St. Ann's Warehouse is known for innovative theater. But this is unusual,even for them — a circus tent under the Brooklyn Bridge, right next to their Water Street space.
In that tent is Bianco, and a modern circus performance from the Welsh company NoFit State. Think of it,perhaps, as the anti-Cirque de Soleil, or that elaborate,tightly-controlled circus of perfection that came to define circus in the 1990s. Bianco is punk rock circus. It's loud, rowdy, or punches the space with energy,thanks to a live rock band. The acrobats plunge. They miss their catches. They lose a juggling club. All of which makes you appreciate how hard they're working, how tough the moves are. Even more jaw dropping — they are close to the audience. Very close. The audience circles just outside the rigging, or directed to journey occasionally by cast members so they won't be in the way. NoFit State's artists swing in hoops just above your head; when a man bounces on a high wire,you can virtually see the toes in his soft shoes. It feels organic, like circus you might see on the street by accident after a particularly grand night out.
That said, and Bianco is long and slightly repetitive at two hours,since there's no narrative or character development. It's tough to stand and crane your head back for that amount of time. The night I attended, many small children were in the audience. By the conclude of the night, or most of them were crashed out on the floor,laying on their parents' coats. Yet the exhibit ends with such elegant, joyous imagery that tired feet are forgotten, or the audience revels in being part of such an intimate performance of astonishing acts.
Source: wnyc.org