Cabaret ZaZou - Luminaire Reviews
Chicago Tribune- Highly Recommended
"...Chicago's former Teatro ZinZanni franchise, located in an indoor tent in the the Loop's Cambria Hotel, has morphed this fall into Cabaret ZaZou, best be described as a Chicago-style cabaret, still with one foot in circus disciplines but now with a sultrier atmosphere, more soaked in music, the supper club gestalt and Chicago-style blues."
Chicago Sun Times- Highly Recommended
"...Like ZinZanni, “Luminaire” features a dazzling parade of contortionists, acrobats, jugglers and extraordinary aerialists in a venue so intimate you can see them sweat. As before, the circus acts are woven together by a loveable clown (played by ZinZanni star Frank Ferrante) and live music. All is accompanied by a decent four-course meal and the opportunity to drop some serious coin on a gift shop tiara."
Chicago Reader- Highly Recommended
"...Picking up where Teatro ZinZanni left off, the newest attraction under the medium top (that is, the classic circus-meets-Victorian-bordello spiegeltent in the Hotel Cambria), Cabaret ZaZou’s Luminaire is pretty much the same thing—but still a good option if you’re looking to splash out on a downtown extravaganza. Under the tent’s glittery mirrors and chandeliers, a contortionist (the astounding Ulzii Mergen) contorts, a clown (the inimitable Frank Ferrante, formerly known as “the Caesar” with ZinZanni) cavorts, and juggler Viktor Kee and aerialists Trio Vortex keep balls and their bodies moving overhead with astonishing precision."
Let's Play Theatrical Reviews- Highly Recommended
"...Let's Play, 'Highly Recommends, Luminaire, at the Cambria Hotel. The fresh new variety show is in hopes of inspiring your wildest dreams. Based on World War II and the ideas of oddities, it is a way to escape the outside world."
Around The Town Chicago- Highly Recommended
"...Yes, Frank Ferrante ( aka Groucho) who brought us his Caesar character in last year's opening of the new venue in the Cambria Hotel. The show was Teatro ZinZanni, a sort of Cirque Sol El under a sort of permanent tent high atop this hotel located at 32 West Randolph in Chicago. While we loved the original show and all of the modifications made with changes in the cast ( and their specialties) the new show, "Luminaire" is far better. It is more like a show and Ferrante is a better character ( although there are times he falls into Cezar, but in a teasing way that works!)."
Chicago Theatre Review- Highly Recommended
"...This beaming, brilliant entertainment returns once again to Chicago with flash and flair. It's an absolutely incredulous evening or afternoon of entertainment that audiences should not miss. The space on the 14th floor of the Cambria Hotel looks like a sumptuous European cabaret theatre from between the War years. This magical, multifaceted production is a mind-blowing experience, with entertainment taking place throughout the audience, as well as on the central stage. Back once again for another helping of fantasy and fun, Cabaret Zazou presents Luminaire is a vibrant spectacle, crowned by a delicious meal and a plateful of playfulness and pleasure."
PicksInSix- Highly Recommended
"...The comedy relies on that audience involvement who are the unsuspecting partners in Ferrante’s devilry. It serves to pace the extraordinary international artists of the cabaret featuring the sweet and sultry vocal star LiV Warfield, dynamo James Harkness, Trio Vertex—Cornelius Atkinson, Isis Clegg-Vinell and Nathan Price—who fly and spin in a sensuous series of trapeze acts, contortionist extraordinaire Ulzii Mergen and the astounding Ukrainian-born Viktor Kee, who is among the world’s top jugglers. The circus and aerial acts are woven together with a pop score and the vocal love of Warfield and Harness. (Warfield also provides some aerial wizardry of her own that will blow you away.)"