ROGUE REVIEW: ‘The Circus Emporium Roadshow’
The Circus Emporium Roadshow is $8, not $5 like it says in the Rogue program, but it’s worth every penny and more. The show is a mini version of Cirque du Soleil with fire dancing, aerial dancing on silks hung from the ceiling and stunts involving flesh, staple guns and a bed of nails.
Emcee Shea Freelove promises a lot of “stupid, dangerous and really gross stuff” and the show delivers it. It starts outside at Full Circle Brewing Co. in the roller derby rink for a charming performance by local fire-dancing group Circus Et Cetera. I’m still wondering why there weren’t more singed pony tails.
Once inside, it’s a menagerie of sideshow entertainment. One particular highlight is Sanger High graduate Heather Lewis, now living in Humboldt, with her sexy, muscular performance on silks hung from a beam above the stage. A sample of her Spiderman-masked performance is below. A romantic little fire-eating duo brings a sweetness to the night before the performance jumps into the gory and gross category.
I won’t give away the ending, but it had the audience screaming in delight and my hands clamped over my eyes. This is definitely not a show for kids, and if cursing and a little flesh-bearing bothers you, this is not the show for you.
Show info: 10 p.m. Wednesday, 10 p.m. Thursday, 10 p.m., March 8 and 10 p.m. March 9. Full Circle Brewing Co. Rating: R. [Details]