======================================================================= ______ _ __ _ __ / ____/___ ___________(_)___ ____ _/ /_(_)___ ____ / / / /_ / __ `/ ___/ ___/ / __ \/ __ `/ __/ / __ \/ __ \/ / / __/ / /_/ (__ ) /__ / / / / /_/ / /_/ / /_/ / / / /_/ /_/ \__,_/____/\___/_/_/ /_/\__,_/\__/_/\____/_/ /_(_) T h e U n o f f i c i a l C i r q u e d u S o l e i l N e w s l e t t e r ------------------------------------------------------------ http://www.CirqueFascination.com ------------------------------------------------------------ ======================================================================= VOLUME 17, NUMBER 6 June 2017 ISSUE #161 ======================================================================= Welcome to the latest edition of Fascination, the Unofficial Cirque du Soleil Newsletter. * * OYEZ! OYEZ! * * * There've been a number of new developments and announcements since our last issue. Here's a quick round-up: CIRQUE AND MÖTLEY CRÜE??? -- Right at press time, Robin Leach through his "niche division" of the Las Vegas Review-Journal heard a couple of "rock related" whispers... "Are Cirque du Soleil execs taking a hard look at staging a new Las Vegas show centered on the antics and adventures of the legendary heavy metal group Motley Crue?" he asked. "The rockers — singer and Las Vegas resident Vince Neil, drummer Tommy Lee, bass guitarist Nikki Sixx and lead guitarist Mick Mars — formed in January 1981 and officially retired last year." Robin is usually on top of things with regards to Vegas entertainment, so we'll have to wait for more details, and of course, an official announcement. VAREKAI TO CLOSE DECEMBER 23, 2017! -- That's right... after 15 years of touring around the globe in over 200 cities and 43 countries, Cirque du Soleil's Varekai will take its final bow on December 23, 2017, in Sugar Land, Texas, following a few brief stops in North America. Launched in Montreal in 2002, the show has had an exceptional run, touring 11 years under the Big Top and 4 years in arenas. The colorful world of Varekai, with its enchanted forest and energetic performances, has already won over more than 11 million spectators. By the end of its run, the show will have been performed over 5,200 times. “I pay tribute to this wonderful show and salute all the artists, technicians and employees who have made Varekai one of the brightest jewels of Cirque du Soleil” explained Jean-François Bouchard, Chief Creative Officer. The cast of Varekai comprises 50 artists from 12 different nationalities. Varekai continues its European tour until October and will be presented in North America until the end of December. Tickets can be purchased online for the European performances at www.cirquedusoleil.com/varekai. Tickets for the North American performances will go on sale shortly. ZUMANITY CELEBRATES 6,500TH PERFORMANCE -- The title kind of says it all. On May 23, 2017 at 9:00pm, Zumanity officially celebrated its 6,500th performance. Congratulations! WHAT'S NEXT FOR JAPAN? -- TOTEM, which just wrapped up its year-and-a- half-long tour of Japan in Sendai (visiting Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, and Fukuoka as well), will be followed up in the land of the rising sun with KURIOS - CABINET OF CURIOSITIES beginning February 2018! As of press time the full tour has not been announced, but expect the show to visit the same cities TOTEM did. In the meantime, check out the Japanese tour site < http://www.kurios.jp > for a little teaser of what's to come! What about other shows you might ask? While the ITINERAIRE section is where you'll note the majority of tour stop changes, we're also happy to announce that our friends down under will be blessed with TORUK-THE FIRST FLIGHT very soon. Enjoy! VOLTA CD/DVD TO BE RECORDED SOON! -- According to Darius Harper, VOLTA's male singer, via his Instagram account, both the CD and DVD for the show will be recorded shortly. This is good news! We can't wait to have the musical album or to see the show on our TV screens! Although this begs the question: when might we see these released? For the album I am uncertain, but for the DVD, we're looking at - at least five to six months until the product comes to shelves. Luzia was filmed in May/June 2016 and released mid-November. Toruk was filmed at its December gala premiere and its DVD was released in July 2016. Kurios was filmed December 2016 in Miami and was just released at the beginning of May. So... about five to six months for editing and such. Stay tuned! CIRQUE AT SEA SHOWS UNVEILED -- MSC Crusies revealed the names and concepts for the two exclusive Cirque du Soleil at SEA shows that will be performed on board the MSC Meraviglia, which came into service on June 4th. The two very different, contrasting shows - Viaggio and Sonor - each lasting 40 minutes will be performed twice a night for six nights in the ship's Carousel Lounge high-tech theater. Check out the two articles within our news section this month for more information. CASTING