The Flying Karamazov Brothers – 4Play

if you like slap-​stick humor, this is the show for you
a group of guys wearing kilts.
they juggle. they tell some really corny jokes…
i’m glad i went during 20 at 20 or i’d be really upset that i paid full price for this show
give it a try if you want, kinda weird, intermittently funny show…
i slept for about 5 minutes while they were juggling for 15…
seats are really uncomfortable and very close together

There’s a reason why this is off Broadway. WAAAAAY off Broadway.
Free Unilocal tickets, yay! Because if I had payed for these tickets I would have been upset, but because they were free I was able to enjoy it more. Not much more.
Silly.Juggling was good, jokes were puerile.
If you can score free tickets, go. If you have to pay… go get a cocktail instead.
But did I say the juggling was good?

Natasha and I recently received comped tickets, courtesy of Unilocal,to see the Flying Karamazov Brothers. While it wasn’t what I was expecting at all, I managed to have a really great time with the performance. In truth, I didn’t read up on the show before hand, though I did see a number of late night commercials advertising this great new show in the Village with much critical acclaim. So with the word Karamazov in the title, I was expecting some sort of period play based on the Dostoevsky book. Instead, the Flying Karamazov Brothers production is actually a juggling troupe that comes off sounding like the Marx Brothers. Strange, yes, but it is really worth seeing.
The juggling, with the exception of the finale, was restricted to three items at a time. But don’t be misled, as the range of difficulty in the feats performed was most impressive. One performance had each of the 4 jugglers, juggling three bowling pins in rhythm which was accomplished through an adaptation of one of the sets of bowling pins to sound like maracas. Another performance involved playing an instrument through shared hands while sharing in the juggling. Complexity continued to increase to the point where the number of pin exchanges between partners became dizzying to keep track of. To break up the progression, there was even an audience challenge, whereby one of the jugglers would juggle any 3 items brought in by the audience. The finale went above and beyond all of this to include a very intriguing group juggle of 9 unusual objects that came together in an especially coherent way. It is definitely something you will want to pay attention to, since it is simultaneously clever, funny, and breathtaking.
But there is more to the show than just juggling. That’s what elevates the experience and makes it worthwhile. The humor is always engaging and at times cerebral. There is a heavy reliance on puns, and the performers are quick ad-​libbers — definitely reminiscent of the Marx brothers. The songs and costume changes really rounded out the night, always leaving the audience uncertain as to what was going to happen next. Highly entertaining all accomplished through an impressive amount of talent. Definitely recommend!

I honestly did not know what this show was about when I RSVP with Unilocal,but supposedly it was a comedy, so I signed up any way. I needed to laugh out loud and take myself away from work for just a little. I asked someone what this show was about and they told me it’s a show where people throw things in the air. Throw things in the air? Should I be scare and bring a helmet? What’s going on?
Entered the auditorium and saw all these cardboard boxes lined up the back, the walls and the stage too. Hmm… do they perhaps throw boxes? Is that what the show is about? But behold, the whole throwing act turns out to be a juggling show by 4 guys with crazy hair and wearing kilts. *phew* I guess my life is not in danger fearing things will fall or hit me. Okay, I lied, I did get hit by a ping pong ball.
I was really amazed at their juggling act. I really like the glowing balls part. And that part with the table, that was truly amazing! It was quite funny and I did have a great time laughing. It was pretty cool that we’ve got to meet them after the show. They were really funny and friendly and allowed us to take pictures with them! Thanks Unilocal and the Flying Karamazov Brothers! =)

YAY for Unilocal giving away free tickets. This is not the kind of show that I usually yearn to see but I am really glad I took a chance on this one. Obviously the brothers are EXTREMELY talented with their acts and I really appreciated the spontaneity of the jokes (or what seemed spontaneous) and the fact that the audience feels invited and a part of the show!

