'Cirque Dreams Illumination' Performs at the Hippodrome

Let me state right from the beginning, I have a hard time understanding putting such shows as Cirque Dreams Illumination in a Broadway show series.  It is not musical theater by any stretch of the imagination.  Yes, there is music, but it is not live. The orchestra  featuring music by Jill Winter and David Scott is recorded. And it is LOUD!  For some reason, as you walk into the theater there is  loud noise simulating a train station.

Yes, there is one person who sings live and she is Onyie Nwachukwu.  I could not understand one lyric she sang about. She also wore some of the ugliest costumes I've ever seen on a stage.  She wasn't helped with a bad sound system.

Live music is restricted to the capable saxophone played by Marybeth Kern.  But, sometimes, she just looked out of place.

The show reminded me a long Ed Sullivan show where foreign acts perform terrific tumbling and aerialists. And after a while, it gets repetitive and boring.

The opening act I did enjoy seeing quick change artists. One cannot wonder "How did they do that". No question about it.

What really shocked me was the long act featuring Jean Chiasson who does an aerial act after being soaked in a bath tub. Normally, one sees a female performer getting soaked and flying above the stage. This was a welcome change I assume for the female members of the audience. But, this act seemed to last forever.

The one act I really enjoyed was the comedIan Martin Lamberti who utilized three members of the audience to perform a kind of vaudeville act on stage.  He's a clever, talented comedian. But this act must have lasted fifteen minutes, about 25% of the entire first act. I guess the rest of the cast uses this segment to rest up or read a book.

There is one popular artist, Robert Muraine, who performed on the television show "So You Think You Can Dance". His act features his legs and arms and gets boring real quickly.

There is one unique act and that involves Andrey Averyushkin who bounces balls off a drum set. He had a couple of problems but even so, he was entertaining. He has an infectious smile. The very small opening night crowd opening night of about 1,000 showed him a great deal of appreciation.

Do not be confused. This is not in any way related to the wonderful Cirque du Soleil, the incredible Canadian organization which is so artistic visually and musically and usually under a blue tent. But, if you like to watch tumbling and aerial acts, head to the Hippodrome.

Cirque Dreams Illumination (no clue what the name refers to) runs through October 17 at the Hippodrome Theatre. Call 410-547-7328 or visit www.broadwayacrossamerica.com/baltimore.

To view clips of the show, visit www.cirqueproductions.com/project.

Next up at the Hippodrome is the classic Off-Broadway hit Blue Man Group which runs from November 2-7, 2010.

For comments, write to cgshubow@broadwayworld.com.