Nouveau circus is about to go “Steampunk” antique with Kurios, Cirque du Soleil’s latest tent show scheduled to open April 24 at the Old Port in Montreal.
The look is late 19th century and the locale is a faux village installed at the Paris Exhibition of 1900. The performers arrive by train (of the steam locomotive era), gramophones circle the playing area like ghosts, and a pre-Wright brothers airplane soars above the crowd.
All of this was seen within the tantalizing 15-minute glimpse of the show allowed to members of the local media on Friday morning. Since most Cirque shows run at least two hours, many more wonders are in store.
Kurios is directed by Cirque insider Michel Laprise. Although it’s his first kick at the can, he knows the rules of the game.
From what was revealed on Friday, Stéphane Roy’s set and Philippe Guillotel’s costumes are a retro fashion parade, eccentric to the max. (The accordion man outfit is a hoot.) The music composed by Raphael Beau and musical director is ear-pleasing. And the acts, like a high-flying juggler, are playful and innovative. The fact that there are about half a dozen fewer performers than usual due to Cirque budget cuts isn’t likely to be noticed by casual observers.
All of Cirque du Soleil’s tent shows premiere here. Montrealers are going to be the first to see Kurios before it sets out on its odyssey around the world. Kurios was slated to run from April 24 to June 29. But holdover dates have just been added, from July 2 to 13th (These tickets are available first to Cirque Club members. But it doesn’t cost anything to join up.
{ SOURCE: Montreal Gazette, Youtube | http://youtu.be/pZd3gogy9dw, http://goo.gl/1q8fkp }