The Flying Karamazov Brothers is a show that’s all about juggling.
Juggling + humor = fun. Yup. Yay for Unilocal to give free tickets.
According to their program, it’s a show that is the «Theatre of Everything» and it definitely embraces it fully. It has «architecture, music, dance, poetry, acting, fashion, painting, and pandering».
I personally liked the show and definitely appreciate the creativity and hard work put into it… but the type of humor was not the kind that I loved… personally liked but didn’t love. The kind of humor that I don’t always get. The humor reminds me of Monty Python or Napoleon Dynamite… and I’m the Harold & Kumar humor type girl.
More Reviews Posted Here at Minetta Lane Theatre Unilocal Review:
All you Monty Python or Napoleon Dynamite fans… head over.
Use the code 4SQUR for a BUY ONE, GET ONE FREE ticket.
Offer expires 1÷9÷2011.

Expect the unexpected! That is the only hint I will give you about this show.
This show, experience or experiment of entertainment has a combination of architecture, music, dance, poetry, acting, fashion, painting, pandering and the whole kitchen sink (well, almost; just what’s in the sink!) included in its repertoire but I won’t spoil the ending for you. You’ll have to pay attention from the time the lights go down to be very end to catch all the fun.
I personally find the show to be entertaining with a lot spontaneously jokes, laughs and unpredictability; or was it all planned?
Just the setup of the theater with all cardboard boxes from floor to ceiling and surrounding the audience front and back is a prelude to what is coming when the lights go down– unknown!
Don’t chat with your friend, don’t look are your watch or PDA devices or you will miss some very funny jokes and juggling.
The climax comes very fast so stay alert and you will get it the build up!
A popular portion of the show is when the audience offers sacrifices to the Karamazov Brothers. I meant they will juggle stuff the audience gives them; spontaneous joke and fun!
Fair warming– your «sacrifices» may not come back in the same condition; «Gorzilla» did sacrificed his parts for our entertainment! (read Rachel’s review)
At the end of the show, stop off in the lobby and said hello to the four Brothers. They are very approachable and friendly. If you have suggestion about their show they welcome it!
(Thanks Wing L, Sandy C. (BK) and Unilocal for the +one ticket.)

AMAZING!!!
I was lucky enough to see them for FREE… (Thanks Unilocal!) The show is actually a few blocks from my office, which made it perfect to see. Once your in you will notice cardboard boxes everywhere… Literally on stage, behind the audience.
The Karamazov Brothers are not only talented, but very funny as well. The things that they do while juggling is amazing. It makes me wish that I knew how to juggle. They simultaneously juggle at once while throwing them to each other. There is no pattern or signaling that I could see, just instinct.
One of my favorite parts of the show involved the audience. They brought items that weighed no less than an ounce and no bigger than a Bread Box. People brought up a sack of oranges, a Godzilla toy, a shoe, a belt and a He-​Man Lunch box. With the audience’s approval, we voted on 3 items. One of the brothers ended up juggling the belt, Godzilla and the sack of oranges. It was awesome!
They have the best trick that they save for the end. It involves 9 «Terror» items that three of them will be juggling.
The nine items are:
Torch (on fire)
Egg
Dry Ice
Ukulele
A Fish (don’t worry it’s a fake one)
Salt Shaker
Frying Pan
Meat Cleaver (YES a REAL Meat Cleaver!!!)
A Bottle of Champagne
I won’t spoil the ending, because you have to see it to believe how all those items will intertwine with one another.
This is a must see show in NYC!!!

