Ovo, Cirque Du Soleil's new show now running on Randall's Island, is a mixture of its theme, insects, and the gymnastic, acrobatic and circus extravaganza that makes it the most popular live entertainment in the world. It didn't engage me until the super skills started to appear: marvelous synchronized foot-juggling, a lovely rope dance, the best El Diablo (two sticks, a cord between them, and spinning tops that fly) that I have ever seen, and then a couple of first-rate clowns as bugs. There's also a bag dancer you'll have to see to believe. Act 1 ends with the most spectacular trapeze work imaginable -- it's amazing and utterly thrilling.
The highlight of Act 2 is a combination of trampoline and rock wall -- they bounce, they fly, they cling, you smile with delight.
Cirque Du Soleil has access to the best in the word, and here they are from all corners. The entire experience is a fun outing: the water taxi to the island with its views of both sides of the East River, the walk to the big circus tents, the refreshments, the show, and then the water trip back with a night time view of the city. It's a visit to an extraordinary other world filled with exhibitions of the beauty, strength and possibilities of the human body.
