUS REVIEW
Where’s That Elephant? It Was Here a Second Ago
E-MAIL
SEND TO PHONE
PRINT
SHARE
By LAWRENCE VAN GELDER
Published: March 26, 2009
Forget Punxsutawney Phil. Forget Staten Island Chuck. They are so February.
For a true indicator of the advent of spring, nothing beats the arrival of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus. And this year’s edition, titled “Zing Zang Zoom,” is an artful eyeful, liberally spiced with mystifying magic.
If Sandburg’s fog arrives on little cat feet, this extravaganza has made its way Thursday to Madison Square Garden — after stops in New Jersey and on Long Island — on the paws of testy tigers, the hooves of pirouetting zebras and the oversize feet of capering clowns.
That is not to overlook the feats of assorted acrobats, wirewalkers and other daredevils blasted from a double-barreled cannon, or flying through the air, or trying to maintain their balance atop a spinning wheel high above the arena floor. Or to ignore the pulsating music, fireworks, smoke, dancing girls and lavish costumes that evoke a fever dream of ancient Oriental opulence. And there is plenty more, including the educated elephants whose treatment has been at issue in a suit that is expected to be decided this year. Ringling and its parent company, Feld Entertainment Inc. of Vienna, Va., have denied any misconduct.
While hewing to traditional circus fare, this 139th edition of the entertainment that promotes itself as “The Greatest Show on Earth” puts special emphasis on illusion and magic. In the course of the performance an elephant apparently disappears. The ringmaster enters a box pierced by flaming swords while his hands seem to wave outside. In a moment he’s back, unskewered. And most amazing, a pestiferous character named Mr. Gravity enters a small container. When it is opened, he is gone, and in his place is a tiger.
At a recent performance armloads of small children and their parents looked transfixed by it all.
Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus continues through April 13 at Madison Square Garden; (212) 307-4100 or (800) 755-4000, ringling.com.
