Banana Shpeel: Difference between revisions

Unlike most Cirque shows with their fantasy-based plots, this is a [[Variety Show]] set within the colorful, broad trappings of old-time [[Vaudeville]]. It's presented as the latest production of producer Marty Schmelky, with dance numbers (tap and modern), showgirls, acrobatic specialty acts...and lots of [[Slapstick|slapstick comedy]] -- more—more than he, his assistant Margaret, and his comic underlings expected. A trio of oddballs took the stage at the beginning of the show for an audition, and they don't want to give it back...

This show (directed by David Shiner, who helmed ''KOOZA''), Cirque's first for traditional proscenium theaters as opposed to custom-designed ones, had a hellish time of it. It went through two extensive [[Retool|retoolsretool]]s on its path to opening in New York, resulting in a months-long delay and lots of bad press. By the time it opened at the Beacon Theater, Cirque was competing with itself with the tent tour ''OVO'''s run in the city and the newcomer closed two months ahead of schedule. After an abortive Toronto run, a North American tour was scuppered, rendering this Cirque's first out-and-out failure among its live shows.

* [[Disappearing Box]]: Two boxes, one on each side of the stage -- astage—a person steps in one and comes out of the other. This act quickly went awry.

* [[Hopeless Auditionees]]: The trio of oddballs -- aoddballs—a very old man, an Argentinian who thinks himself a ladies' man, and one best described in-story as a "psychotic" -- proved—proved just as tenacious as the real things.

* [[Retool]]: Twice over -- firstover—first, it was originally intended as part-[[The Musical|musical]] but this aspect and two key characters were dropped when it proved too many elements to handle. Then, after the poorly-reviewed Chicago tryout at the end of 2009, three acrobatic acts and Margaret were added. And this meant ''three different sets of composers'', one for each incarnation.