Spiegeltent: A Bit Of Tallulah, A Bit Of Iggy (Interview)

A Spiegeltent is large travelling entertainment venue made from teak and decorated with velvet, stained glass and mirrors. Such a tent is home to Spiegelworld, the New York-based troupe who’ve taken circus, cabaret and burlesque and given them an extreme makeover for our post-Playboy world.

Kathryn van Beek spoke to Jonathan Taylor, AKA Oscar the Impresario, about the new show Empire.

Q: Someone told me that Spiegelworld is like Cirque du Soleil crossed with a Motley Crue concert. If Spiegelworld was the love child of two disparate things, what would they be?

A: Tallulah Bankhead‘s costumes, beauty and talent paired with Iggy Pop’s sweat, passion and music.

Q: On a sexiness meter of 1 – 10 (with 1 being ice cold and 10 being burning hot), where’s Spiegelworld and why?
A: Inside our Velvet lined wooden and mirrored 700 seat Vintage Spiegeltent, 16 performers wear very little while performing the impossible. We are off the charts! Even the audience feels sexy in this show.

Q: Spiegelworld has been described as ‘death defying’. What are some of the death defying stunts that audiences should expect to see?
A: I personally risk all in this show. But ya gotta pay to see the good stuff! All will be revealed inside our Spiegeltent…

Q: When you were a kid, what did you think you were going to be when you grew up?
A: I wanted to be many things, so naturally I chose Theatre.
“If I had to live my life again, I’d make the same mistakes, only sooner”
-Tallulah Bankhead

Q: You trained at the Dell’Arte School of Physical Theater. What drew you to this industry? Do you ever have days when you wish you’d become an accountant?
A: I do not remember training at any school. I woke up one evening and found myself backstage in a Spiegeltent wearing a dress. Fortunately for me, the costume fit.

Q: What’s your most memorable on-stage memory, good or bad?
A: My best memories are when I am on stage and in my own skin. (I AM A NUDIST.)

Q: You’re married to the gorgeous Anne Goldman, AKA ‘Fanny, the last remaining showgirl’. What are the best and worst things about working with your wife?
A: The best thing about working with my wife is performing with my wife.
The worst thing about working with my wife is… performing with my wife.

Q: If you could be anyone else in the world for a day, who would you be and what would you do?
A: I am the type of husband that will take every chance he gets to wear his wife’s  clothing. To be my wife for a day…

Q: What’s your number one tip for having an awesome life?
A: An adventurous marriage.

Q: What’s one thing that’s struck you about New Zealand so far?
A: This being my 8th time here, I am always struck by how much kiwis are up for a good time, and their sense of humor is amazing.

Q: Why are New Zealanders going to love your show?
A: It’s not often that an amazing show like this with a super talented international cast (one of them is a kiwi FYI) in a stunning Spiegeltent makes it over to New Zealand. I think audiences here will enjoy the comedy and be floored by the circus acts that happen centimeters away from them.

 

TOUR DATES 

Christchurch: From 21 October 2014

Wellington: From 25 November 2014

Auckland: From 6 January 2015

 

Watch the trailer here.
Find out more.