VAUDE_VISUALS

On the upper part of Lafayette St is the wonderful Astor Place Theatre. Everyone thinks that The Blue Man Group made this place what it is today.  NO! I was there back in 1966. The FUGS were the music and literay talents of Tuli Kupferberg and Ed Sanders along with other musicans. See their site at: www.thefugs.com

The Fugs at The Astor Place Theatre - 1966 ©2009 Jim Moore

While photographing Philippe Petit’s wire walk inside the Louisana’s Superdome in 1975 I had a chance to capture the other star of the show Mishu. I was documenting the preparation rigging for Petit’s walk in the Superdome and the circus was rehearsing. Mishu was walking thru his entrance for the evening performance and I got the two of them to pose for me. The walk took 26 minutes and was two hundred feet above the three rings of Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus. The electronic bulletin board read Philippe Petit – The highest, longest indoor high-wire walk ever.” (High-wire photograph to come.)

Mishu and Philippe Petit 1975 / ©2009 Jim Moore

This year’s BIG APPLE CIRCUS show at Lincoln Center is one of the best I seen in a long time. Bella and Grandma have a great time together and the talent is stunning. With a new ring design and great music it was a wonderfully entertaining show.

The acts consisted of Horses with Christine Zerbini and Sultan Kumisbayev, Aerial Silks with Regina Dobrovitskaya, Hand Balancing Duet with Curtola Brothers and Wheel of Wonder with David Martens. The second act  had a great trampoline act with The Aniskin Troupe and a dog act with talented Regina Dobrovitskaya and Audrey Mantchev, an asian contortion team called The Long Twins, amazing juggling act with Picaso Jr. and the flying trapeze with the Aniskin Troupe.

Bella and Grandma pose for me after the show ©2009 Jim Moore

Bella on the Wheel of Wonder ©2009 Jim Moore

Here is Otto and Lewis cutting into some ivories with humor and a bit of clowning.

Otto and Lewis are played by Brian Foley and Matthew Duncan.

They perform as a duet  BAMBOUK. Performing different shows and in many different countries as well as teach residencies. I found their performance to be hilarious and heart felt but at the same time it had the dark edge of the Weimar lurking about. Magic, music, singing and lots of audience involvement was present.