Some Magic Moments From Flying Karamazov Brothers

Fans of the Flying Karamazov Brothers already grasp their enduring appeal. However, for the uninitiated, the Brothers’ act is magically indescribable. Imagine a quartet of master jugglers, multi-instrument musicians, circus clowns, improv comics, esoteric satirists and playful techno-wizards who tap-dance--with airborne juggling clubs, no less--and you’ll get some idea of just how good these collective phenomena really are.

Together since the early 1970s, these guys were darlings of that period’s stoner intelligentsia--but don’t mistake them for relics of a bygone era. In their eclectic revue “Sharps, Flats and Accidentals” at Glendale’s Alex Theatre (which will be repeated tonight at Pepperdine University), the Brothers maintain their remarkable concentration and yoga master dexterity over the course of two ambitious, unvaryingly hilarious hours. Call them the Stooges gone Zen.

Paul Magid, Michael Preston, Sam Williams and Howard Jay Patterson make up the Brothers, whose respective Russian alter egos--Dmitri, Rakitin, Smerdyakov and Ivan--convey the impression of aristocratic pre-Revolutionary radicals on a mission. And indeed, the program’s ironic last number, “Whole World,” evangelizes about juggling’s potential for global salvation.

“Accidentals” is remarkably flub-free, especially considering its elaborate technical and physical demands. As for the juggling, it’s musical--literally. In one fascinating demonstration, the unexpectedly improvisational rhythms of juggling are likened to jazz. Music from Cole Porter to Beethoven is percussively “juggled” on xylophones, drum pads and other instruments, as well as novel gizmos such as electronic crash helmets.

In the highlight segment, Patterson attempts to juggle three things solicited from the audience, and on this occasion seemed undismayed at the astonishing objects (including a gallon plastic bag of Jell-O) that were produced.

Be aware that the facile, fabulous Flying Karamazov Brothers have only one more scheduled Los Angeles-area appearance. Miss it at your own risk.

* “Sharps, Flats and Accidentals,” Smothers Theatre, Pepperdine University, 24255 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu. Tonight at 8. $27. (310) 456-4522. Running time: 2 hours, 5 minutes.