Cape Town -
This is how I imagine the requirements for a job at Madame Zingara’s The Celebration goes: “You must have a perfect body. You must be prepared to be almost naked. You must not be ticklish because people will come up to you and touch you, and you cannot flinch. Not even a little bit. You must be prepared to be photographed with said excited people.”
The living art “installations” are all part of the sensory overload that is a night at the circus, in this case Madame Zingara’s latest production – aptly called The Celebration as it marks 15 years of magic.
The thrills begin from the moment you enter the new triple-storey, 650-seater mirrored palace, which is named The Queen of Flanders.
Some statistics: it was built in Belgium by acclaimed tent master Rik Klessens & Family, and it is the biggest of its kind in the world, with 3 200 mirrors, six tons of aluminium, more than 5km of steel rods, 30 tons of galvanised steel, 70 000 floor screws, 1 800m of velvet and 1 200m of gold tassle.
It’s opulent and lavish, and when we arrived on show night, when it was all sparkly with mirror balls and crystals and illuminated with Mannie Manim’s lighting, it was awe-inspiring.
The Celebration has been more than a year in pre-production, and is directed by Madame Zingara founder Richard Griffin, assisted by Marc Colli, who also appears in the show as Mr C.
The first act, Cirque du Soleil aerial pole artist Saulo Sarmiento, from Spain, is magnificent in every way. He is gorgeous to look at and his skills are breathtaking. As an opener, it sets the tone for the rest of the evening, which left us mostly slack-jawed with delight and wonder.
Obviously I don’t want to give you too many spoilers, but the Diablo girls from China are simply amazing, as is the hand-balancing and contortion trio from the Ukraine.
Most of the performers have been drawn from an international pool, but the mind-boggling Quick Star act features Christine Chapman from Melkbosstrand, and Ezequial Sosa from Argentina. How that woman changes outfits so fast defies belief.
Another favourite of mine was the French teeter board act in which Boris Fodella, Pablo Valarcher, and Zachary Arnaud do crazy stunts wrapped up in a whole lot of fun. In between acts we were treated to the uber glam of Cathy Specific in her amazing frocks, and her backing singers, The Specifics.
But wait, there’s more. You simply must get your face painted when you arrive; it’s all part of the fun. And you are certainly encouraged to dress up in the circus spirit. There is a boutique where you can shop for the perfect accessory.
A four-course dinner is part of the deal, and I think if we had to go behind the scenes and see the logistics of this kitchen we would be just as blown away by what goes on there as on the stage. Tip: the first-course canapés – and a welcome glass of bubbly – are served in the foyer on arrival so make sure you get there early.
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The Celebration is on the Grand Parade until September 26, with shows Tuesdays to Saturday until it moves to Joburg. Tickets start at R650 a person including dinner. Book by calling 0861 623 263 or e-mail [email protected].
Weekend Argus