As a surprise for my mom, and a way to have fun for my birthday, J and I took her to see Teatro Zinzanni last night. It’s my third seeing, the first back in ’99 with it’s original presentation (and Ann Wilson [of Heart] as the chanteuse, “Love, Chaos & Dinner”), and the second in 2002 or so (with J., at their temporary Belltown location “Dinner and Dreams”). Both of those times I saw the same emcee (Kevin Kent), which is interesting because the cast, and show, changes over time. They have world class performers doing acrobatics, juggling, magic, stage comedy (not stand up), singing, dancing, and — for lack of a more precise term — stuff. The menu is created by Tom Douglas and is of a fairly high standard.

We had so much fun! Laughed until we cried, ate good food and drank great wine (they do a wine flight of 2.5 oz pours — one for each course, five in all — for $35), and had a nice time chatting with the other people at the table. General admission is in booths along the outer ring.

The setting is a gorgeously restored spiegeltent (mirror tent) constructed at the beginning of the 20th century. There are only eight tents left in existence, one of which is at the sister Teatro Zinzanni production in San Francisco.  and The current emcee, Chef Caesar, leads us through the “All Dressed Up with Some Place to Go” event and we thoroughly enjoyed all of the acts. Most especially Les Petits Freres, Ming and Rui, and The Vertical Tango.

A word about that last one: the title is literal. Take a 50 foot pole, about 6 inches in diameter,add your partner, and  wrap your hands, feet, legs, arms around in in various combinations we you tango up and down, the pole.  Oh, and do it in time to music. Its incredible. Want to see? (Link opens a youtube video.)

Just for fun: here’s Ming and Rui (this one is for you Jeremy) and one of Vita Radionova, the company contortionist.