For the past few years, there has been a blizzard of stories centered on Russian influence on the American presidential election in 2016. The ability to see those events as fact or fiction seems to depend on where you reside politically. Or, perhaps, your ability to wear blinders and feign ignorance. For this holiday season, a much more pleasant Russian diversion has once again invaded New York City. Slava’s Snowshow is definitely designed with children in mind. Adults who carry with them an abundance of whimsy and a healthy respect for childlike wonder will find much to enjoy in this visual feast.
This gentle spectacle is filled with melancholy clowns. They wear bulbous red noses and caps with huge ear flaps. One of them is Yellow (Artem Zhimo, in the performance I saw). This Ronald McDonald cousin registers as especially emotional while equally portraying the jester. He is surrounded by a gaggle of Greens who interact with him in all sorts of amusing and entertaining scenes.
The Main Green clown (Georgiy Deliyev) stands behind Yellow pantomiming his every step. How do you know this clowning is working? A young person in the audience shouts out, “he’s behind you.” The children are the reviewers for this show. I would have to agree with their conclusion. The show is a hit.
First seen in 2004 in Union Square, Slava’s Snowshow returned for a Broadway outing in 2008. That production received a Tony nomination for Best Special Theatrical Event, a category which comes and goes. Slava Polunin first created and staged this piece in 1993 basing it on the Yellow character he had been performing.
Countless props are used by these clowns to delight the audience with their silly antics. Moments vary from very small sad clown vignettes to mind-blowingly large, full theater immersive spectacle. The creativity is boundless. I cannot say that I love clowns. Many people seem to hate them and they should probably stay away. I can say, however, that I embraced the spirit of this production and the heartwarmingly positive energy which could be felt in the theater. Belly laughs rang out when something hit a person’s funny bone.
One of the most memorable scenes for me was a magical one involving a boat and the ocean. A bed transforms into a ship with a sail held up by a broom. Music from Chariots of Fire is played. Danger lurks when a larger ship ventures nearby. A clown falls overboard and needs to be rescued. Oh no, there is a clown shark with a dorsal fin circling in the water. My mind saw a lesson for children (and a reminder to adults) about the power of imagination. An endless supply of play can come alive by using everyday things. Noises backstage ingeniously suggest a “real” world outside. Slava’s Snowshow is certainly about the magic of playtime.
This show is not simply a bit of inspired clowning, though. There are a number of BIG, well-executed scenes. Some trap the audience into this world. Others redefine the term blizzard and are unforgettably amazing visuals. Those elements made this show justifiably famous. They explain why this entertainment is still touring the world twenty five years after its creation.
Little moments, however, charm as only the best clowns can do. A small vignette near the end has a clown sitting on a table and chair which are slanted sideways. You know the pratfall will happen. When it does, you laugh. You know it’s going to happen again. When it does, you laugh harder. For those whose inclinations lean toward embracing this type of playful silliness, Slava’s Snowshow is a wordless joy.
Slava’s Snowshow is being performed at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre until January 5th with an obviously large clean up crew.