The Cow Guys

by Eric Kiernan and I went into the darkened Mayfair theatre - not to see a movie, I explained to him, but to see the Cowguys. Not a western show, no - it would be juggling and magic.

The movie before their show had run late, but even as they setting up, they entertained the arriving audience members with melodramatic flourishes and jokes.

When the main show got underway, we were treated to a classic vaudevillian double act of straight man Brian Wilson and comic foil Nick Miller. They fooled around, performed sleight of hand, juggled pins and knives, and pulled audience members up onstage (or when they wouldn't come up, the show was brought right to their seats). Kiernan was fascinated, afterwards claiming his shrinking into the chair and hiding behind me meant that he really would have wanted to go up on stage.

For the finale, a cow-print box was rolled out and we were presented with a classic Houdini "Great Escape" act: Beautiful assistant "Nicolita", blonde wig stunningly complementing her trim goatee, was wrapped in chains and locked into the box, where -- well, I don't want to ruin it, but Kiernan told me he knew how the trick had been pulled off.

"There was probably a robot in the box and the robot turned into the other guy when they were behind the curtain." Man, if a four-year-old can see through your illusions, Cowguys, it's time to upgrade the show (or maybe just the robot).

Both Kiernan and I had a lot of fun and enjoyed the show - as well as the poster autographed by Bridini and Nicolita. Cowguys are available for private parties, and even have great birthday party packages available at www.cowguys.com. They will also be performing at Ottawa's 20th annual Busker Festival which runs July 28th-August 1st.

Eric is dad to 4.5 year old Kiernan and two year old twins Quinn and Juliette.