CALL FOR HANGZHOU 2018 SHOW -- In addition to the aforementioned "The Empress" and "The King" characters / singers in a previous issue, Cirque Casting is looking for 4 new roles to fill for Hangzhou 2018: A physical comedian or a clown to play the role of Khino, the Harlequin-style character; a middle-aged physical actor to play the role of the Old Blind Man; a middle-aged physical actor to play the role of the Counselor; and physical actor or actress of Asian heritage with acrobatic skills to play the role of Hou, a playful “Monkey King” character type. AMERICAN DREAM in 2019? -- American Dream, the long-stalled retail, dining and entertainment destination in New Jersey, has a new opening date—and some badly needed new funding. Triple Five Group of Companies, owners and operators of Mall of America and West Edmonton Mall, announced that it has closed on $1.67 billion private construction financing for American Dream. The project, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and close to Manhattan, is now slated to open in March 2019. What makes this of interest to Cirque fans is this statement: "The developer has signed up an impressive list of entertainment attractions for the project, including DreamWorks Water Park, Nickelodeon Universe Theme Park, Big Snow Indoor Ski & Snowboard Park, a 1,350-seat live-performance Cirque Du Soleil theater, Sea Life Aquarium, Legoland Discovery Center, Kidzania, an 18-hole miniature golf course, and an NHL-size ice rink. The project will also feature an expensive lineup of department stores and specialty retailers, ranging from Saks Fifth Avenue to Hermès, along with an assortment of restaurants." NFL EXPERIENCE TIMES SQUARE SNEAK PEEK! -- NFL Experience Times Square on Wednesday, May 3rd revealed the first detailed look inside the state-of-the-art interactive attraction that promises to bring football fans closer to the game than ever before. Opening this November, the NFL Experience Times Square offers fans a chance to step into the shoes of an NFL player using a 4D cinematic experience, physical challenges, augmented reality, and various immersive elements to give fans the ability to step into the huddle. “NFL Experience Times Square is the next level of entertainment for new and life-long football fans alike,” says Danny Boockvar, President of NFL Experience Times Square. “This must-see attraction will allow residents and tourists to experience the game like never before.” Take a peek inside the NFL Experience - Times Square in the news section within. * * * CIRQUE DU SOLEIL CRYSTAL IS ANNOUNCED! * * * Over the last few weeks-to-months, the Cirque du Soleil rumor mill has been in a stir over just one word – QUARTZ. It’s something we here at Fascination touched briefly on in our February 2017 issue (as we were sworn to secrecy)... but now Cirque du Soleil has made that announcement! Cirque du Soleil is thrilled to venture into uncharted territory with its brand new creation, Cirque du Soleil Crystal, exploring the artistic attributes of ice for the very first time. The state-of-the- art production will create a fresh innovative experience, pushing the boundaries once again by combining outstanding skating and sliding, remarkable aesthetics and acrobatic feats that defy the imagination. Here's the story thus far: A young woman shatters through reality to reach the surreal world of possibility. Beyond the surface, she pursues the life that has been glistening beneath. Sometimes, we must first leave solid ground to find our true footing. Let reality slip away as Cirque du Soleil Crystal glides above a most unusual reflection. “We are excited to create a unique entertainment experience on ice for all spectators to enjoy. It’s a wonderful opportunity for Cirque du Soleil as ice provides us with an entirely new field of play which also comes with a set of creative challenges. Our goal is to continuously surprise audiences by showcasing all the incredible possibilities on ice” explained Yasmine Khalil, Executive Producer of Crystal. Specifically created for arenas, Crystal will tour the world starting in Lafayette, Louisiana on October 5, 2017. The show will be presented in a few cities in the United States before visiting Quebec City and Montreal later this year. (Check out our ITINERAIRE section for tour information). Discover Cirque du Soleil Crystal – A breakthrough ice experience. Skate on the edge of reality! In the meantime, check out the teaser video: < https://youtu.be/EMsgKf20XsM > * * * CIRQUE IN DUBAI... AGAIN * * * If you've been following Fascination for years, news of Cirque du Soleil planning to reside within the borders of the United Arab Emirates shouldn't come as a shock. We've been hearing about Cirque in Dubai off-and-on for years. The first, you may recall, back in May 2007 when Arabian Business Online confirmed rumors that Cirque du Soleil signed a multi-million dollar, 15-year deal for a show at the heart of the Palm Jumeirah following the smashing