|
Dinner Theater: Showing Off at Zany ZinZanni
By Jason Kuan
Arts Editor
Chimeric, as defined by the American Heritage Dictionary, means "created
by, or as if by, a wildly fanciful imagination." I can find no adjective
more perfectly befitting of Teatro ZinZanni, a surreal world of vaudeville,
French cabaret, acrobatics and comedy underneath a huge antique Belgian spiegeltent
(of which there are only eight left in the world) decorated to look like a huge
carousel. Boasting an impressive cast of stars renowned in their respective
fields, Teatro ZinZanni (TZ) is great for a special occasion
or just for a truly unique experience.
Located on the Embarcadero at Pier 29, TZ has been wowing audiences
for more than six years. The cast changes every three to four months, allowing
new talent to add differing elements to the show. Nevertheless, each group has
consisted of an amazing wealth of talent. Looking at this season's assembly,
it seems it would be hard to beat in turns of ability and accomplishment, though.
The characters are a motley crew of restaurant workers, including a bumbling
waiter, a chef with a flamboyant secret, a womanizing maitre d', a ditzy
aspiring dishwasher and a "professional entertainer" who seems to
be no more than a professional annoyance.
As the night progresses, their amazing talents unfold: each of the performers
is impressive, whether they are performing high above the crowd on trapeze;
or contorting and balancing on one hand; or foot-juggling beds, wheels and people.
The gathering of talented performers includes a medal winning gymnast, a soprano
from San Francisco Opera's Adler Fellowship, performers who have been
a part of Cirque du Soleil and Tony award winner Lillian Montevecchi as Madame
ZinZanni, a charismatic diva with panache and style. And yet, Cookie, the hilarious
chef played Kevin Kent, steals the show. Kent's amazing improvisational
ability and rapport with the audience make him a crowd favorite. As he pulls
participants from the audience, it seems he is having as much fun being entertained
as he is entertaining. Unfortunately, Kent will only be around for the rest
of this season, but he will undoubtedly return for future seasons. All through
the night, a five-piece band provides live music to accent the shenanigans that
literally may occur around you.
What makes chimeric the perfect adjective is the fact that it is also defined
as "of, related to, or being a chimera, a substance created from two different
species." The two species involved here are the aforementioned show and
the gourmet five-course meal that accompanies the show. When you first enter
the tent and are seated at your table, which may or may not be shared with another
party, a plate of appetizers including smoked salmon mousse, herb crostini and
various vegetables is there to greet you. As the show rolls on, the food comes
out at a constant pace. A carrot soup and a Caesar salad are served by dancing
waitresses before the main entrée is brought out. Choices include orange
braised beef short ribs with garlic mashed potatoes, grilled chicken breast
with a mustard tarragon sauce, as well as swiss chard and goat cheese ravioli
for vegetarians and Himalayan red rice paupiettes with tomato ginger coulis
for vegans. For dessert, double lemon cheesecake with fresh strawberries is
served. While the meal was filling, both my wife Lucky and I felt that the $110
ticket ($135 on Fridays and Saturdays) was a reflection of the performance rather
than the meal. Despite an average meal, the night was exceedingly enjoyable.
The tent comes to life Wednesday through Saturday at 6 p.m. and Sunday at 5
p.m. Reservations are taken up to six weeks in advance and are advised for weekend
shows. In addition to the ticket, there is a dining room service charge of $10
per person charge and drinks are not included.
Teatro ZinZanni: Love, Chaos And Dinner
Pier 29 on the Embarcadero
438-2668
www.zinzanni.org
|
