Happening Now: Cirque Berzerk

June 20, 5:37 PMSanta Monica City Buzz ExaminerJ.S. Mael

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Running now through July 5th!

Cirque Berzerk Returns to Downtown LA
For Seven Performances per Weekend
@ Los Angeles State Historic Park
Runs: June 18 – July 5, 2009

In the hunt for something spectacular to witness on the 4th of July, Cirque Berzerk came up in discussions with friends.  The following is credited to a review from their fantastic website.  Come join the action, an event to boggle minds and stamp impressions in your mind's eye. 

Parental discretion is advised.

“Equal parts trippy and sinister, Cirque Berzerk seems like the sort of phantasmagoric spectacle Tim Burton would dream up, if he quit filmmaking to join the circus.”
Los Angeles Times, July 2008

Following the amazing success of last year’s completely sold-out and held-over engagement, Cirque Berzerk, a wild, sexy, decadent and demented alternative circus that isn’t exactly for kids makes its triumphant return to downtown Los Angeles for an exclusive engagement debuting June 18, 2009, running through 4th of July weekend.

As Los Angeles’ only established circus troupe, Cirque Berzerk promises an even more twisted big top experience than ever before, adding several new acts under an even bigger big top. The 35-artist troupe is a tight-knit “family” of professional performers and musicians. Instead of typical circus fare emphasizing live animal acts and wholesome family fun, Cirque Berzerk features jaw-dropping acrobatics, stunning male and female aerialists, sexy, fiery burlesque dancers, gothic stilt walkers, punk rock clowns, psychedelic vaudevillian tomfoolery, and one very voluptuous contortionist.

Cirque Berzerk performs cutting-edge choreography by Neal Everett set to an entirely original live musical score composed by Cirque Berzerk co-founder Kevin Bourque. “Stylistically, we’re a little grungier, darker, rougher and more theatrical than a typical circus,” says Bourque’s wife and co-founder Suzanne Bernel. Attendees from last year’s show described it as a “circus on acid,” “French burlesque meets ‘Sweeney Todd’ meets Cirque du Soliel” and “P.T. Barnum’s worst nightmare.”

To accommodate the anticipated crowds, Cirque Berzerk has commissioned and imported a massive custom-built new big top tent from Italy, which can accommodate over 1,500 spellbound guests. Cirque Berzerk’s three-weekend engagement begins Thursday, June 18, 2009 - with one performance each Thursday at 8:30pm, two shows Fridays and Saturdays at 7:00 and 10:00pm and two shows every Sunday at 5:00pm and 8:00pm - scheduled to run through Sunday, July 5, 2009.

To get into the spirit of the evening, revelers are encouraged to arrive early before the show to dine (and drink with valid ID) picnic-style around the big top - bring your own or purchase dinner on-site - and enjoy interactive carnival-themed attractions before entering into a whole new big top ‘surreality.’ After the nightly performances, the audience is invited to party with the Cirque Berzerk circus troupe and enjoy a live performance by Vaud & The Villains at the nightly post-show party held in the “The Berzerk Lounge,” a club-like atmosphere adjacent to the big top that will enable guests to continue their Cirque Berzerk experience well into the night.

Cirque Berzerk takes place at the Los Angeles State Historic Park, 1245 N. Spring Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012.