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
Originally published: http://www.ucsf.edu/synapse/content/2006/05/25/zin.html
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