The current Holiday Show at the New Victory Theater, Chestnuts Roasting on the Flaming Idiots, is one that showcases what this theater does best: comedic circus shows with a twist. As if having the word idiot in the name of a show isn't enough to make your kids love it, The Flaming Idiots will have you laughing from the first dropped pin to the last. Yes, this juggling show isn't so much about amazing you with their juggling prowess and that's just fine. Let's face it, it seems like the harder a traditional circus act is the less entertaining it is. A good juggling show is about the patter, and The Flaming Idiots have cleverly taken the patter and made it the star of the show.

As they say themselves:

Some jugglers avoid dropping. We've embraced it and made it our trademark.

Not that their juggling's not good. It is. They juggle bean bag chairs and beach balls, they juggle flaming torches standing on an audience member's shoulders and juggle knives all around a little girl. But the best part of that is not that the thrill that they might lose a finger, but the laugh you get when they make her kick Pyro in the shins every time he drops a blade.

But this show isn't just juggling. Not at all. It's educational too. You'll hear Shakespeare and Kierkegaard and, from the act where Gyro makes a bologna sandwich with his bare feet and feeds it to an audience member, my daughter says she learned that you CAN make a living doing things with your feet—apparently one of her lifelong aspirations.

Chestnuts Roasting on The Flaming Idiots isn't your traditional holiday show, although they've added some reindeer and snowflakes for good measure. But if your family is more inclined to put out a whoopie cushion for Santa than cookies, this might be just the holiday show for you.

Chestnuts Roasting on the Flaming Idiots
Through January 3 at The New Victory Theater

What ages is this show for? If they're old enough to get a joke, they will enjoy this show.

We're giving away a family 4 pack to see Chestnuts Roasting on The Flaming Idiots valued at $200.

TO ENTER:

Tell us what one gift you're getting for your kids this year that you are most excited for. Leave it in the comments of this post by Friday, December 11, 2009 at midnight. One winner will be selected at random.

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