When Danila Bim entered the circus tent with a small metal hoop attached to her head, I had a feeling I knew what was coming. Enough performers had taken flight throughout the evening that watching another one shouldn’t be surprising. However, when she took the rope and attached it to that small hoop, I still felt myself tense. When she began to lift into the air through hair suspension alone, my jaw dropped.
Teatro ZinZanni, now performing in Chicago's Loop, is a performing arts theater, featuring cirque, comedy and cabaret. Elena Gatilova and Kevin Kent are show directors. Theodis Rodgers Jr. is music director and leader of the five-piece band.
Part of what pushes these routines over the top is that the circus performers are not simply showcasing their circus talents. They build characters throughout the evening that are impossible not to love. Samuel Sion, for example, spends a good portion of the event visiting tables and performing little tricks with bubbles. He jokes around with each group, asking their names, and getting to know them as he personalizes the trick to their responses. These personal connections only enhance the experience—particularly as he astounds later in the evening with his trapeze performance alongside the equally talented Sylvia Friedman. After getting to know his charming, goofy character throughout the night, all you want is for him to succeed.
Bim’s performance is no exception. Throughout the evening, she creates the illusion of a busybody. Her job is to keep the show going, and complete with her buttoned-up costume, she certainly sells the character. When she later enters for her solo performance, she is quite shy, keeping in line with the character she has built. She is almost apologetic as she moves center stage and takes up space.
It is at that moment that the voice of Liv Warfield (sensational vocalist of the evening) comes through the speakers. She encourages Bim to step into the spotlight and share what she can do. With that, she does. From the cheers surrounding me at this performance, it’s clear that I was not the only one blown away by her talents. As she lifts into the air and dances over the audience, it looks as if she has simply come alive.
Teatro ZinZanni’s Love, Chaos, and Dinner does just that—it astounds from start to finish. In addition to the standout circus performances, audiences experience the stunning vocals of Liv Warfield and the biting comedy of BenDeLaCreme, who steals the show. Her comedic timing feels seamless, and she does not hold back in drawing the audience into the material—complete with full-on participation and bringing folks on stage to join in the acts. If you’re anything like me, you will be sitting on the edge of your seat—both anxious and excited to see if she chooses you to join in the action.
Full of talent and awe, Love, Chaos, and Dinner is a night to remember. I highly recommend you try and catch the show before BenDeLaCreme’s engagement is over—currently running through mid-July. However, every performer is top-notch, and plus, there’s dinner, with menu options. What could be better?
Love, Chaos, and Dinner runs through September at Teatro ZinZanni, 32 W Randolph St. For tickets and information, see the Teatro ZinZanni website.
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