Cirque Berzerk Presents Beneath at LA State Historic Park
Monday June 29, 2009
As promised, I went over to Los Angeles Historic Park in Downtown LA over the weekend for Cirque Berzerk's full-length theatrical circus performance, Beneath, based on the Greek myth of Orpheus. After reading Elina Shatkin at LATimes.com description of Cirque Berzerk as a sinister fire-twirling Goth hippie commune on a tight wire (my paraphrasing), I expected a real Angeleno Orphean burlesque cabaret meets aerial psycho killer, but with a thoughtful back story.It was all of those things, and yet not nearly as dark or implicitly violent as I expected. Other than the sporadic appearance of a bloody clown, the gore was kept to a minimum. The first act seems a little low key for a city regularly visited by Cirque du Soleil, but the second act makes up for it with stunning aerial and acrobatic performances and a spectacular fire dance.
A full bar and food booths are available before the show and during intermission. The pre-show band was quite entertaining. I recommend earplugs inside the big top for anyone with half-way decent hearing, as the volume was painfully high.
EXTENDED DATES
When: 8:30 pm June 18 - Aug 9, 2009. (Beer & wine garden open at 6 p.m. for picnicking.)
Where: Los Angeles State Historic Park, 1245 N. Spring St, LA
Price: $35-$80, check Goldstar.com for discounted tickets (free registration required).
Info: www.cirqueberzerk.com
More: Photo by Brion Topolski, courtesy of Cirque Berzerk
Saw it last night. Liked it. It’s different & cool. 80% of the crowd gave the performers a standing-O at the end. The band in the little tent at intermission was really good too.