The Soiled Dove is back in town.
The Soiled Dove, which began its run in 2017, is an immersive circus/burlesque dinner show set in a steampunk fantasy of San Francisco’s infamous Barbary Coast of the 1850s Gold Rush. This year’s version again features legendary ’60s folk icon, singer-songwriter, and activist Joan Baez; Sgt. Splendor, a power duo fronted by Kate Vargas and Eric McFadden; and Bay Area comedian Frank Ferrante.
Produced by the Vau de Vire Society and directed by Stefan Haves of Cirque du Soleil, who also wrote the storyline, the production reminded me of that line from Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus: “You think, as you walk away … and into the creeping dawn, that you felt more awake within the confines of the circus. You are no longer quite certain which side of the fence is the dream.”
That pretty well describes the experience. The humor, sets, costumes, and music float you through time, from comedian Frank Ferrante’s vaudeville-style jokes—“Well, aren’t you a little San Francisco Treat!” (ah, Rice-A-Roni commercials… hadn’t thought about those in a few decades)—to Joan Baez singing her haunting ’70s hit “Diamonds and Rust,” to the bawdy Victorian-inspired costumes.
Haves has spent much of his career creating this engaging mixture of circus and story. He directed Teatro ZinZanni in 2000 and 2006, where Baez and Ferrante also performed. He has directed circuses around the world and works as a designer for Cirque du Soleil, creating clown acts for its productions.
But telling a story through the circus presents a particular challenge. “When you do story in circus, you only have about the first five minutes,” Haves said. “Put the first person in the air, and you’re done.”…