A CIRCUS OF CULTURE, A CABARET OF CONSCIENCE:
STEP RIGHT UP TO THE UNITED STATES OF ZINZANNI

The gorgeous Art Deco Spielgeltent still sits on the fourteenth floor of the Cambria Hotel in the Chicago Loop. The front staff are still exquisitely attired and well-mannered as they guide you to your table where, as always, a delectable first course sits waiting for your eager palate. But as I settled into my seat, eagerly looking forward to ZinZanni’s sui generis blend of cirque, cabaret, and comedy, something seemed slightly off-kilter, not in a bad way, but… different.

 Danila Bim

The Fall 2025 show opens with imagery that instantly evokes one of the most iconic images of the silent Hollywood comedies: that of the great Harold Lloyd hanging from the hands of a clock, and we were off. For the first act we have world champion juggler, Spencer Androli, combining goofy, good-natured charm with juggling feats that ratchet up in increasingly ridiculous levels of difficulty.

Spencer Androli

In lieu of an emcee, we have a comedian Joe De Paul, whose diminutive stature contains a sharp-witted, incisive mind. Tasked with the inevitable role of bringing in audience participants, Joe expertly coaxes and serenades (he has a lovely smooth baritone) awkward and shy audience members into being the life of the party.

 Joe De Paul

The spirit of vaudeville and old Hollywood is all over this production. From the delightful tap-dancing routine of Mariko Iwasa, to Aerial Emery’s brassy, bawdy waitress who could’ve been a cigarette girl in a noir joint (her act involves some stunning rhythmic gymnastics work with hoops) to the high point of the evening, when Mr. De Paul pays elaborate (and silent) homage to one of the most iconic movies ever made. The agonizingly long and painstaking setup was more than justified by the squeals of delight as audience members started to realize what was going on followed by the roar of laughter and approval: it was a master-class in physical comedy.

 Aerial Emery

From the sensuous, sexy acrobatics of Kyran Walton, to the showstoppers by Danila Lim and Lindsay Culbert-Olds, everyone is in spectacular form here. And providing the interstitial glue that holds it all together is vocalist extraordinaire, LiV Warfield, accompanied by jazz pianist Theodis Rodgers, Jr and his dynamite quartet of musicians. The musical choices this evening leaned heavily towards the funk side of things and this was just right by me.

 Theodis Rodgers, Jr, LiV Warfield

This was more than just an evening of delicious food, stirring music, powerhouse vocals, and jaw-dropping acts of coordination and strength. Here, a character of Minnesotan and Peruvian ancestry speaks Spanish with a Mid-Western accent. There, a character learns that his real ancestry is Italian and his surname is an anglicization. Here, a Japanese immigrant from New York performs that quintessential American dance, “tap”. Cultures, styles, and genres, mingle, blend, and re-emerge as something new, uncategorizable, and ineffably American.

Mariko Iwasa

Lindsay Culbert-Olds

When I spoke of something being different, it was this seriousness of purpose beneath the laughter, gags, and feats of agility. ZinZanni has more than entertainment on its mind here. It is making a statement. And when LiV Warfield, channeling the spirit of the late, great Sharon Jones, tore the roof off with a shattering performance of Woody Guthrie’s, “This Land is My Land”, my heart soared.

By the seemingly unending applause that followed, I suspect mine was not the only one.

Kyran Walton

photos by Kyle Flubacker
photos of Spencer Androli by Walt W

Teatro ZinZanni, 2025-26 Fall/Winter Show
Cambria Hotel, 32 W Randolph St
now in permanent residency
for tickets, visit Teatro ZinZanni

for more shows, visit Theatre in Chicago

 The Cast