Zumanity is hilled as The Sensual Side of Cirque du Soleil, but one could easily argue that it’s also one of its most humorous productions. From the pre-show banter between the show’s resident sex therapists, Dick and Izzy, the crowd is already in stitches long before the first erotic acrobatic act takes place on stage.
The man you can credit for tickling your funny bone is Antonio Drija, who has been with Zumanity since its inception 10 years ago. Between Zumanity’s unbelievable feats of acrobatic artistry, Drija, who plays the gigolo character, provides the comic foil that gives the show its heart. For Drija, his main philosophy when he interacts with the audience is to simply go with the flow. “I apply the ‘action-reaction’ factor with the audience. Being spontaneous is one of the characteristics of this role.”
In a company that’s renowned for having an international cast, Drija has the distinction of being the first artist to come from Venezuela. Being a part of Cirque du Soleil is an ongoing education on how to be a citizen of the world, he says. “The experience of sharing our culture is priceless. It may sound cliche, but we are a real family, we accept each other because it is simple: there’s love. As a Venezuelan, I’m very proud to be the first to plant the yellow, blue and red flag.”
And when asked what his favorite act of the show is, Drija laughs, “It’s like asking, which parent do I love more? [That’s] impossible to answer. Every act is unique, special and different.” While the cast may change and new acts may replace older ones, after 10 years, Drija says the essence of the show remains the same. “Zumanity is sensual and sexual done in good taste, representing Cirque in its highest level and quality”.
{ SOURCE: Cirque Club | http://goo.gl/kyyr3k }
