BIG TOP BRITNEY

Hours before a recent "The Circus: Starring Britney Spears" performance at London’s enormous O2 Arena, a friend called to say he had an extra ticket to the show; mine if I wanted it. "Yes" bounded from my mouth before he had finished his sentence. Two hours later, we found ourselves 20 feet away from Miss Spears and her circus-themed entourage of mohawked clowns, buff acrobats, sexy dancers and midgets.

It’s not the kind of show I frequent--too expensive, too “Britney” for my taste. But to have declined the offer would have been a grave mistake.

Most of what I heard and saw was bizarre, convoluted, disappointing and mesmerising. She is the Princess of Pop, after all, and despite her being tabloid fodder, it is amazing to see a real entertainer command such enthusiastic, fanatic attention. Her show is designed to not only keep your attention, but also to demand it, sometimes in baffling ways.

With the exception of one ballad, which Spears sang on a swing suspended 30 feet in the air, there was little evidence that she actually sang any other song. She wore a head-set with a mic, but was not producing the real-time vocals of someone simultaneously engaged in aerobic dancing. As for her moves, some have complained that she phoned them in, which seems a bit harsh. She does borrow heavily from Madonna, however.

When Spears appeared onstage, it seemed she was always prowling inside of a cage, hanging on a stripper pole or being carried around on people’s shoulders. There was plenty of filler, too. Spears would disappear for long stretches while various members of her entourage danced. These circus-inspired routines were sometimes impressive, but never as over-the-top as Cirque du Soleil or as strange as Jim Rose. Though a karate-themed dance routine (a la the Cobra Kais from "the Karate Kid ") was incredibly precise and athletic.

At times Spears seemed oddly keen to showcase music that wasn't hers, such as when her most talented dancers ran out on stage for a kind of dance-off to Michael Jackson’s “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin". During yet another costume-change, a Britney video featured the star and her bondage-themed circus slithering around against the gothic droning of Marilyn Manson. I found myself confused.

I began to wonder when the O2 Arena was last so full of women. The glut of Britney-esque outfits was amazing. Miniskirts, fishnet stockings, high heels and police woman outfits were ubiquitous, as was heavy makeup. Some groups came dressed alike (a gaggle of Catholic school-girls, for example), while others engaged in some mother-daughter bonding. The rare accommodating boyfriend seemed at pains to avoid eye-contact with other men. A sea of cameras and mobiles snapped photos non-stop.

Near the end of the show, a guitar player strolled out onto the stage and began playing. My friend leaned over and said, “Close your eyes and tell me if you hear any guitar right now.” Indeed, I could not. But the enthusiastic guitar player bit his lower lip and played as if he were ripping an Eddie Van Halen solo. It was like a "Guitar Hero" fantasy.

After the show we retreated to a bar inside the arena where Britney Spears songs blasted from the speakers. These were the exact same tunes we had all spent the past two hours listening to "live". Fans danced and sang along as if their night of Britney-mania could go on forever. Perhaps this was the best part.

~ GARY MOSKOWITZ

Picture Credit: compulsiveprep_8 (via Flickr)