Review of Big Apple Circus
March 8, 2010
Review by Marcy Gessel
Some adults may recall the circuses of their childhood as being rather creepy shows in rundown venues, with aged, ill-looking elephants and clowns that were more pathetic than funny. The veteran reviewers from Our Kids - boys aged 6, 10 and 11 and their parents—found none of this at Dulles Town Center in Sterling, VA. The Big Apple Circus is bright, professional and entertaining, with live music and real humor.
Even those who have never been to a circus should recognize Bello as the tuxedoed clown with no clown makeup and that red hair that stands straight up. Although he made his American circus debut with the Big Apple Circus, Nock has more recently been starring with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey.
Big Apple welcomes Bello by letting him be the star of its new show, and he delivers. Once named “America’s Best Clown” by Time magazine, Bello calls himself a comic daredevil. The last act before Intermission illustrates how well his performance is integrated with the rest of the show.
David Martins, a Brazilian acrobat, demonstrates his skills on the “Wheel of Wonder,” a giant rotating arm with a single wheel on either side. While the machine continues to rotate, powered by Martins, Bello climbs into the opposite wheel. Feigning fear—and throwing the 6-year-old reviewer into hysterical laughter—Bello jumps, runs and otherwise frolics in the wheel.
Then Bello dismounts, and the silliness stops. He passes the show back to Martins, who thrills the crowd by walking on the outside of a wheel and even jump roping there, while the apparatus continues to rotate. The 6-year-old said aloud, “These are professionals.” In other words, don’t try this at home.
Big Apple performs in a real tent with seats for only about 1,700. Every seat is within 50 feet of the ring. This setting offers Bello the opportunity to really show off his craft. Viewers can see his facial expressions and hear his mock screams.
One of the adults was less delighted by a non-acrobatic comedy act with Bello and a member of the audience. (The reviewers debated over whether she was actually a performer.) Bello tries to teach the woman how to help him perform a trick reminiscent of William Tell, with a balloon bow shooting invisible arrows at a balloon apple. The youngest reviewer, however, found this one of his favorite moments of the show.
Other Highlights
Make sure you get to the performance on time because one of the funniest acts occurs in the first 15 minutes. An encounter between Bello and the circus’s other clown, Grandma, leaves Bello appearing to take a free fall and then swinging from a bungee cord.
In another early act, the Long Twins display amazing skills as contortionists. Their seven-minute acrobatic barrel routine had mouths dropping among the OK reviewers.
Big Apple offers only two animal performances, both with domestic animals: horses and dogs. The boys especially enjoyed watching the dogs jump, dance and display their own acrobatics. Soon after the 10-year-old suggested that the dogs must have been especially bred for circus work, Ringmaster Kevin Venardos announced that all the dogs used in the performance were rescue dogs.
The 10-year-old reviewer noted that Bello’s hair “is wiggling like Jell-o” while he jumps on a giant trampoline. The Aniskin Troupe’s feats on the trampoline prompted the fourth-grader to comment, “They could be Olympic gold medalists!”
The boys were mesmerized by Picaso Jr., who presents amazing feats of juggling, including using his mouth to juggle ping pong balls. He later throws plates into the audience and they return to him boomerang style. The juggler even managed to catch an errant plate that hit a lighting tower and ricocheted back to the ring.
After the show, the youngest critic raved: “The Apple Circus had the best tricks I’ve ever seen!”
Big Apple Circus appears in a tent on the grounds of Dulles Town Center through March 27. The show lasts a little under 2 hours, including a 15-minute intermission.
Concessions
In a tent adjoining the performance space, three stands sell the same items, primarily popcorn, hot dogs, snow cones, cotton candy and drinks. A fourth stand offers souvenirs, including dolls of Bello and Grandma ($25 and $15, respectively) and flashing-light glasses worn by a number of children in the crowd.
Portable potties are available just outside the concessions tent.
Getting There and Parking
As the circus is on the grounds of Dulles Town Center, driving is the primary option for getting there.
Patrons should park on the Macy’s side of the mall. Shuttle service starts 1 hour before the show and resumes after the performance. The stop is across from Jared Jewels near Macy’s. Shuttles run every 5–10 minutes. The OK group arrived near the start of the show and had to wait for two other shuttles to fill before getting to the front of the line.
Walking also is an option. The walk is about 10 minutes from the shuttle stop. Fans arriving early enough can find parking spaces near Cheesecake Factory and reduce the walk by a few minutes.
The shuttles are pretty prompt, so they are a good option for getting to the show, but OK recommends walking back to the car if the kids aren’t too tired, since everyone waits for the departing shuttled at roughly the same time.
Note: When using GPS to get to the circus, do not type in the address listed on the website. That is an office address for Big Apple a couple of miles away. Instead, use the address for the Dulles Town Center mall, 21100 Dulles Town Circle, Sterling, VA 20166-2400.
Tickets
Ticket prices range from $15 for partially obstructed views at some weekday shows to $52 for ringside seats on weekends. Children under age 3 may attend without charge if they sit on the lap of a paid adult. Note: if you are an Our Kids member; check the members promotions page for an offer for up to 30% off on select performances.
Tickets may be purchased online at www.bigapplecircus.org or at the box office in front of the circus tent, from 10 a.m.–6 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays and from 10 a.m.–8 p.m. on Tuesdays through Fridays.
Showtimes vary by the day, so it helps to check the website before making plans. Generally, weeknight performances are at 7 p.m., with matinees on some days at 11 a.m. On Saturdays and Sundays, the circus performs an early matinee and a late matinee.
If you really love the circus
Check out Circopedia.org, an online circus encyclopedia being developed by the Big Apple Circus. The resource offers videos, on-camera interviews, pictures, historic prints, biographies, historical essays and all matter of history about the international history of the circus.
Have you been to the Big Apple Circus? If you have comments and would like to share with the Our Kids readers, email Our Kids.