Mariana nailed it on the head: if you don’t like Vaudevillian style or humor, you’re probably not going to enjoy this show. And notice I’m saying Vaudevillian… not Vaudevillian-​esque, as in the case of CHICAGO. This show isn’t a modernized take on Vaudeville. It’s a vehicle for old school humor and timing teamed with the well-​honed talents of four quirky looking and acting guys.
The jokes come at you fast and require you to keep on your toes in order to not miss the through/​punchlines. These guys also throw in a fair amount of well-​executed improv which kept me chuckling throughout the entirety of the piece. If you’ve never done improv, trust that it takes an amazing amount of concentration and awareness to do successfully. To be able to improv as quickly and as smartly as these guys do while performing additional intricate, advanced skills is a feat that not many have mastered.
My favorite quality of their humor is that the majority of it took intelligence and education to grasp. It’s a show that can entertain anyone from any educational background. But the more musical, cultural, and historic knowledge you have, the more you’ll get out of this show. It’s rare to find a comedic piece that challenges you to think while keeping you laughing.
I also think that this show is a must-​see for anyone who is an avid lover of music. The level at which they incorporated meter and rhythm into their juggling was quite captivating to yours truly.
We were fortunately enough to have a little chat with these adept jugglers/​musicians/​comediens after the show. They’re friendly and jovial stage personas match their welcoming off stage personas. They really care about this show, what the audience thinks, what works/doesn’t work, et al. It’s nice to see that kind of passion and interaction in a city known for people who work to remain as distanced as possible from strangers.
Lastly, the set, lighting and props are truly key elements to this show. I particularly appreciated the tactful and apropos use of simplistic versus intricate lighting sequences, as well as the lobby area being paneled in cardboard, welcoming you into the Flying Karamazov word before you’re even in your seat.
Definitely book your ticket if corny, ham-​o-​licious, talent-​based, old school sketch comedy is up your alley!

Do you like ham? (ha)
Do you like cheese? (ha ha)
Do you like men and balls? (ha ha ha)
The Flying Karamazov Brothers is show that encompasses all of these things and more. Ham and cheese? The humor in the show is slapstick funny /​borderline lame. If you enjoy dry humor and buffoonery, then you will find this show a blast. Men and balls? I meant that in the literal sense. However, if you question a man’s masculinity when he is wearing a tutu, you may beg to differ.
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from this show. I was under the impression that there would be acrobatics and dare devil tricks. There was none of that, unless you count juggling a torch. The Flying Karamazov Brothers were a bit of a circus act. Maybe they went to clown college? Nonetheless, I found them hilarious and was actually impressed with their musical talent (classical piano, trombone, piccolo, guitar), theatrics, novelty of skits, and interactive juggling skills. I could have done without the ballet bit. The set is akin to Fuerza Bruta and Reina Kubota and Hang Xu’s recent installation Pigeonhole at the Dumbo Arts Center. There are cardboard boxes everywhere. The show is also customized to each performance. There is quite a bit of improv involved and don’t be alarmed if they pick on the audience (or you). It’s all in good fun!
The show is good for families and anyone who is in for a good laugh. My suggestion is to bring your Mary Poppins bag and pull out something ridiculous for The Karamazov Brothers to juggle. Our show had a spiky Godzilla, a leather belt, and a bag of oranges. My friend said he would bring a porcupine but he did not pull through. That would have been AWESOME!

I took a 6-​year-​old and a 9-​year-​old (both girls) to this show. After considering a few other, mostly Broadway, shows, we decided to follow a friend’s recommendation and go with a matinée of The Flying Karamazov Brothers. The biggest challenge was to find a show that would keep both of the girls entertained and well – I’m just going to say it – QUIET during the performance.
There is indeed a lot of very impressive juggling, as it’s the centerpiece of the show. But there’s also a lot of hokey singing/​music, dancing, and comedy. As a whole, there was something for everyone, but I did notice that a lot of the jokes and dialogue were a little above the kids’ heads because of adultish content (absolutely nothing profane or offensive, though, of course). All in all, I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a good children’s show. We made a day of it by starting off with pizza at John’s and walking over to Minetta Lane Theater afterward.
Oh yeah, and if you do see it at MLT and you’re wondering where to sit??? Avoid the first 3 rows, unless you don’t mind having a little projectile water, chocolate cake, and even a little spittle come your way.

They’re not just fantastic jugglers but terrific singers, musicians and dancers. So much fun! I left the show with a stomachache from laughing at all of the awful puns. Had a great time!

This is a fun show in the tradition of old Vaudeville and vintage circus acts. It was a quirky, slapstick show that is family-​friendly, and was a big hit with all of the kids in the audience.
The ‘brothers’ are charmers. The ‘challenge’ requests that the audience submit the most outrageous items than can think of for them to juggle. Failure on their part results in a pie in the face. They fear nothing, not even a (formerly) live octopus.
One of the most brilliant sight gags was a very simple one involving Groucho glasses. Bring grandparents or kids, it’s all good.