success of Quidam in Dubai earlier that year. This new show was expected to open by first quarter 2010, with an official premiere to occur in December of that year, but... what should also come as no surprise... the show was delayed. And then it was delayed again. By March 2009, as the business world became gripped by the global economic crisis, the show was pushed off yet again. Brett Judd, Head of Entertainment and Leisure for Nakheel, said: "As with any other company, [the financial crisis] has made us reassess our projects, but the show is going ahead [for 2012]." By June 2011, it was clear this show would not go on. “There is no plan for a Cirque du Soleil permanent base in Dubai at all right now. This project has been set aside,” company’s then Corporate PR Manager Chantal Côté said. Asked if Cirque was in talks with any other companies in the UAE to host a permanent show, Côté said: “We are not speaking to any other party in the UAE.” Confirmation that Cirque du Soleil would not pursue the Dubai show did not come as a surprise, as news about the show had been scarce. (The only thing we'd learned about the show was that in an interview with Fascination (which you can read here: http://www.cirquefascination.com/?p=1593), Martin Lord Ferguson and Ella Allaire eluded that they had written demo songs for the show. And that's the way things remained until mid-2015, when rumors – whispers really - began to surface about Cirque in Dubai once again. This concept, we were told, would be a much smaller effort though - a boutique show in a black-box theater (a simple, somewhat unadorned performance space, usually a large square room with black walls and a flat floor). But if the current announcements are to be believed, and I have no reason not to, that concept has been thrown out the door. On May 14, 2017, Dubai Holdings announced Marsa Al Arab, a mega- project spread over a 4 million sq ft area comprising two islands on both sides of Burj Al Arab Jumeirah to be developed at a cost of Dh6.3 billion ($1.71 billion). Adding 2.2 km of beach frontage, the comprehensive tourist destination aims to elevate the family tourism proposition in Dubai, provide supporting foundations to host Expo 2020 Dubai, as well as reinforce Jumeirah Group’s leading position locally and globally as one of the driving forces behind the growth and prosperity of the tourism sector. The project will break ground in June this year and will be completed by late 2020. Marsa Al Arab comprises two islands on both sides of Burj Al Arab Jumeirah. One will be dedicated to entertainment and family tourism, while the other comprises an exclusive luxury resort. And one of the offerings the new family destination will offer is a dedicated theater with a capacity of 1,700 seats, which will become home to the world-renowned show Cirque du Soleil for the first time in the Middle East. Daniel Lamarre, the president and CEO of Cirque du Soleil, said: "Dubai’s unique geographical position between East and West, along with its regionally unparalleled infrastructure and sophisticated hospitality offering means that demand is strong for a beloved and enduring institution such as Cirque du Soleil, and we look forward to raising the curtain for new fans in this new facility with new shows designed specifically for Dubai. Cirque du Soleil already enjoys great patronage from residents and visitors alike and we are pleased to now have a permanent base in the new epicenter of global tourism." Cirque seems really serious this time so check out the full release in the news section within for a few more details. * * * WHAT YOU'LL FIND WITHIN * * * On April 28, 2017, Cirque du Soleil presented in Montreal the world premiere of its latest production, VOLTA. Last issue I remarked that normally I'd be walking down the cobblestone-lined pathways of the Jacques Cartier Pier in the Vieux Port of Montreal with a couple- thousand Québécois in celebration of this feat. But not this year. It just wasn't in the cards (or the budget). Although I was unable to attend the premiere of VOLTA with fellow fans and friends of Cirque du Soleil as I normally did, thanks a dear friend I was able to get a little more insight into the show through the texts printed in the show's programme book. Since sharing that text with you last time, Cirque du Soleil released the full PRESS KIT for VOLTA, which has a lot more information about the show's scenography, costumes, and, of course, acts within it. So check out "VOLTA: FREEDOM IS THE ULTIMATE RUSH" within. Two months ago we kicked-off our newest feature series - "We're Off and Running - A Series of Classic Critiques" - that dives into the archives to examine the first reviews, peeks, and evaluations of Cirque du Soleil's "classic" touring shows as they took their first steps across North America. The impetus: How did the press see Le Cirque du Soleil in 2002, 1998, 1994, 1990, 1987? What I found extraordinary, and more than I expected. And I'm sharing these discoveries