Friday, Sept. 23, 2005 | 10:08 a.m.
Where: New York-New York's Zumanity Theatre.
Rating (out of five stars): ****
"Zumanity, Another Side of Cirque du Soleil" will never appeal to everyone.
But then, it shouldn't.
Variety is the spice of life, and this production at New York-New York is one of the spiciest shows in town.
Its adult theme and bold approach to human sexuality creates an evening unlike any other for open-minded fans looking for a little titillation in their entertainment. However, the contents could be offensive to some, especially those anticipating a typical, family friendly Cirque extravaganza. So, beware.
There is partial nudity.
There are adult situations (including males kissing males and females kissing females). And there are dildos.
"Zumanity" officially premiered on Sept. 20, 2003, receiving mixed reviews.
It celebrated its second anniversary Tuesday. The show has improved, and so have the reviews.
It has greatly matured over the past thousand performances, developing strong legs after a wobbly beginning.
Much of the credit goes to artistic director Ria Martens, formerly with "Mystere."
Martens joined the team a year ago and has made impressive changes that give the production more depth and a greater cohesiveness among the variety of acts.
I can't say that I agree with all of the changes.
One addition to the show is a bit featuring Canadian comic Shannon Calcutt.
The scene, titled "Scotch Baggies," is only mildly funny to begin with it involves creating false breasts out of plastic bags filled with scotch and then it drags on too long.
Another scene that falls flat is "Knives," in which a volunteer from the audience is brought onstage, strapped to a board and blindfolded. The volunteer is tricked into thinking knives are thrown at him.
The two pieces replace the comedy team of Spymonkey, a troupe of four performers who portrayed Puritans whose characters made recurring appearances throughout the show.
Spymonkey was often hilarious, but replacing the group did no harm -- and perhaps aided in the overall improvement. The act created an air of absurdity that perhaps detracted from the dynamics of the production.
One of the comic numbers by Spymonkey involved the semi-nude Puritans trying to cover themselves with pompoms. The act was taken over by Calcutt, clown Nicky Dewhurst (who sells sex toys during the pre-show performance) and the over-sized Medeiro twins.
Luciene and Licemar (squeezed into French maids' costumes) have been given more time in the spotlight -- initially their primary duty included warming up the audience as they walked among the seated fans dispensing strawberries.
They are fun to watch and the added time for the gals with the big behinds is an asset to the show.
Many of the original acts have been retained, but are in a slightly different order. Some have been re-cast and re-choreographed, making for a much better production with more interesting action.
While the show tried to convince everyone it was erotic when it premiered, "Zumanity" never quite achieved that goal. This re-worked version actually has its moments of eroticism.
One of the most sensual acts remains one of my favorite, "Body2Body," featuring two limber acrobats who create a number of Kama Sutra-like poses.
A close second is "Waterbowl," with two female contortionists performing an aquatic routine in a transparent bowl of water.
The famous kiss, involving two males, is still a major grabber in the show for those unprepared for the embrace.
Joey Arias, the cross-dressing "Mistress of Seduction," continues to host.
My least-favorite act is the "dislocation" artist who throws his limbs out of joint, wrapping his legs around his own neck, twisting his arms in a way that is uncomfortable to watch.
Though interesting, it's just plain creepy and is out of place in a show that dwells on sexuality.
While "Zumanity" has a few weaknesses, it provides its peers with some stiff competition.
The black sheep of the Cirque family is still young and growing.
When it is fully grown, it will be hard to beat.
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