They're animals

By Alex Rush

The circus and communist Russia never had much in common, but House of Yes is looking to change all that.

Starting on Oct. 1, the Bushwick art space will present “Circus of Circus,” a burlesque-style adaptation of George Orwell’s 1946 classic literary satire of the Russian Revolution, “Animal Farm.” 

Instead of Orwell’s radicalized farm-working beasts, “Circus of Circus” will feature performers who rebel against their ringmaster. But the actors in the show aren’t just pretending to be circus folk — they’ll showcase their actual trapeze, fire-breathing, contortion skills.

“The show is very tongue and cheek,” said Kae Burke, who co-runs the House of Yes art space and wrote “Circus of Circus.” “And all the characters are directly based on the characters from ‘Animal Farm.’ ”

That means there’ll be a version of Napoleon, the corrupt pig who is depicted in this adaptation as a clown. Boxer, the brawny workhorse, is a muscular acrobat.

Orwell wrote “Animal Farm” to express his disillusionment with Soviet communism under Stalin. Burke’s work, on the other hand, wasn’t the least bit politically motivated. She was just inspired to find that so many characters in the novella reminded her of her friends.

“I’ve been writing this show in my head for more than three years,” said Burke, who also is a circus performer. “The book just had so many characters to explore.”

“Circus of Circus” at House of Yes (342 Maujer St. between Morgan Avenue and Waterbury Street in Bushwick, no phone), Oct. 1-2, 7-9, 14-16. Tickets $20, $30 for VIP. For info, visit www.circusofcircus.com.

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This slick burlesque show will benefit Gulf oil victims

By Alex Rush

The Gulf Coast is a mess thanks to BP, but at least there’s a cool show to raise money for the clean-up.

Sunset Park-based singer and dancer Kai Altair, an ocean enthusiast known for her nautically inspired music and fashion sense, is organizing “Mermaid Lagoon,” a burlesque and belly dance show at the House of Yes on July 24 to benefit the Oceanic Preservation Society and animal rescue groups.

“I was definitely a water baby,” said Altair (pictured), whose “hippie parents” raised her to treat the ocean like her second home. “I fell in love with the sea.”

The music at Mermaid Lagoon is sure to fit the theme, as Altair performs tracks from her latest album, “Star of the Sea,” “mystic electro-pop” with some ocean-deep lyrics.

“It’s hard for me to write a song without talking about the ocean,” said Altair, who is often covered in seashell jewelry. “The ocean represents the unseen world, and as an artist, I feel as if I should be a median between the seen and unseen worlds.”

Altair has also recruited a bunch of her artsy friends to grace the stage at the benefit, including burlesque artist Veronica Varlow, Coney Island mermaid Ali Luminescent, belly dancer Desert Sin, and House of Yes regular Lady Circus, a troupe of corset-wearing stuntwomen who stun crowds with aerial and fire tricks.

With all these wild acts, Mermaid Lagoon is sure to make waves.

Mermaid Lagoon: A Benefit for The Oceanic Preservation Society and The Gulf Coast at House of Yes [342 Maujer St. between Waterbury Street and Morgan Avenue in Bushwick, no phone], July 24 at 9 pm. Admission is $20. For info, visit www.houseofyes.org.

Photo by Burke Heffner

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