Fate is a funny thing, causing people -- strangers, even -- to be drawn mysteriously towards one another emotionally and physically. It is this energy that united two young circus academy students, Magnus Bjøru and Manu Tiger. As they tell it, they were both students, strangers to each other, working on their technique in the hall of their circus school; after making introductions, Manu asked Magnus how he was planning to spend his summer, to which Magnus replied, “I’m going to make a show with you.” A few moments of awkward silence followed only to be halted with a simultaneous “Okay, Let’s do it!” They went on to found Magmanus, a Swedish circus company.
Attached, the pair's show that was recently performed at the NYU's Skirball Center, features zany apparatuses inspired by the shape of a banana, stage-size Rube Goldberg-ish contraptions set to catapult the performers into mid-air, and plenty of sweet comedy, charming clowning and astounding acrobatics; at one point, the audience audience is encouraged to throw tennis balls directly at the performers. When Bjøru and Tiger claim, “Our vision of the company is to spread happiness and inspire our audience to follow their dreams,” they certainly deliver on that promise: Adults and children alike squealed with laughter and excitement, holding their breath as some of the more daring feats were beautifully accomplished onstage.
The circus performer is an underrated profession in New York City at the moment; contemporary circus performance is more appreciated, explored, and supported in Las Vegas in the U.S. and, of course, in Europe. Luckily, the wonderful people at NYU’s Skirball Center are taking strides to join in on all the circus fun: Ronni Mandell, director of marketing and development for NYU Skirball, has announced a dedication to the art form of the contemporary circus from now on. Note that contemporary circus does not refer to the likes of Barnum and Bailey, who still enslave animals as performers; what artists such as Magmanus, Cirque du Soleil and others have created is a type of performance where the acrobat, clown and physical actor are all in one performer. It's a completely different type of experience than what most Americans have experienced.
As Tiger stated in the post-performance talk back, “It’s difficult to find the perfect clowning partner; our sort of chemistry you can’t create, it is just there.” The towering Bjøru as straight man alongside his more compact, sturdy and silly partner, Tiger, have the exact chemistry that will put a smile on your face, a dream in your heart and a trace of joy in your memory, whether you are 8 or 80.
