THEATER REVIEW -- Jennifer K Mahal

Think of every horse trick you’ve ever seen performed. Reach back in

your mind for the saddle reverse seen in that obscure Western, the woman

standing on the pony in “Jumbo,” horses jumping over obstacles during the

Summer Olympics.

Add elements of theater -- lighting design, opulent costumes, live

music, dramatic makeup. Now imagine all of it in one show. Go beyond that

and you have “Cheval: Imagination at Full Gallop.”

Put together by Gilles Ste-Croix, former director of creation for

Cirque du Soleil, the show brings together 30 horses and 30 humans under

a hand-painted big top in the parking lot of the Orange County

Fairgrounds. It’s a show dipped in magic, and sprinkled with sequins.

Whether you know the difference between a canter and a gallop or not,

there is something for you in “Cheval,” which is French for horse. The

horses, of a variety of breeds from Andalusian to mixed quarter, are

beautiful and well trained. But it is the humans who steal the show --

and perform the most astounding stunts.

Acrobats vault off the sides of trotting horses, heedless of the

hooves. There are flips and double flips, both on, off and between the

equines. Performers balance themselves on the backs on moving animals and

then balance more people on their shoulders. One of the acts resembles a

1950s water-skiing show, with horses in place of skis.

There is no story line to “Cheval,” but there are characters and

situations -- a lovesick clown, a team of fierce Cossacks, a royal pair

doing an equine minuet, a band of gypsies.

Christian Ferland and Voki Kalfayan amuse as the two clowns who follow

the action of each act and sometimes become a part of it. Whether riding

a hobby horse through the ring, pretending to do tricks or just chasing

one another around, the duo gets the audience laughing time and time

again. Ferland’s performance in the last half with a real horse who

refuses to follow his direction is absolutely charming.

With her regal bearing and sharply cracking whip, Caroline Williams

commands the attention of the audience and of six Andalusians. The horses

glide one way, then the other, following directions by Williams, who

croons to them in a combination of French and English. It is an

impressive display of training.

The acrobatics of the Zamperla Zoppe brothers -- Matt and Olissio --

thrill and chill. Their performance, which includes Matt climbing on

Olissio’s shoulders as he stands on a moving horse and then doing a flip

to land on the backs of two horses following, is not for the faint of

heart.

But the real highlight of the show is the juggling of Robert Donnert

and Anita Fuzy. The duo combines the difficulty of juggling with the

challenges of standing on a horse with style and grace. When Donnert has

six pins in the air, swapping them with Fuzy -- on the ground, and later

on a following horse -- you just have to gape, mouth open. It’s

astounding.

While the music for “Cheval” is quite good, with rhythms that set the

pace for many an act, the transitions between scenes need work. Having

stirring tunes stop abruptly is jarring.

Because of the danger and difficulty of some of the stunts, it may not

be advisable to take small children to the show. Performers do on

occasion fall, and that can be disturbing.

“Cheval” falls in a soft gray area somewhere between a circus show and

a theatrical experience. The bonds between man or woman and horse are

stretched tight, making for an exciting evening. And in the end, as you

walk past the stables where the performers are combing their horses

afterward, you can’t help but marvel at both.

* JENNIFER K MAHAL is features editor of the Daily Pilot. She can be

reached at (949) 574-4282 or by e-mail at o7 jennifer.mahal@latimes.com.

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FYI

* What: “Cheval: Imagination at Full Gallop”

* Where: Orange County Fairgrounds, 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa

* When: Through April 21. 8 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 4 and 8 p.m.

Saturday and 1:30 and 5 p.m. Sunday

* Cost: $30-$58

* Call: (877) 528-0777