The Circus for Big Kids Hits Miami

January 24, 2008 2:13 PM
by Marcos Colón [email]

It’s not everyday that the circus comes into town. Clowns, acrobats and animals ready to entertain. But what about the adults that feel a bit left out, and the twenty-somethings that just don’t get the same feeling they used to when they were kids?

Enter Spiegelworld, a unique traveling venue and new attraction at the Beach. This isn’t your ordinary circus, but more of a raunchy, comical and awe-inspiring adult-version of what P.T. Barnum had in mind. The two highlighted shows, Absinthe and Gazillionaire’s Late Nite Lounge, feature sultry acrobatic characters that attempt what seem to be impossible feats and a crude talk show that’s said to be hosted by “the filthiest rich man in Hollywood!” As I’ve experienced, if you’re two minutes late for the show and have to sit up front, be prepared as you’ll be assaulted with a barrage of comical insults from Gazillionaire himself. Apparently I’m a “prick” and a “fucking asshole” for being late, but then again, who isn’t? The rest of the crowd didn’t feel left out as he aimlessly made sure to insult all.

The intimacy of the venue is the trigger that creates the sense of abnormal, stimulating and somewhat uneasy experience. The audience is able to enjoy a beer or a Mojito while a provocative singer teases the audience, sitting on their laps and even take a sip of their drink, or having a family of three perform a balancing act that comes too close for comfort for the faces in the first row. The tent also teams up with Aquabooty to bring in Late Night Dj Sessions every Friday night thru February 15th, making Spiegelworld a mind-boggling and stunning nightclub. Junkies, be sure not to miss this show while they’re still in town. CoolJunkie caught up with Ross Mollison, one of the producers of Spiegelworld, and found out more about this circus for big kids.

CJ: So what’s the history behind Spiegelworld, how did it all begin?

Mollison: Vallejo and I had been visiting the great festivals of Europe for many years, and both fell in love with the Spiegeltents that many of them feature. When we both moved to New York, we decided it was time to bring a Spiegeltent to New York and launched Spiegelworld in 2006. It was an instant sensation and we started looking for other cities in the USA we thought would also fall in love with these grand old palaces of entertainment.

CJ: How did the concept for the DJ sessions come up?

Mollison: Being on a pier in New York on the East River under the Brooklyn Bridge, we had a few big nights in our first year with friends dancing until late. In year two we invited Global Raindance and Turntables on the Hudson to join us on Friday and Saturday nights - and instantly we found up to 1500 New Yorkers who wanted to come down and party at the Spiegeltent.

CJ: What do you believe is the most unique aspect behind the production?

Mollison: We are about intimacy. The character Penny in Absinthe says, "Don't stand up, our you'll get kicked right in the fucking face." Our audiences love the fact that they are seeing the most talented and beautiful artists from around the world, as if they are performing for them alone on a stage the size of a dinner table.

CJ: How does it involve the adult-angle?

Mollison: It is adult in the sense that it is designed for liberal minded lovers of entertainment who just want to go out and have a great time. Sometimes there is nudity - but most of the time it is just beauty. I think our clowns and comedy certainly set us apart - we aim to have fun in a modern clown way and not as a throw back to the European notion of "clowning."

CJ:
Are the shows always the same (Absinthe and Gazillioinaire's Late Night
Lounge) or are there sometimes new additions?

Mollison: No - the shows change daily - with different artists and no ideas being inserted and discussed after almost every performance. The themes are developed by myself and the director (Wayne Harrison - Absinthe) or the chief clown (The Gazillionaire - LNL) and then all artists have an input into how they work within the outline of what we are attempting to achieve for the audience, with each new creation.

CJ: What are some of the goals of the overall production? I know that the primary goal is to entertain, but what other characteristics does the production attempt to achieve?

Mollison: It really is about taking you out of your day to day lives to meet a family of people who exist in a time warp from a bygone era in this historic tent, but whom entertain in the most contemporary ways we can think of - and in a way that does not just meet expectations, but which constantly surprises.

More information on Spiegelworld can be found at www.SPIEGELWORLD.com as well as tickets and event information.