here in Fascination through a series of collections, beginning with the 1987 tournée of Le Cirque du Soleil (better known today as Le Cirque Réinventé), and continuing on from there. Last issue was Part 1 of 16: Le Cirque Réinventé, Part 1 (1987); this month we continue looking at 1988's reviews of Le Cirque Réinventé. And last, but certainly not least, a review of Cirque du Soleil's newest DVD release - KURIOS: CABINET OF CURIOSITIES. At present there's only two places you can get your hands on it: under the big top at KURIOS and at La Nouba's Cirque du Soleil Boutique. (Although there are plans to re-vamp the Online Boutique and have the DVD available there... we're just not sure when!). Okay, so let's go! /----------------------------------------------------\ | | | Join us on the web at: | | < www.cirquefascination.com > | | | | At CirqueCast: | | < http://www.cirquecast.com/ > | | | | Realy Simple Syndication (RSS) Feed (News Only): | | < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?feed=rss2 > | | | \----------------------------------------------------/ - Ricky "Richasi" Russo =========== CONTENTS =========== o) Cirque Buzz -- News, Rumours & Sightings * La Presse -- General News & Highlights * Q&A –- Quick Chats & Press Interviews o) Itinéraire -- Tour/Show Information * BigTop Shows -- Under the Grand Chapiteau * Arena Shows -- In Stadium-like venues * Resident Shows -- Performed en Le Théâtre o) Outreach -- Updates from Cirque's Social Widgets * Webseries -- Official Online Featurettes * Videos -- Official Peeks & Noted Fan Finds o) Fascination! Features * "Kurios About: The Kurios DVD - A Review" By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA) * "VOLTA: FREEDOM IS THE ULTIMATE RUSH" Texts from the Press Kit & More Edited By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA) * "We're Off and Running - A Series of Classic Critiques" Part 2 of 16: Le Cirque Réinventé, Part 2 (1988) By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA) o) Copyright & Disclaimer ======================================================================= CIRQUE BUZZ -- NEWS, RUMOURS & SIGHTINGS ======================================================================= *************************************************************** LA PRESSE -- General News & Highlights *************************************************************** ------------------------------------------------------- ICYMI: Tony Nominations – Paramour Snubbed... {May.02.2017} ------------------------------------------------------- The Tony nominators spread the joy to 25 of 37 eligible shows this morning, giving multiple nods to box office smashes that included the shoo-ins – Bette Midler in Hello, Dolly!, check. Ben Platt in Dear Evan Hansen, check. Patti LuPone and Christine Ebersole in War Paint, check. – while still managing to cause some pain in several quarters, including those occupied by a few of the season’s biggest audience pleasers. (And don’t forget that three of the most acclaimed performances of the season weren’t even in the running: Glenn Close, reprising as Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard, already won for her original Norma Desmond; Jake Gyllenhaal and Annaleigh Ashford, the stars of Sunday In The Park With George, were out of the running because the producers pulled the revival from awards’ consideration.) It was no surprise that the nominators ignored the mostly reviled Paramour, which marked Cirque du Soleil’s first made-for-Broadway venture. Also shut out among the new musicals: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Amélie (along with its star, Phillipa Soo, who left Hamilton for the adaptation of the hit indie film) and A Bronx Tale, which has been a high-grossing musical despite critics’ indifference. In the musical revival category, both of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s entries – Cats and Sunset Boulevard – went away empty-handed. { SOURCE: Deadline | https://goo.gl/lmKw9W } ------------------------------------------------------- NFL Experience Times Square Unveils Sneak Peek! {May.03.2017} ------------------------------------------------------- From the ground floor lobby located on 44th Street at 7th Avenue, visitors take the elevator up to the fourth floor where they are transported into the rituals of game day. Passing a “Wall of Fame” with personalized messages from NFL legends, visitors are invited to explore the rich history of America’s game through videos playing on jumbotrons. Participants can test their favorite team knowledge with more than 20 interactive touchscreen stations representing all 32 NFL teams. As they make their way towards the theater, fans pass displays of iconic items such as the Terrible Towel in Pittsburgh and the Cheesehead from Green Bay. STEP INTO THE GAME Visitors then take their seats inside the 4D theater for “Gameday”, an immersive film with exclusive content from NFL Films. The 185-seat theater is designed to evoke the feeling