BD+>PEKING ACROBATS
New Victory Theater, 209 W. 42nd St. (212) 239-6200. Season runs through April 22.
THE Peking Acrobats, all 26 of them starting a three-week season at the New Victory Theater last night, are remarkable and engaging.
Obviously these are the kind of athletes capable of doing 21 impossible things before breakfast, and their entire show is a demonstration of pure physical skills of strength and balance developed to such a degree that they become pure artistry.
The things these kids can do with spinning plates are incredible, while the balancing acts of wine glasses on top of wineglasses, not to mention people on top of people, seem to push the envelope of human possibility.
Add a few amiable Chinese lions, somersaults worthy of the original Peking Opera troupes, a few unlikely feats on unicycles, such as a young woman nimbly tossing bowls onto her head with her spare foot, and other young women whirling barrels around on their feet, and you have quite a show on your hands.
If daring and dexterity turn you on, this a show that will probably twist you around in your seat. It’s amazing and exciting.