A block of ice, a well greased leaking water jug, and a dead crab piled up on the stage at ACT Theatre downtown.
It could mean only one thing.
The Flying Karamazov Brothers are in the house.
The ice, the jug, and the crab were all gifts from the audience, part of the traditional Act I closer known as the Challenge. In it, the Champ takes three objects offered up by the audience and attempts to juggle them for a count of ten. If he fails after three tries, it’s the pie in the face. If he succeeds, he earns a standing ovation.
In thirty years of appearances at ACT, the pies are rare and the standing ovations common, despite the fiendish objects brought forth by Seattle audiences. This quartet of jugglers brings a vaudevillian vibrancy to all their performances, slipping easily from bad jokes to playing instruments (not necessarily their own) to singing to slinging flaming torches threw the air. And they have a grand old time with this improv section of the show.
The troupe, founded in 1973 by Paul Magid and Howard Patterson, has played Broadway and London’s West End, been featured on Great Performances in Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors, and appeared with Danny DeVito in Jewel of the Nile (they’re the crazy mystics juggling flaming torches).
Over the years, the Brothers have changed. Only Dmitri (Paul Magid) remains on stage from the original troupe. But the lunacy remains the same.
While the group bills themselves as “not your father’s wild-haired, juggling, flame-throwing, kilt-and-tutu-wearing performers,” the current show at ACT feels very original Karamazov, almost basic Karamazov.
The set consists of nothing more than cardboard boxes….but boxes with personality and potential. Because Valentine’s Day is creeping up on us, Shakespearean sonnets are mangled in passing. Odd instruments, like tubas and ukuleles, provide both musical support and the occasional punchline. Very sharp items are piled up in the corner for the TERROR part of the juggling show.
Clubs get tossed under arm, over head, and behind the back. Other things also get tossed, like the aforementioned dead crab. Gravity is proven to be alive and well and operating at ACT, because not every club is caught nor every crab.
And that is part of the charm of goofy charm of the Karamazov boys. Mistakes can be made and turned into part of the show. The audience can sit back and relax -- unless they happen to be in the front row. Then they need to sit up and pay attention, because they might end up in the center of the stage with flaming torches whizzing by. Just pretend you're Danny DeVito and enjoy it.
The Flying Karamazov Brothers plays from tonight through Feb. 12 at ACT. For more information, see the website.
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If you want to bring an object for the Challenge, here's the rules:
Heavier than an ounce, less than ten pounds and no bigger than a breadbox. The Champ will not juggle a live animal or anything that may prevent The Champ from continuing to be a live animal. The Champ also reserves the right to "modify" any object given to him -- so even if it is Grandma's Ming vase, don't expect it to come back in one piece. Better yet, leave the vase at home and bring something silly.
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