After 56 years, the Medinah Shrine Circus is a well-established Chicago tradition, but not too old an animal to try new tricks. This year, the single-ring circus ended its long-running association with the Wallenda family and hired a new producer, John Walker, to shake up the long-standing lineup of acrobats, animal acts and clown skits.
Billed as an all-new show, Monday’s two-hour-plus daytime performance of the Shrine Circus preserved some top acts from years past while managing a few subtle changes that heightened drama and improved pacing. There was one notable concession to the TV age — the addition of Yogi Bear, Fred Flintstone and Scooby Doo dancing in costume — but overall, the circus held its own with the type of acts that trace their origins back over decades and centuries.
This year, live animals paced the stage without cages to confine them. All that separated a tiger or chimpanzee from the front row was the trainer’s hold on a leash. This gave Monday’s show a more thrilling intimacy that could be felt even a dozen rows back.
The performers also stressed audience participation, a move that worked brilliantly. Youngsters at the Shrine Circus love nothing more than an excuse to shout at the top of their lungs; clowns, ringmasters and acrobats took ample opportunities to get the kids involved.
Another notable improvement came in the clowning routines, which succeeded as brief interludes between the main acts. If ringmaster Timothy Tegge and Gigi the clown showed an amiable, wise-cracking chemistry, there’s good reason: Outside the ring, they are husband and wife.
One winning holdover from past shows is Don Otto, who reprised his pratfalling high-dive act with hysterical results. The 41-year-old Otto of Prospect Heights has deft comic timing — and a voice and body rubbery as Jim Carrey’s face in “The Mask.”
Newcomers the Dancing Gauchos could have easily been dubbed “the Drumming Gauchos,” with the trio’s mix of frenetic percussion and high-speed dancing; imagine the show “Stomp” done in flashy Argentinian costumes with flaming scarves whipped around at high speed.
Not every second of the show made for riveting or quality entertainment. Of questionable taste (and possibly offensive to Native Americans) was a brief dance number featuring chorus girls wearing fluorescent orange headdresses and gyrating to stereotypical warpath music. Likewise, the addition of Yogi, Fred and Scooby seemed like a cheap play for the affections of kids–though they did receive the loudest ovations of all.
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The Medinah Shrine Circus appears at Medinah Temple, 600 N. Wabash Ave., through Feb. 27 with afternoon and evening shows. Call 312-266-5050 for more information.
