Review - The Flying Karamazov Brothers in 4Play

Family fun is rarely as tantalizingly edgy as when that troupe from of the old days of new vaudeville, The Flying Karamazov Brothers, is in town. Their return engagement of 4Play, an exploration of the rhythms shared by music, juggling and humor, is performed with the ensemble's trademark inspired lunacy and dazzling skill. And with founder Paul Magid, the sole member of the original gang still performing, sharing the stage with the youthful trio of Stephen Bent, Mark Ettinger, and Rod Kimball, there is the added charm of seeing an older mentor passing on the traditions of his art to a new generation.

The quirky fun begins as you enter the lobby of the Minetta Lane Theatre and see that all of the walls have been covered in cardboard. Cardboard boxes form the stage's new proscenium arch and the playing area is loaded with towers of the darn things, many of which will be pounded into submission by the evening's end. (Do they symbolize anything? I have no idea. But the sight is kinda cool.)

You might wish Busby Berkeley was on hand with an overhead camera as the quartet juggle multi-colored bowling pins and then start traveling in intersecting paths while passing pins to their partners in kaleidoscopic patterns. And while it may be difficult to communicate what makes a rhythm routine involving bouncing balls on a table so fascinating to watch, seeing the fellas pull off a stunt like having each playing the musical instrument that the guy next to him is holding, while each is juggling, is a genuine theatrical thrill.

Two of the troupe's classic routines still come off as fresh and inventive. To cap off the first act, Magid challenges audience members to place on stage any item (weighing more than one ounce, less than ten pounds and no bigger than a bread box) for him to juggle. At past performances I've seen people bring up such interesting selections as a plate of Jell-O, an electric fan and a whole cheesecake, but last Friday the folks didn't seem prepared and the offerings included a shoe, a couple of umbrellas, a book about Lou Gehrig and a vinyl bag packed with unseen objects. The audience votes by applause to select three items he must juggle for ten throws. Success is rewarded with a standing ovation; failure is punished with a pie in the face. (Warning: Magid is allowed to alter each piece as he pleases so don't offer up anything you wouldn't want to see destroyed.)

Another old favorite involves nine seemingly unrelated "Terror Objects" (a meat cleaver, a lit torch, an egg, a bottle of Andre Champagne) which are introduced separately throughout the show and then juggled by the quartet in a finale move with a surprising punch line.

Unlike the Brothers Marx and Ritz, the Karamazov's share no bloodlines, but they do share a talent for intelligent zaniness that is irresistibly delightful.

Photos by Carol Rosegg: Top: Stephen Bent, Paul Magid, Rod Kimball and Mark Ettinger; Bottom: Paul Magid, Rod Kimball, Stephen Bent and Mark Ettinger.

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I just spent the last two days trying to figure out why the bookwriter/lyricist of Spring Awakening was working as a flight attendant.