Something different, something unexpected, and something with a touch of magic. That is a night at Soiled Dove, featuring Joan Baez under the big top at RADIUM Runway. Alameda Point just got a little bit hipper, a little cooler, and way more exciting. Soiled Dove is the latest event by Vau de Vire, and it defies classification. It is one part circus, one part burlesque, a mini music concert, a little vaudeville, and an immersive environment all combined. With a catered dinner as a ticket option, RADIUM Runway has everything you need for a night unlike anything you’ve experienced in Alameda before.
Walking into the big top is a complete sensory experience. The place hums and vibrates with anticipatory energy. Along the sides of the tent there are art displays, many of which reinforce the subculture atmosphere. One section is devoted to the artwork of Joan Baez, who displays her artistic prowess both on stage and on canvas. In addition to the proscenium, the stage has an extended runway lined with VIP seating. There are long, high tables for dinner guests, and ADA seating for those who might have trouble with the high stools.
At the back is a long bar flanked by a merchandise booth, everything decorated in theme right down to carefully selected fonts. To the sides of the main stage are elevated platforms with staircases that serve as secondary stage areas and provide a means for the entertainment to move throughout the tent and remain visible. There is one additional elevated stage for the seven-piece band that could put on a show all on its own. From the top of the tent, silks and hoops and other circus elements move and change with the acts.
Dinner guests enjoy three courses, spaced with entertainment between each course. Many of the performers double as servers, and everyone is in costume and character throughout the night. During each dinner course, the music continues and the ceiling of the big top is filled with moving light displays. Between each course, the lights dim and focus moves to various scintillating acts that set the tone for the evening. The graceful handstands on top of multiple stacked chairs and the comedy bits of the host, Caesar, invite guests into the world of the 1890 Barbary Coast for a rousing night of fun that would make Victorian England blush.
Once the dinner dishes have been cleared, the entertainment goes into overdrive. From one jaw-dropping act to another, there are surprises at every turn. The sheer physicality and artistry on display are amazing. And the proximity to the action makes it even more exciting. As performers twirl, spin, and swing above and out over the guests, you never know what’s coming next. Then the tent finds a new level of loudness when Joan Baez makes her first appearance and reminds us all of her mesmerizing powers.
The evening rotates between circus numbers, song and dance numbers, and comedy skits that often include stunts. There is a loose storyline that threads throughout the evening but does not require you to follow it in detail in order to enjoy the acts. The variety of performances is as astounding as their execution. They sparkle not just from their sequins, but also from their energy. The night also includes a few bits of audience participation, and guests joined in with good humor.
Soiled Dove is one of a series of events scheduled for the big top at RADIUM Runway, the brainchild of Chris Seiwald. Partnering with Vau de Vire, RADIUM will also host Big Top Comedy on October 16, Runway Stores: The Side Show on October 30, and Caesar’s Seaside Family Circus on Sunday afternoons, at 1 and 3 p.m., September 28 through November 16. Soiled Dove featuring Joan Baez will continue on Friday and Saturday evenings, and has now been extended through November 16.
Plans are in the works to feature special events under the big top for the next two years as Radium Runway continues to raise funds and make plans for the development of a major performing arts center at Alameda Point. So if the raucous and bawdy antics of the Soiled Dove show aren’t your cup of tea, check out the other offerings and see what’s happening under the big top. For more information about Vau de Vire events, visit the RADIUM Presents website.
Kelly Rogers Flynt contributes reviews of theatrical productions and feature articles to the Alameda Post. Reach her via [email protected]. Her writing is collected at AlamedaPost.com/Kelly-Rogers-Flynt.
