Cirque du Soleil Unveils – TOTEM

{by: Cirque du Soleil Press Room}

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL – TOTEM
A FASCINATING JOURNEY INTO THE EVOLUTION OF MANKIND
WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY ROBERT LEPAGE

TOTEM traces the fascinating journey of the human species from its original amphibian state to its ultimate desire to fly. The characters evolve on a stage evoking a giant turtle, the symbol of origin for any
ancient civilizations.

Inspired by many founding myths, TOTEM illustrates, through a visual and acrobatic language, the evolutionary progress of species.
Somewhere between science and legend TOTEM explores the ties that bind Man to other species, his dreams and his infinite potential.

SHOW NAME

The word “totem” contains the idea of the order of species. We carry in our bodies the potential of all species, all the way to our desire to fly- like the thunderbird at the top of the totem pole.

CAST AND ACTS

The cast of TOTEM comprises 52 performing artists from 19 countries. The theme of evolution extended into the acrobatic acts, which were selected to reflect the evolution of human motor functions.

CREATORS

  • Guy Laliberte — Artistic Guide
  • Gilles Ste-Croix — Artistic Guide
  • Robert Lepage — Writer & Director
  • Neilson Vignola — Director of Creation
  • Carl Fillion — Set & Props Designer
  • Kym Barrett — Costume Designer
  • Bob & Bill — Composers & Musical Directors
  • Jeff Hall — Choreographer
  • Étienne Boucher — Lighting Designer
  • Pedro Pires — Image Content Designer
  • Jacques Boucher — Sound Designer
  • Pierre Masse — Acrobatic Equipment & Rigging Designer
  • Florence Pot — Acrobatic Performance Designer
  • Nathalie J. Simard — Makeup Designer

SET DESIGN & PROJECTIONS

The Turtle – Support of the World ///

At the heart heart of many founding myths that live on in a variety of legends and oral traditions, the turtle represents the earth and carries the entire weight of the world on its shell. This totemic animal is also omnipresent in the scenic environment of TOTEM.

The large oval framework on stage represents the skeletal substructure of a huge turtle shell that serves both as a decorative set element and as acrobatic equipment. At the start of the show it is covered with a cloth printed with the shell markings of a forest turtle, reproduced through macro photography. Depending on the artistic needs of TOTEM, the skeleton is raised to the top of the tent or opened at an angle like an enormous shell.

An organic world of multiple transformations ///

The visual environment of TOTEM is an organic world, a marsh lined with reeds near an island (the stage), on which images are projected. Set designer Carl Fillion gave it curves and non-linear forms to reflect the natural world.

Tilted slightly forward, the image marsh acts both as a stage entrance and as a projection surface. Through the magic of moving images it becomes a virtual swamp, a river source, a marsh, a lake, an ocean,
a volcanic island, a pond and a starry sky.

The images in the TOTEM projections are drawn from nature and were shot for the production in various parts of the world, including Iceland, Hawaii and Guatemala. Even the images of boiling lava were filmed by Image Content designer Pedro Pires.

The “scorpion bridge,” which serves as a mobile platform connecting the marsh to the scene features variable geometry allowing it to adapt to each tableau. In one of the clown numbers, for example, it becomes the prow of a boat, then rises to become a plane in flight, and finally a rocket taking off. In another scene, the bridge is configured to look like a vertical totem pole.

The concept of the scorpion bridge was loosely based on a retractable pedestrian bridge in London. Built of steel and weighing 10,000 lbs, its eight powerful mineral oil hydraulic motors allow it to rise, descend, extend, retract and curl in on itself like a scorpion’s tail. Its reflective surfaces, which shine like mirrors, are made of stainless steel plates. The base of the bridge houses lighting equipment, a laser, speakers and cameras. During the show, the bridge is monitored by an operator using four infrared cameras.