of being in a packed football stadium, boasting wall-to-wall high-tech screens, cutting-edge motion seats and temperature controlled elements for a highly sensory experience that transforms viewers from fans into players. The multi-media film follows the player’s pursuit of the football throughout the season and tracks the emotions of the NFL season: the exhilaration of September, the trials of October, the thrill of November and the achievement of making the Playoffs in December. The audience feels a surge of adrenaline as they become the wide receiver running down the field while the defense rushes towards them, feeling the cool air as fall turns to winter. This view of the game will show it in a way never experienced before: the speed, the intimate nature of the field, the closeness of the stands and the sidelines. PLAY LIKE A PRO The audience exits the 4D theater on the third floor having won the Conference Championship game and enters the “Locker Room” to the sound of cheers and real post-game speeches from NFL coaches. Now in the inner sanctum of the players, fans move through a “Training Facility”, tasked to prepare for the upcoming Super Bowl. Designed to replicate an authentic NFL team workout facility, fans can “Measure Up” to the pros with a series of interactive challenges – including a vertical leap test and blocking obstacles that compare guests’ abilities with the best on the offensive and defensive lines. Using a combination of enhanced visual effects and Kinect technology, fans can then “Suit Up” as part of their favorite NFL team. Once the system digitally “builds” the body armor and uniform on their live image, fans can see their physical prowess in the team uniform of their choice. Moving from training the body to sharpening the football mind, fans in the “Game Plan” are then given one-on-one instruction from a hologram of a NFL legendary coach. Just like NFL quarterbacks, fans prepare for their upcoming opponent by learning a new play in a space that replicates a coach’s classroom, complete with a large digital whiteboard that comes to life with the game’s X’s and O’s. In “Huddle Up”, visitors step into the middle of the huddle as their team’s quarterback. With fame and glory on the line, fans must take command of the huddle and lead their team to execute the new play. Call the play, read the defense and get the play off in time, all while the coach is watching from the sidelines. Now the fan is ready to enter the biggest game – The Super Bowl – where they can test their skills by throwing a real football to their favorite receiver, feeling the thrill of a Super Bowl victory by completing the game-winning pass. The “Quarterback Challenge” tracks the football’s speed, accuracy and completion percentage and compares it against fans’ favorite world-class quarterbacks. CHAMPIONS CELEBRATION Transformed from players to champions, visitors descend to the second floor where they are enveloped in the swelling sound of cheering fans surrounded by their teammates. Integrated LED lights simulate a lightning storm of camera flashes and capture the excitement of the player’s arrival on the NFL’s biggest stage. Now in the middle of the world’s biggest victory celebration, the field comes to life with augmented reality immersing visitors in the pomp and circumstance of a Super Bowl win through the eyes of a pro. Fans celebrate with their heroes feeling the joy of conquering every opponent to reach the pinnacle of the sport. Fans can be interviewed by a reporter to tell them how it feels to have trained physically and mentally to win the Super Bowl. As a champion, fans have earned the right to share the stage with the Vince Lombardi Trophy and experience the iconic trophy up-close just like a Super Bowl victor. Fans then move to an installation showcasing the NFL’s most personal prize – the Super Bowl ring. The ring’s design is the most intimate expression of the team’s season and the guiding principle that got them to the top. Fans exit through the tunnel of champions, where they are immersed in video showing highlights of their heroes’ greatest on-field moments. By the end of the tunnel, fans see their own highlights and maybe even their on-field Super Bowl interview. Fans can celebrate by doing their own “Touchdown Dance,” which could even be televised in Times Square. * * * NFL Experience Times Square will be a first-of-its-kind interactive and immersive attraction located in the heart of New York City that will bring fans closer than ever to the National Football League and their favorite team. Combining immersive content, interactive displays, a state-of-the-art 4-D cinema and other multimedia effects, the experience will take visitors from the stands onto the field, transporting them from Kickoff through Playoffs, and ultimately, the Super Bowl. Created by Cirque du Soleil in partnership with the National Football League, NFL Experience Times Square will open in November 2017 in New York City. Tickets for this