“New Kid on the Block — KÀ” (Part 3 of 3)
By: Wayne Leung – Ottawa, Ontario (Canada)
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PART III: Impressions:
With KÀ, it is evident that Cirque du Soleil set forth its loftiest set of goals ever and the production meets these goals with varying degrees of success. While I thoroughly enjoyed the show I also think that it still needs some work to be a truly great production.
My first impression of the show is that it is very big, visually stunning and technologically spectacular but it’s also emotionally distant. After the show I overheard a comment that sums up the experience, “Oh it was spectacular . . . but y’know, the real star of the show was that stage!” The show would benefit from stronger character development in order for the Twins to really connect with the audience so that we actually care about their fate. Also, the motives of each of the factions and even individual characters need to be more fleshed out. KÀ is supposed to be an epic and while it is epic in its scale, truly great epics also need to have emotional depth provided through strong characters.
Another element that needs improvement is the show’s pacing, while some scenes flow very well others seem kind of slow and meandering. Unlike other Cirque shows where each scene is a dreamscape replete with activity and images, KÀ’s focused narrative means that the staging is also much more linear so the slower moments of the show tend to drag out and seem longer.
One of my favourite scenes in the production is the aerial Forest Scene, in which performers fly through the air, jump from swinging poles and perform on aerial straps. It is a visually arresting scene and although only marginally important to the narrative it most closely resembles scenes from a traditional Cirque show.
The final climactic battle viewed from an overhead perspective with characters performing on a vertically oriented Sand-Cliff Deck is also visually stunning. The sheer size of the battle and the fact that it’s performed while the stage is vertical is amazing to behold. However, the way in which the battle is staged lacks focus; a well-staged battle should be very tightly scripted and choreographed, a good theatrical fight should go through different beats towards its conclusion, very much like dance. The choreography for the battle lacked this focus and resulted in a somewhat sloppy looking scene once the novelty of the vertical stage wore off.
One thing that was really lacking for me is the lack of metaphorical, symbolic and interpretive elements that the good Cirque shows are usually replete with. Aside from the very obvious overarching themes of good versus evil, love, the abuse of power and the ability of technology to create and to destroy, the show’s linear storyline can really only be taken at face value. Through interpretive elements, shows like Quidam, Alegría, Mystère and “O” tell much more powerful and moving “stories” because they are allegorical shows and can be interpreted in ways that have meaning for each individual spectator.
Another slight disappointment was the show’s surprising lack of fire effects. Having been heavily advertised as an exploration of the theme of fire, there are very few pyrotechnics and the few effects that are in the show are run-of-the-mill theatrical fireworks. No work was done to develop new pyrotechnic effects and their absence detracts from the overall show.
It became evident after viewing KÀ that this is a completely different kind of Cirque show directed at new demographics. The director has described the show as “more masculine” than other Cirque shows and the incorporation of martial arts will undoubtedly attract an audience that may not otherwise be interested in Cirque du Soleil. However, being a Vegas show places many burdensome limitations on KÀ. The show is limited to just over 90 minutes in running time which means there isn’t a lot of time to fully flesh out a story. Also, there is an unwritten requisite for Vegas shows to be “light” and as such it feels as if many of KÀ’s darker moments have been toned down; the combat sequences are muted in their level of violence and fights never result in death. This limitation is regrettable, I think if the show were darker in some parts the emotional gravity would be increased and the contrast with the light moments would make the action much more compelling.
Having said all of that, KÀ is not at all a bad show. At face value it is spectacular and entertaining and contains many grand, spectacular moments. Also, the individual design elements of the show are some of the best ever created by Cirque du Soleil.
I’m a huge fan of Robert Lepage, he is arguably Canada’s foremost stage director and he is well known for his inventive use of imagery in his theatrical productions and I’d say this show is really equal parts Robert Lepage and Cirque du Soleil in terms of style.
René Dupéré’s score is sweeping and epic and serves to drive the story forward. It is structured and arranged much more like a movie soundtrack than a traditional Cirque score. The music is a fusion of rock and sweeping orchestral and choral arrangements. While there is also a definite world beat influence it is much less prominent than in other Cirque scores. There is a very talented live band for KÀ consisting of Band Leader Richard Oberaker, Principal Singer/Percussionist/Hammered Dulcimer player Beth Quist, Keyboard player/Vocalist Janine de Lorenzo, Drummer Serge Durocher, Accordion player Hubert Gall, Guitarist Lionel Hamel, Cellist/Vocalist/Guitarist Julie McInnes. However, much of the music is pre-recorded; specifically, the large orchestra and choir sound that adds much of the depth to the arrangements. Because the show is so cinematic in its scope, the score requires a full orchestra and choir. However, it would have been nice if Cirque could have actually invested in a live orchestra for KÀ as many shows on Broadway do, for a truly live experience. Though the recorded tracks suffice, Cirque cannot claim to have spared no expense for the show because of the lack of live musicians.
Luc Lafortune’s lighting design is excellent on this production. He rises up to the challenge of illuminating the massive performance space and expertly designed the lighting to establish the scope of each scene, whether it is the intimately lit shadow puppet scene or the grand epic forest scene. Because the theatre is so large, the show relies heavily on the lighting to establish the magnitude of the locations.
Jonathan Deans’ sound design is stunning, a superlative not usually associated with a sound design. The level of intimacy that is achieved with the speaker placement is unprecedented. With the speakers in the seats, the sound effects can be very precisely delivered and the spectator feels completely enveloped by the music, often it sounds as if you’re listening to the show through headphones. It’s almost disorienting at first but once you’re used to it, it really accentuates out the sound environment for both the intimate moments and epic moments of the show.
KÀ’s costumes are superb; truly some of Cirque du Soleil’s best work. Designer Marie-Chantale Vaillancourt’s costumes are evocative and original. While some costumes are heavily-Asian influenced (specifically referencing the Peking Opera), others have ancient Aztec and Egyptian accents. Building on these traditional influences, the designer also stylizes some costumes to look futuristic. Being a heavily story-driven show the costume design along with the make-up design (by Nathalie Gagné) is especially important as the characters must be recognizable and differentiated through their appearance.
In the end, KÀ is a big, spectacular show with many well-designed elements. Cirque shows are living entities and as such KÀ will continue to evolve and improve even after its opening date. There is a lot of potential for KÀ to become a truly great epic show.
References:
Article: “Into the Abyss for KÀ” by Ellen Lampert-Greaux, Entertainment Design Mag, January 2005
Article: “Into the Void” by Richard Corliss and Steven Frank, Time Canada, November 2004
Article: “Spend! Spend! Spend!” by Dan Glaister, The Guardian, January 27, 2005
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