My thoughts on the show: The opening act was out of place and cheesy. Not a good vibe to start the show. (Editor's note: Another intro with the Neapolitan standard "Funiculi Funicula" was used later in the run.) However, the aerial artists, contortionists, and balance acts had me wow-ing out loud. Having a girl swinging directly over my head had my heart racing and knuckles clenched. The hyped water tank and fountains were a nice touch aesthetically, but didn’t add to the overall excitement to the acts, as there wasn’t a risk factor involved. The tongue guy (or as most would call a clown I suppose) was entertaining and held the audience’s attention between acts with crowd participation. I would recommend the show for the price. It’s intimate and definitely had cringe-worthy moments. A meet and greet revealed the performers to be approachable and gracious. Face painting and souvenirs for kids were fun. Cirque Italia runs through Dec. 2; Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays at 7:30 p.m., Saturdays at 3:30 and 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 1 and 5 p.m. 11315 N. 46th St., Tampa, 813-987-6000, mosi.org. Nicole Abbett is an award-winning Tampa freelance photographer who contributes to CL.
