January 13

Teatro Zinzanni’s “Hearts on Fire” combines classic vaudevillian, with circus variety acts and good eats

Arts & Culture

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The latest report on the arts in Queen Anne from fellow resident and QueenAnneView arts reviewer Grace Betz.

Part dinner theater, part circus act, and wholeheartedly vaudevillian, Teatro ZinZanni combines Tom Douglas cuisine with a show that can only be described as an extravaganza. It is a variety-type production that remains loosely centered on a theme revolving around Madame ZinZanni, played by Thelma Houston. The entire performance takes place under a magnificent 100-year-old circus tent that has seen 90 years of circus performances in Europe. It is an audience-engaging showcase of extraordinary talent, and it was certainly an experience unlike any I have had before.

The “Moulin Rouge” spiegeltent. Photo by Keith Brofsky.

The Teatro ZinZanni cast is currently performing their “Hearts on Fire” show.  Most of the performances take place in the center stage area, with only a few departures to the front stage.  The seating is arranged so that everyone has a good view of the performance area, and even the outermost row of seats is slightly elevated to ensure unobstructed views.  The cast consists of performers of many different talents, including acrobats, singers, and contortionists.

One of my favorite parts of the afternoon show included the acrobatic talents of Les Petits Frères.   Trained at the Annie Fratellini Circus School in Paris, the three men who comprise of the group combine comedy, tumbling, and incredible physical prowess into an unbelievable, jaw-dropping act.  I thoroughly enjoyed their tumbling act, in which they danced, climbed and flipped within the restricted space in the middle of the room.  Their ladder act was spectacular, and I am still not entirely sure how they managed not to seriously injure themselves.  It even garnered quite a few excited gasps from the entranced audience members. And I was absolutely blown away by Rachel Deshon’s operatic arias.

Thelma Houston. Photo by Michael Doucett.

But, of course, one cannot adequately discuss ZinZanni without extolling the amazing talents of Thelma Houston.  Best known for her 1978 Grammy award winning song, “Don’t Leave Me This Way,” Ms. Houston manages to bring a certain vitality and grandeur to the stage as only a true diva can. And I must applaud the troupe in general, who did a spectacular job getting the generally aloof Seattle audience out of their seats and dancing to the beats of disco and Motown classics.

To be completely honest, I was not too keen on the entire production at first.  It was not for a lack of talent on the part of the performers, or even interest on mine.  It was just not for me, and I am not entirely sure how else to explain it.  Perhaps I am too quiet, too stoic, too stuck up.  I do not know.  I tried to loosen up and get into it, I really did.  I did enjoy certain parts.  Les Petits Frères were really wonderful and the singing was spectacular. Objectively speaking, I can admit it was a good show, an entertaining show.  I do not actually like being center stage, and Teatro ZinZanni does a spectacular job at putting the audience in the spotlight.  With its small venue and engaging performers, I was not able to sit quietly in the sidelines and wait to be entertained.  No, they pull every audience member into the middle of the fracas, making it one big party.  To me, that is a bit overwhelming, especially sober!  They do serve alcohol, it just seemed a bit early for that sort of thing.  I was, after all, attempting to be professional.

Vita hoops. Photo by Michael Doucett.

On the other hand, my mother, who came with me to the show, loved it from the get-go.  This is a woman who grew up going to Broadway on weekends, who can sing along with the opera greats, and can close her eyes during any given ballet score and tell you exactly what the dancers are doing.  She is so much more refined than I could ever hope to be, and she thought it was absolutely spectacular.  And the two of us appeared to be a perfect sampling of our fellow theatre-goers—the rest of the audience roughly reflected this odd dichotomy of phlegmatic observers and enchanted participators.  There was one middle-aged man who sat the entire time in his seat with his arms crossed and a permanent sour look on his face.  And then there was a delightful older grey-haired gentleman to my left who sang and danced along with the performers.  But I would say the majority of us were satisfied just smiling when we were pleased and clapping when appropriate.  I must say though, the performers did an excellent job engaging the passive Seattle audience.  And it was evident that the cast genuinely enjoys what they are doing, which naturally pulled us into the frivolity.

The delightful wait staff was incredibly informative and attentive without being overbearing.  The food was quite good, as one would expect from a Tom Douglas restaurant.  For brunch we were served a four-course meal, from which we could choose one of three main courses.  The serving sizes were generous and we were given sufficient time to finish our food.  The staff and performers did a fantastic job integrating the food service into the performance, minimizing disruption.  My main issue was that as a slow eater, I rarely finished my plate before they started performing again.  Perhaps this goes to my issue with dinner theater in general.  I would rather not be on a schedule when it comes to enjoying a meal.  And I would prefer not to split my attention between eating and the entertainment.  However, in their defense, the wait staff never rushed me and did not clear the table until I was finished.

So despite my initial trepidation, I must admit “Hearts on Fire” was a fun and dynamic performance.  You would be hard pressed to find anything quite like it in Seattle.  I recommend taking the family to the brunch performance.  The evening show would make for a fantastic night out with rowdy friends.  Just be prepared to let loose and party along with some of the more interesting and fun talent I have seen in awhile.  But know that Teatro ZinZanni is not for the passive spectator.  They crave an active audience and will do everything in their power to get you up and out of your seats partying right along with them.

The theater is featuring “Hearts on Fire” through January 23, 2011.  Call the box office at (206) 802-0015 or go to their website to purchase tickets for their three and a half hour dinner performances which run Tuesday through Saturday, or their one and a half hour brunch performances which run on select Sundays.  Please note that Teatro ZinZanni is closed (including its box office) on Mondays.  Ticket prices for the dinners run from $120-$155, and for brunches it is $76-$111.

There is a little bit of something in it for everyone, so bring the kids (although the webpage does warn that it can be a long show, so it may not be fun for some children).  And be sure to dress appropriately!  T-shirts, shorts, and tennis shoes are not allowed, but festive dress is highly encouraged.

Starting January 27 and running through February 5, Teatro ZinZanni will be showing its Radio Free Starlight production, bringing with it a different cast that includes Duffy Bishop and Joe DePaul.  And on January 15, there will be a 21-and-older performance called Mezzo Lunatico in the Teatro ZinZanni Spiegeltent for $25 with a two-drink minimum.

Raised in Texas and Oklahoma, S. Grace Betz moved to Seattle in 2009 on little more than a whim.  An avid supporter of the arts, she studied ballet for nearly 20 years and piano for 15.  She also plays the cello (albeit, not particularly well) and guitar.  After her misguided foray into the field of law, she decided to focus her remaining energy on subjects she actually enjoys, which include writing and the arts.


Tags

arts, Arts & Culture, Editorial, Grace Betz, Queen Anne, Teatro Zinzanni, Theatre, Thelma Houston, Tom Douglas


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