One of the delights of living in the St. Louis area is the annual appearance of Circus Flora, our own first-rate European-style one-ring circus.
Part theatre, part magic, this circus is not just for kids (although they will love it too), but a fantastic world to thrill adults as well. Circus Flora is committed to persevering the art and artistry of classic circus.
It is unique because it uses a new theatrical theme each year to tie together the performances, using exotic costumes and sets to showcase and preserve traditional circus arts, performed under a big top, with a live orchestra providing original music.
The audience sits close, which heightens the suspense, and the circus features world-class performers from multi-generation circus families. It is one of the best new circuses in the world, and it is right here.
If you have never been to Circus Flora, you owe yourself a trip. This year's show is called "Marrakesh," and is filled with the spice of that fabled locale in the 1920s. It features a mystery to be solved by a detective in the style of Charlie Chan.
Circus Flora's "Marrakesh" runs until June 24, Tuesday through Sunday evenings, with Saturday and Sunday matinees, in the parking lot next to Powell Hall in Grand Center. Tickets are $15 to $30, and while no seat is further than 42 feet away, it is worth the extra money to be ringside at least once, for an unmatchable thrill. The circus is under a big top tent but the tent is air-conditioned.
The great detective is played by an Asian elephant named Dondi. Circus Flora was named after Flora the Elephant, the featured mascot of the circus from its beginning. Since Flora's retirement, the circus has lacked an elephant act, but now that has changed with the debut of Dondi and her three assistants, Phil, Francine and Joshua Schacht.
Traditional circuses have both animal and human performers, and so does Circus Flora. Dogs, horses and elephants are among this year's acts, along with clowns, trapeze acts, the high-wire performers, jugglers and acrobats.
Circus Flora is always changing, with some anchoring performers to keep things consistent. Once again, Cecil MacKinnon's classic European clown Yo-Yo narrates and acts as mistress of ceremonies. Among returning old favorites are Circus Flora's gifted acrobatic clown Nino (played by Giovanni Zoppe), the famous Flying Wallendas and the St. Louis Arches, a team of child acrobats.
Trapeze artists The Flying Pages, who debuted last year, return as well. New acts include Dondi the elephant and the Schacht family, the clown-and-dog act of Pino and Bonzer, Katja Schummann and her halter-free "liberty" horsemanship act, Sasha Alexandre Nevidonski's aerials and horse act, and Ianna Spirit Riders horse and acrobatics act.
Other new acts are Giovanni Zoppe's Nino and his sister Tosca Zoppe, with a bareback equestrian act, and "Human Slinky" Alesyna Goulevich, who spins up to 50 hula hoops at a time.
Some of the newcomers provided this year's highlights. Human Slinky Alesyna was jaw-dropping good, with an amazing ability to keep all those rings spinning. She combined the basic hula hoops with classic circus ring juggling and added a new level to the routine by her flirtatious flourishes, charming the audience completely.
Pino and Bonzer were another big hit. In this act, Pino (Diane Wasnak), a silent, lively little Chaplinesque figure, is bedeviled by a mischievous Australian Shepherd named Bonzer, with hilarious results. Both their comic timing and tight coordination in intricate, lightning-fast stunts were humor delights.
Dondi the Elephant was a hit as well, with an amazing routine by Joshua Schacht balanced, and even dancing, on the elephant's back while she executed a series of twists and moves, a routine unlike any you have ever seen.
The most beautiful, fantasy-filled and romantic performance was the acrobatic aerial and equestrian duet, performed heart-stopping grace by Andrew Adams and Erica Gilfether, in which they seemed suspended by sheer force of will above the sawdust.
The evening's highpoint for classic circus thrills belonged to the Flying Pages, who flew through the air with ease and successfully pulled off the triple somersault and flying double pass on their trapezes.As always, Nino the Clown and Yo-Yo kept things moving during setups and the Circus Flora band set the right suspenseful, romantic or comic mood.
As the happy crowd filters after the show, the circus performers are there to greet you, sign an autograph and thank you for coming.
What could be a better end, one that will make you want to let your imagination run away with the circus another day.
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