REPORT on Soleil MUSICAL SHOW: “BANANA SHPEEL” at Chicago Theater

2009, 11-18:

REPORT on SOLEIL MUSICAL SHOW:  “BANANA SHPEEL”

Director & Writer: 

David Shiner.

Quotes: 

“Love is NOT about telling the Truth!’”

“What do we know that has Culture?”  “YOGURT!”

“ My Kingdom for a WHORE!”

MY rating: 

8 of 10 stars.

Slip, Slide & TAP your way to a Comedy, Dancing & “Circus” Bazaar 

Cirque de Soleil has put together a “DIFFERENT” kind of musical experience, this time in a theater setting.  On 11-18-09, I attended a Dress rehearsal of their new “BANANA SHPEEL” show at the CHICAGO THEATER…

…  The audience was greeted by an unannounced “high-up” involved with the production, who I assume was Cirque founder GUY LALIBERTE [tho it could have been director / writer DAVID SHINER]…

…  He spoke of how this was a new type of operation for them, & hoped our reactions would help them in guiding how to better do the show [which is scheduled to be in Chicago for 7 weeks, & then to open in New York on February 4th, 2010]…

…  Comedians DANIEL PASSER & WAYNE WILSON introduced themselves, & dabbled in old-time Vaudeville-like slapstick “SHTICK”.  In time, they introduced the so-called “Producer, a fright-wigged guy named “Schmelky” (REMO AIRALDI ?), for whom they were “working” to arrange “tryouts” for his upcoming “show”:

…  They call up people (actors) “salted” in the “audience, to show their supposed “acts”:  a guy who (at this point) is “mustachioed” (Brazil’s CLAUDIO CANEIRO), & he announces that his “expertise” is, “I impersonate ordinary people who have KNEE problems—”, which he promptly “demonstrates” to the non-amazement of all involved…

…  There’s a very thin long-haired guy (France’s PATRICK DE VALETTE) who announces he’s going to do a “modern” dance--  & promptly partially disrobes & prances around the stage with highly-practiced “ineptitude” (which drew strong laughs from the audience)… 

…  Next is an “old man” who can barely move (seemingly played by GORDON WHITE), who gamely tries to maneuver his “walker” around the area…  Schmelky certainly has a “hard choice” of “WHO” to use for his “show”, since they’re all so fabulously UN-talented!…  (All the afore-mentioned comedians keep returning as running-gagsters on & off thruout the evening, playing various roles…)

…  In between the comedy, there were a bunch of DANCE numbers, usually with around 12 male & female hoofers (including tap experts LUKE HAWKINS, MELISSA SCHOTT, brother & sister JOSEPH & JOSETTE WIGGAN, ROBYN BALTZER, ALEX ELLIS, ADRIENNE JEAN FISHER, DEWITT FLEMING JR., KATHLEEN HENNESSEY, ADRIENNE REID, ANTHONY J. RUSSO, & STEVEN T. WILLIAMS…  I hope my listings are “up-to-date”, because no current “Playbil”” type program was handed out to the audience)…

…  The dance numbers start out sort of “gradually” in certain ways, but keep getting BETTER & BETTER as the show moves along.  Some of the later Hip-Hop / Tap routines are impressively wonderful, & they’re always finely backed by an excellent 8-piece live BAND which plays at the back of the stage…

…  Interspersed thru the nearly 2-hour proceedings (which included an Intermission of like 15 minutes) were 3 CIRCUS-type performers:  orange-wigged juggler TUAN LE from Vietnam was amazing in the way he could keep manipulating up to 6 hats in the air & on his head & hands.  (How can he do so well keeping “track” of where everything is?!  -- Probably from a massive number of months & years of practicing!)…

…  Foot juggler VANESSA ALVAREZ (from Spain) wowed the audience with the way she could keep up to 4 discs twirling between her feet & hands as she kept moving around a platform (often on her back & head!)…

…  And “hand-balancer” DMITRY BULKIN (from Russia) stunned the audience (& got wild applause) for the way he could maneuver himself (including “sideways”) around and above a pole – moving so expertly & beautifully, he seemed to be virtually DOUBLE-JOINTED in his limberness & finesse…

…  (It’s one of those abilities you have to see to “believe”!  The audience just loved the routine, not only clapping wildly at the end of what he did, but also in appreciative acclaim when he returned for the Finale)…

…  The costumes (especially for the dancers) are often marvelous --  colorful & clever (such as the way certain ones “change” colors -- including into “neon”-like designs -- depending on the special lighting that hits them… 

…  The SETS are also usually outstanding--  with clever raising & lowering platforms & trap doors (especially effective in a lengthy “MAGIC ACT” routine utilizing most of the cast)…

…  In some ways, the “weakest” part of the show is the COMEDY:  the characters themselves are basically well-done & enjoyed by the audience as to the “roles”, but a number of the skits aren’t all that “funny”, & an overly-long one (near the end) about getting certain people to “leave” the stage should probably be REPLACED, as it’s UN-funny, “goes” nowhere & is a waste of time & effort…

…  All in all, everyone onstage seems to be working HARD & having a FINE time overall.  That thus leaves the AUDIENCE generally pleased… 

…  But, with its Vaudeville-like “combination” of elements (some of which are GREAT, but others which aren’t always particularly effective), it may be a somewhat “TOUGH sell” to American audiences (unless ticket prices are set especially reasonably for these difficult economic times) …

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