New Yorkers are no strangers to strangeness.

Why, just last night, as the neighborhood narcoleptic snoozed peacefully in the street and the local drunk biker dude — clad in nothing but his skivvies — screamed obscenities, no one even looked twice.

So when we went to see Carnival Knowledge, a new act by Todd Robbins that was rumored to be truly outrageous, we approached with skepticism.

Which just made the experience that much more of a revelation. Robbins’s show is a combination of classic carnival magic and real-life human marvels (including Twistina, a sexy, ultra-flexible assistant, and a dwarf known as Little Jimmy). Coney Island star Robbins delivers a hilarious performance, offering tidbits of sideshow history while executing crazy, death-defying stunts, like glass eating, sword swallowing, electrocution, and a nifty little trick that involves a nose and a nail. Bizarre and wacky don’t even begin to describe it.

In other words, perfect New York entertainment.

Carnival Knowledge, Soho Playhouse, 15 Vandam Street, at Sixth Avenue. For tickets, call 212-239-6200 or go to sohoplayhouse.com.

Photo by: Richey Fahey