Review - Desir: Cute Boys In Their Underpants Go To France

While the creators of Desir may have had La Ronde in mind while dreaming up their sensual fantasia of backstage trysts, the sight of so many buff fellas in period undergarments, which, with all due respect to the sensational athletic skills on display, are certainly a selling point of the evening, reminded me more of an entry from playwright Robert Coles' legendary series of Cute Boys In Their Underpants adventures, namely Cute Boys In Their Underpants Go To France. (Yes, it's a real play!) Certainly if Olympic gymnastics offered points for eroticism (something I think they should seriously consider for London 2012), Desir would undoubtedly qualify as an evening of gold medal champions.

The newest bit of sexy fun frolicking through the South Street Seaport's intimate Spiegeltent, Desir takes place in a kind of old Parisian carnival/cabaret and treats the eyes to a lavish spectacle of dancers, acrobats, showgirls and contortionists. While the performers have all joined the show with well-developed acts, director Wayne Harrison, choreographer John "Cha Cha" O'Connell and music director Josh Abrahams blend them into a world where bending the body in remarkable ways, leaping to amazing heights and daring the laws of gravity become a kind of lovemaking. With dreamy work by David Quinn (costumes), Josh Zangen (set) and Martin Kinnane (lights), Desir is romantic, captivating and playful. And yes, there is whipped cream involved.

There's also a plot - I think - concerning a healthy young sailor (Olaf Triebel, who is just spectacular demonstrating his strength on a trio of balancing posts) who has a definite connection with Babette (Annie-Kim Dehry), a woman doing splits and other creative feats while flying overhead on a hoop. But soon the stage (and the air above) is paraded by a splendid crew of colorful characters.

Marawa, who presents herself in the eccentric style of young Josephine Baker, twirls dozens of hula hoops around her body simultaneously. Evolution, a team of four teenage Russians (Evgeny Belyaev, Nikolay Shaposhnikov, Anton Smirnov and Nikolay Titov) show great strength and balance in their floor gymnastics before hurling the youngest (Smirnov) high in the air, where he blithely tumbles before being caught.

Arielists Marieve Hemond and Annie-Kim Dehry practically drip down each other like beads of sweat in the evening's steamiest encounter. Raphaelle Boitel, draped in oversized fabric, performs a graceful butterfly dance, but later she's teamed up with Auger for a very funny routine where, with the lady obviously strapped to ropes, they perform literally impossible balancing acts.

The music is recorded, though often sung live by the lovely Victoria Di Pace. And while a few odd selections like "Close To You," "Motherless Child" and "Shakalaka, Baby" do stick out a bit, they don't break the mood of Desir's frisky entertainment.