Zumanity

[Becket]

On a recent trip to Vegas I attended the Cirque du Soliel show Zumanity. All in all it was pretty good. I did have one major complaint, though. As you might know the show is more of a burlesque show, with plenty of skin for all to see. It is a series of dances and acts that highlight every possible kind of sexual expression. Every single type of possible relationship was featured in a positive and sexy way. Every type except the act with two men. Here the act began with a cage or jail cell being lowered onto the stage. Two men entered. One was wearing tall red high heel shows and acted dramatically and stereotypically feminine. The other was a jock type acting masculine and "straight." The two didn't dance, embrace or exhibit any of the positive images in every other act. (Even the act on beastiality was given a "thumbs up" nod.) Instead the two men simply hissed and growled at each other, as if they were alley cats getting ready to fight. It was odd and strange. Some in the audience began to giggle or wolf whistle. I think many felt awkward. The image itself was horrible. It was as if the audience was being told that two men together is bizarre, unappealing, perhaps even wrong. (Their relationship could only happen in a JAIL CELL?) There was no romance, no sensual responses, nothing but a horror show of tired old cliches. I was very disappointed that gay relationships were so negatively staged. Even the lesbian acts were staged beautifully and positively.

 

The only thing I could think of was that the act was trying to symbolize gay men in the closet, or perhaps was trying to image the fear and anxiety many gay men feel. Regardless it was a sad and disappointing part of the show. The rest of the show as I said earlier, was enjoyable.

[Nvr2thick4me]

When it originally debuted Zumanity had 2 handsome, almost nude men erotically interact - including passionate kissing. (I think that they were lovers in real life) Apparently it made audience members too uncomfortable so they removed it.

[actor61]

When it originally debuted Zumanity had 2 handsome, almost nude men erotically interact - including passionate kissing. (I think that they were lovers in real life) Apparently it made audience members too uncomfortable so they removed it.

I fuckin' HATED this show. I saw it about 5 years ago and was so looking forward to it but was greatly disappointed. The comedy acts were salacious and rarely funny. I know the show changes a lot so what the OP saw was probably not what I saw. There were 2 comics, 1 male, 1 female who opened the show and I just sat and prayed they wouldn't come near me. She was very buxom and bosomy and moved through rows sticking her rear end, her tits or her crotch in people's faces. He wore a phallus and that ended up in a lot of faces too. The Mistress of Ceremonies was the most enormous drag queen I've ever seen but she was wonderful, and often quite funny without being insulting. The dance and acrobatic acts were pretty terrific. There was a lesbian act that took place in a huge champagne glass filled with water that was erotic and beautiful. There was a dwarf twirling a gorgeous woman on a rope in the air; she swooped and sailed above him and it was mesmerizing - sort of a tale of them trying to get to each other and not quite making it. But the comedy acts in between musical numbers just wore me down. A bare breasted woman with contraptions holding liquor and long plastic straws invited people up to sample the gin and scotch and of course, it looked like they were sucking booze out of her breasts. I'm not a prude and I have a great sense of humor but the comic relief in Zumanity just made me cringe. I was seated in the second row on stage left and at 1 point, I saw one of the comics headed straight for me. When we locked eyes, I shook my head no and he got the message. He grabbed the lady next to me and she appeared in the orgy scene at the end of the show as an extra. I bumped into her in the lobby afterwards and she hadn't enjoyed it at all but she agreed to do it because her husband goaded her on and she wanted him to have a fun memory of Vegas.

 

To address the gay male aspect of the show, I found their attitude offensive and ill advised. I was sitting with my partner and they shone a spotlight on us, asked if we did it doggy or missionary style, if we "liked skinny or fat dogs", who was top and who was bottom, yada, yada. If there'd been an intermission, I'd have left. Interestingly, we were staying at the hotel (New York New York) where the show plays and afterwards went to the bar for a drink before going to our room. Several of the aerial artists showed up while we were there (we saw the second show of the night), and we ended up chatting. They were fun and interesting. When they asked us if we'd enjoyed the show, my partner replied, "loved you, hated the comics" and they told us that was a fairly common reaction from folks of "a certain age". Oh dear! I guess I finally look like I've reached "a certain age".

[+ Eric Hassan]

When it originally debuted Zumanity had 2 handsome, almost nude men erotically interact - including passionate kissing. (I think that they were lovers in real life) Apparently it made audience members too uncomfortable so they removed it.

 

I saw it shortly after it started and the scene you referenced was incredible. It was 2 very attractive man in a dance/fight scene that really seemed to balance quiet passion, moving together and the primal side of male bonding. It ended with a kiss - a serious fucking kiss! - which, as I remember, was the only actual kiss in this show.

[Becket]

Yup, actor 61, your description of the show was pretty accurate. The drag queen/host/ess/ was extremely interested in the orientation of folks sitting in the front row. Guess it's true: there is no excess like Vegas excess.

[down_to_business]

Go see Absinthe