brand new NFL-themed attraction are on sale starting today. Tickets are available exclusively at https://www.nflexperience.com/ beginning at $39.00. For more information about NFL Experience Times Square, please visit www.nflexperience.com. Follow @NFLExperience and tag #NFLX on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. And check out our site for images that accompany this article < (http://www.cirquefascination.com/?p=10110 > { SOURCE: CNW, Cirque du Soleil } ------------------------------------------------------- D-BOX Technologies Powers NFL Experience Times Square {May.05.2017} ------------------------------------------------------- The state-of-the-art sports-themed attraction has been created by Cirque du Soleil in partnership with the National Football League. NFL Experience Times Square will feature a leading-edge immersive theater with high-definition projectors and 185 seats powered by the motion of D-BOX Technology. Football fans of all ages will be able to immerse themselves in the adrenaline, passion and thrills of the game in a whole new experience. The multimedia show, which showcases exclusive creative content from NFL Films, turns fans into players. Viewers will see the world through the eyes of a player on the field and in the locker room. Finally, they will transform into a champion as they are immersed in the thrills and spectacle of the Super Bowl. “Embarking on such a creative and innovative adventure was a natural fit for us,” comments Claude McMaster, President and CEO of D-BOX Technologies. “By combining our unmatched, immersive motion technology with NFL Experience’s unique vision, we’ve created an amazing, one-of- a-kind experience that takes the attraction to a whole new place.” The first-of-its-kind attraction features a larger-than-life film with exclusive footage that propels fans from the stand to the field. Features include interactive displays that get to the heart of the NFL training regime and game plan, physical challenges that allow guests to test their skills against the pros, as well as championship memorabilia. “To have our innovative technology recognized and utilized by two respected institutions like the NFL and Cirque du Soleil is extremely rewarding,” adds Yannick Gemme, Vice President, Sales, Simulation & Training and Entertainment at D-BOX Technologies. “This high- visibility project has created an attraction that will amaze fans and become one of New York City’s must-see attractions.” { SOURCE: BlooLoop | https://goo.gl/JrtQ7E } ------------------------------------------------------- Is Britain’s Got Talent fixed? {May.08.2017} ------------------------------------------------------- Britain’s Got Talent has received fresh accusations of being fixed after it was revealed that one act – which blew the viewing audience away – are professionals that have performed in prestigious acrobatics show Cirque du Soleil. The four-piece group, Angara Contortion, from Buryatia, Russia, wowed the judging panel including Simon Cowell and the excitable crowd on Saturday night’s (6 May) with an immaculate, highly-skilled performance that led to a standing ovation. After sailing through to the next round without any qualms and being by far the most professional act of the night, viewers flooded social media to praise them. One individual tweeted: “The Russian contortion group is should of getting that gold buzzer best act from a mile fareplay #BGT” as another wrote: “How did Angara Contortion not get the golden buzzer? They are 1000× better than the dance act who did the other week”. A third added: “That contortion group was amazing, and their make up was stunning too”. And the judges couldn’t have agreed more, with David Walliams telling the ladies: “That was one of the most stunning things I’ve ever seen on this show.” But the group – comprised of four females named Bayarma, 29, Imin, 28, Ayagma, 27 and Serchmaa, 20 – are no strangers to pleasing a crowd. Before auditioning, the girls claimed that they had travelled to the UK especially for the show, flying six hours to Moscow and then a further three hours to touch down in Britain in a bid to have land a spot at the Royal Variety Performance. The group described being on Britain’s Got Talent as “like a dream”. The Mirror claims that the self-proclaimed amateurs actually live in the US. They have also starred in the critically-acclaimed and world famous Cirque du Soleil and featured in its Kurios show that has staged more than 1,100 events across the globe since 2014. Angara Contortion have also performed on The Late Late Show hosted by Britain’s very own James Corden. Responding to the news of Angara Contortionist’s professionalism, one BGT viewer tweeted: “Any show that’s run by @SimonCowell is fixed! You only have to audition to see for yourself! #BGT”. * * * Before the group made their appearance, the episode opened by quoting gushing social media posts from viewers about the show — including a tweet from a fan called Sarah