Set and Projection Closeups ///

  • The border of the stage recalls the plastron (underside) of a turtle. The motifs on the surface of the stage itself are a collage of hand-drawn images inspired by the patterns on the plastrons of several turtle species.
  • Bordering the marsh upstage, the reeds conceal the artists and some set elements before they enter, as well as serving as a projection surface. To save weight and facilitate storage on tour, the reedsare inflatable.
  • During the rings trio number, the scorpion bridge turns into an Indian carpet that unrolls on the beach in a reference to the Bollywood aesthetic that inspired the overall look of this scene.
  • Some of the projections on the marsh interact with the movements of the artists in real time. Infrared cameras positioned above the stage and around the marsh detect the movement of the performers and produce kinetic effects such as ripples, splashes and reflections in the water and the flames.
  • Photographs taken by Guy Laliberté during his recent Poetic Social Mission aboard the International Space Station are integrated with the Russian bars number, when the cosmonauts are trying to break free of the Earth’s gravity in the show’s finale.

COSTUMES

Kym Barrett’s initial approach to the TOTEM costume designs was rooted in documentary-based reality. This process entailed research into real animals, plants and birds as well as traditional cultural and tribal designs to source her fanciful, inventive concoctions.

Kym’s other major preoccupation was the show’s theme of evolution, which led her to emphasize the importance of the human body at every opportunity. She points to the example of a forest populated by butterflies and frogs, saying it was important to her to show the human body as part of the overall visual mosaic of the scene.

The third show theme reflected in the costumes is the cycle of the seasons, which underscores the importance of nature to the show. Neon-bright colours, vivid, shiny fabrics and playful details lend a summer atmosphere to the Bollywood-inspired beach scene. To suggest a time of harvest and the abundance of fall, the unicyclists’ costumes feature seed pods, flowers, trees and leaves. And the two roller-skaters are dressed in white and silver to help create a winter tableau.

To recreate such a broad range of textures, colours and markings found in nature, Kym concentrated on the treatment of fabrics rather than on the fabrics themselves: Advanced printing techniques, fluorescent pigments, mirror fragments and crystals allowed her to”paint” on canvases as varied as Lycra and leather, with results that constantly interact with and adapt to the show’s ever-changing lighting.

Costume Closeups ///

  • The Crystal Man is a recurring character in the show who represents the life force. His (literally) dazzling costume is entirely covered in small mirrors and crystals to create a ball of energy when he comes down from the sky in a beam of pure white light. The glittering mobile mosaic is made up of about 4,500 reflective components on a stretch velvet leotard.
  • The Hoop Dancer’s costume is inspired by the traditional ceremonial clothing of a number of North American Indian tribes, rather than an accurate portrayal of any one culture. It includes a Hopi cross and a headdress, and features extensive use of leather.
  • In the opening scene of the show the marsh is populated by fish and frogs. Their patterns and colours came from real fish and frogs -including the most poisonous frog in the Amazon jungle – and are replicated by the pixelation of the image in the screen printing process. The textures of the fabrics are also a close match to the skin of fish and frogs found in nature. The end result resembles a community of human amphibians.
  • Each unicyclist has her own look, but together they form an integrated unit. The base costumes are printed in earth tones, with small details sewn onto them – including bolts and screws as well as feathers and insects. The line of the costumes and the stylized tutus create flirty ballerina silhouettes.
  • The costumes worn by the foot-juggling duo are based on Lycra body stockings. Each is adorned with 3,500 crystals and the two headdresses are each encrusted with a further 1,000.
  • The Businessman character looks like he’s wearing an off-the-rack black suit, but when he’s pursued and tackled by a gang of monkeys it has to break away at various points on his body when they tear it off him. The monkeys are each wearing a custom-woven fur to reflect their individual personalities.
  • The Cosmonauts are wearing two costumes in one: When they first appear (under black light), their body-hugging Lycra suits glow dramatically in the dark, but as soon as the stage lights kick in, their look is completely transformed. Some of the printed motifs recall Mayan drawings, and each artist is wearing an individual variation on the theme.

FIND TOTEM ONLINE

  • Totem’s Official Website:
    http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/totem/default.aspx
  • Trailer (You Tube):
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VOA6q88PssE
  • Facebook Page:
    < http://www.facebook.com/pages/TOTEM-Cirque-du-Soleil/111798252174207
  • Tickets:
    http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/totem/tickets.aspx
  • Videos, Photos & Wallpapers:
    http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/totem/videos-extras.aspx

{ SOURCE: Cirque du Soleil Press Room }