October 17–24, 1996
critical mass|performance

Scrap: Sideshow
Scrap: SideshowArts Bank, October 9-12.

"Scrap," as both noun and verb, seems an appropriate name for this talented and energetic company (which includes a number of Philadelphia dance stalwarts) and their generally enjoyable theater-dance work. Performing in a series of "bits" (or scraps), the cast was uniformly excellent; the problem lay with the choice of the circus as framework for the piece.
The notion of the circus as a world apart, peopled entirely by freaks with hearts of gold, has been done to death. So the question was that of attitude, which I expected to be likewise scrappy. Sideshow, however, never decided on the tone it wished to take toward this dangerously treacly material and as a result wavered throughout the night.

The weak spot lay in the conception of the main character, part ringmaster, part clown (Eric Schoefer), who introduced the other acts as well as playing a role himself. Most of the time he presented himself as a sub-Chaplinesque figure, and the single note he strove for but failed to attain was pathos. After trying weakly to ride a unicycle, he moved forlornly to juggle three balls. As soon as he picked them up his body language let us know that he would drop them quickly, which he did, a gag that was reprised several times to the cheers of the very charitable audience. But the juggling, along with several tediously protracted sketches concerning a performing flea, eventually outwore its welcome.

It's a pleasure, then, to list the reasons that I, despite this mawkish element, had a fine time. To start with, Asimina Chremos was nothing short of splendid as "Girly Bird." Dressed in a feathered outfit, and wearing one pointe shoe and one high-heeled pump, she spent most of the evening sitting in a large, handsome birdcage (the work of Andrea Zemel) and acting as a squawking comic commentator on the proceedings. Along one side of the theater, several climbing bars standing a few feet away from the wall created a cell-like space. Within it, Myra Bazell offered a fierce solo, brilliantly enacting caged passion and frustration. The other principal dancer, Katharine Livingston, presented two arresting solos as well. There was comedy from a troupe of four large white "Wabbits" (Dan Ezra, Christy Lee, Lea Yeager and Tony Agostinelli), who appeared several times. Two excellent musicians, Andy Bresnan and Thomas Meadowcraft, added much to the proceedings; Conrad Bender's lighting was exceptionally good.

No circus is complete without aerialists. Attached by harnesses to cables hanging from the ceiling, Katharine Livingston and Dan Ezra flew gloriously for a few minutes; they should have had several encores. And likewise, no circus being complete without wild animals, Sideshow delivered here, too. Within a large transparent cylindrical balloon extending clear across the top of the stage, Billy Ehret started painting as the show began. Timed to finish exactly at the end of the performance, a beautiful jungle scene, complete with elephants, emerged.

— Robert Ackerman