Schofield saying: “Can’t wait for BGT tonight! #BGT” It was sent at 5.59pm on Saturday, two hours before the episode aired — and too close to broadcast to be added in. Sarah lists herself as a boss at a PR firm which boosts brands on social media. A TV insider said: “All signs point to BGT recruiting someone to post a fake tweet.” But a show source said she was a fan as well as a pal of the producer who was told in advance what her tweet would be. They added: “It’s perfectly innocent. Even so, bosses reminded the producer of his responsibilities.” A show spokeswoman said of the contortionists: “Anyone can apply whether pro or amateur.” Despite the quartet appearing to mislead viewers, a BGT spokesperson claimed that the group had every right to audition, stating: “Anyone can apply whether pro or amateur”. { SOURCE: IB Times, The Sun } ------------------------------------------------------- Cirque’s thrilling VOLTA is Crippled by its Story {May.10.2017} ------------------------------------------------------- Cirque du Soleil is sometimes credited with bringing storytelling into circus, but the company wasn’t the first to do that even in Montreal. In the late 18th century, John Bill Ricketts built a greystone circus theatre in the city, where he presented equestrian stunts and acrobatics along with pantomime versions of Robinson Crusoe and Harlequin in Montreal. We can’t know how good Ricketts’s acrobats were, but his Robinson Crusoe at least had a good tale to work with. One can’t say the same about Volta, the new Cirque production currently playing under a big top not far from where Ricketts’s theatre once stood. As always in a Cirque production, there are plenty of feats to amaze, and some that approach the outer edge of the possible. I had never before seen what acrobats call a “hair hang,” which consists of doing difficult things while suspended by your hair. The finesse and control shown by Danila Bim while writhing, spinning and being hauled up by the hair to the tent’s peak was perhaps equal to the horrified tension I felt watching her, fearing that her scalp might detach at any moment. I had also not seen anyone do memorable things with a light fixture, but Pawel Walczewski’s acrobatic number with a hanging lamp was smoother and more elegant than some ballet solos. He made it look easy and serene, even while he glided in a horizontal pose while gripping the swinging fixture by one hand behind his back. Bicycles were among the stars of the show, including the unicycle that Philippe Bélanger pedalled while Marie-Lee Guibert did an athletic routine in his arms, finishing by standing upright on his head while he balanced on the wheel. The show closed with a spectacular BMX routine for five cyclists doing simultaneous stunts on transparent ramps. Between these highs, however, there were numerous dull patches, most of them having to do with the story, written by director Bastien Alexandre. The hero, Waz (dancer Joey Arrigo), couldn’t enjoy his prominence as the golden overlord of a TV talent show because people had mocked him when he was a kid. He pondered the hollowness of making entertainments for the Greys, who paraded their conformity by marching in step, eyes glued to cellphones and dressed in outfits that looked as though they were made from old newspapers. Waz’s sulking ended after he was taken up by a group of brightly costumed Free Spirits, who showed him that true happiness lies in excelling at street sports. Most of the Free Spirits were male, and they strutted and urged each other on in their stunts like the bros they were. The pat resolution to Waz’s distress was forecast within the first 20 minutes. But the real problem with building the story on him was that the character had almost nothing to do till his ah-ha moment, when he did a brief and vigorous contemporary dance routine. With that final narrative chore completed, the show moved quickly to the much more exciting BMX finale, which sent the crowd out buzzing. Maybe narrative has become a crutch that Cirque du Soleil should think about discarding. It might not matter either way for this particular show, because Volta has enough stunts to please, and may make its biggest pitch not through story, but through nostalgia. I saw the show with a fan of the Netflix series Stranger Things, who remarked that Volta presses the same 1980s-nostalgia buttons as the series. Stranger Things is popular among millennials, a group that has money to spend and may not yet be as Cirque-aware as their parents. From that angle, Volta looks and sounds like a straight-up marketing pitch to a desired demographic. Cirque should definitely reconsider its continuing flirtation with what could be called Red Indianism. Zaldy Goco’s costumes for the Free Spirits sported a number of references to indigeneity that were pointed but tribally non-specific, including braids, face paint, fringes and even a headdress that wasn’t made of feathers but might as well have been. Fie on all that. Volta