‘Banana Shpeel’ shlips up at the Beacon

Cirque du Soleil's new summer show isn't so hot in any season

BY MICHAEL SOMMERS

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

OFF BROADWAY REVIEW

That loud thud resonating from the Upper West Side last night was the opening performance of "Banana Shpeel," a dud new event from Cirque du Soleil that bowed at the Beacon Theatre on Wednesday.

Aiming for a summer-long run, "Banana Shpeel" is a disappointing misfire of tedious comedy, generally thrill-free acrobatic acts and lots of mediocre tap dancing.

Curious: Cirque du Soleil usually produces beautiful touring shows — as evidenced by its current "OVO" at Randall's Island — but when it comes to sit-down New York attractions the best they can do is the cheerless "Wintuk" at Madison Square Garden and now this dull affair.

Stringing together the show's surprisingly paltry number of circus acts is one "Marty Schmelky," a pint-sized impresario with a volcanic temper portrayed by a blustering Danny Rutigliano in charm-free Danny DeVito style.

Schmelky ballyhoos the routines and otherwise gets involved with an entourage featuring his assistant (Shereen Hickman), a pair of stooges (Daniel Passer and Wayne Wilson) and three zanies who invade the stage, the funniest being Patrick de Valette, a skinny mop-haired dude who does antic flasher bits.

Much of the so-called comedy is tiresome banter. There's scarcely any slapstick business. Nobody even slips on a banana peel. The best segment contributed by writer-director David Shiner is a reprise of his old "Fool Moon" pantomime skit involving a clownish guy taking a female audience member out for a date in his invisible jalopy.

As for the acts, they're okay but scarcely spectacular. A guy who juggles hats. A trio of contortionists. Most impressive is Dmitry Bulkin, a hunky Russian hand-balancer who muscles himself into lyrical poses around and atop a pole. The prettiest turn is the romantic hand-to-hand acrobatic partnering of Preston Jamieson and Kelsey Wiens.

Notably missing from the entertainment lineup is any trapeze or trampoline routine that might inject some much-needed dynamic energy into the production. Interspersed through the show instead are interludes of clattering tap dancing by an enthusiastic ensemble in glittery ‘20s-influenced costumes.

Composer Simon Carpentier's bustling, blaring score is performed by an eight-member band onstage amidst oddly gloomy environs of cloud projections and spidery silhouettes designed by Patricia Ruel.

Altogether a poorly-conceived entertainment far below Cirque du Soleil's shining standard, "Banana Shpeel" is a summer stinker best left to unwary tourists.

"Banana Shpeel" continues through Aug. 29 at the Beacon Theatre, 2124 Broadway, New York. Call (866) 858-0008 or visit www.ticketmaster.com.