continues in the Old Port of Montreal through July 23, then runs in Gatineau from Aug. 3 to 27 and at Toronto’s Port Lands from Sept. 7 to Oct. 29 (cirquedusoleil.com). { SOURCE: The Globe and Mail | https://goo.gl/ho1ufS } ------------------------------------------------------- Cirque will use HoloLens to Design Sets and Plan Shows {May.11.2017} ------------------------------------------------------- Cirque du Soleil has partnered with Microsoft to develop a way for the acrobatic entertainment company to test out stage setups and choreography in augmented reality using HoloLens. A working version of the technology was shown onstage today during Microsoft’s Build conference for developers. Chantal Tremblay, the director of creation for Cirque du Soleil, explained that it takes the company about 18 to 24 months to go from choosing a theme for a show to releasing it to the public. Much of that time is spent building the show’s sets at Cirque’s studios in Montreal. But with HoloLens, Cirque scenic designer Carl Fillion said, the company will “be able to visualize the same stage and all the equipment into the same studios at real scale” months before construction. “We are closer than ever to a perfect creation tool,” he said. During a demo, Tremblay, Fillion, and one of their Cirque co-workers each tossed on a HoloLens headset and started collaborating on a new set using primitive geometric shapes. They were also able to bring a co-worker into the scene using a virtual avatar, similar to the kinds of VR collaboration efforts we’ve seen from Facebook. By the end of the presentation, they were looking at a life-sized version of a potential Cirque du Soleil set, complete with dancers moving throughout it. “To be able to see that so early in the process is amazing and totally new,” Tremblay said. “Usually we have to wait until we finalize our casting and the artists come to Montreal, but now by looking at it we could even make changes” to the performance, or even change the casting call based on those real-time design choices, she said. The demo was reminiscent of the NASA one from two years ago, where scientists showed how they could use HoloLens to explore the surface of Mars. This was a glimpse at what Cirque du Soleil hopes to do with HoloLens, because the collaboration is apparently still in its early stages. HoloLens is also still limited in a few ways — for instance, the headset’s field of view is much more limited than onstage presentations like these make it seem. “What you just saw was a custom solution done in collaboration with an incredible partner,” Microsoft’s Alex Kipman said. And while he said the goal is for Cirque du Soleil to use these tools in “future live shows,” the demo was also clearly meant as a pitch for the developers in the audience. “Imagine the transformative power if these are applications created by you,” he said. “It allows them, in the creation process, to visualize what the set will look like much sooner,” Bernard Fouche, general manager of innovation at C-Lab for Cirque du Soleil, told The Hollywood Reporter. “They can walk through the stage and see what’s planned before it’s been created.” CHECK OUT THE IMAGES THAT ACCOMPANY THIS ARTICLE HERE: < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?p=10156 > { SOURCE: The Verge, Hollywood Reporter, C-NET } ------------------------------------------------------- Cirque in Dubai... Again! {May.14.2017} ------------------------------------------------------- Dubai Holding has launched Marsa Al Arab, a mega-project spread over a 4 million sq ft area comprising two islands on both sides of Burj Al Arab Jumeirah to be developed at a cost of Dh6.3 billion ($1.71 billion). The project, which will be the newest addition to Dubai’s long- standing track record of world-class tourist facilities, was unveiled by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai in the presence of senior officials. Adding 2.2 km of beach frontage, the comprehensive tourist destination aims to elevate the family tourism proposition in Dubai, provide supporting foundations to host Expo 2020 Dubai, as well as reinforce Jumeirah Group’s leading position locally and globally as one of the driving forces behind the growth and prosperity of the tourism sector, said the statement from Dubai Holding. The project will break ground in June this year and will completed by late 2020. Marsa Al Arab comprises two islands on both sides of Burj Al Arab Jumeirah. One will be dedicated to entertainment and family tourism, while the other comprises an exclusive luxury resort. Commenting on the project, Abdulla Al Habbai, the chairman of Dubai Holding said: “The launch of this new and ambitious project is in line with the directives of the visionary leadership to provide the finest and rewarding tourist experiences for visitors to Dubai, as well as enhance Dubai’s position as a global tourist destination.” “We are proud of the vital role that Dubai Holding plays in this sector through supporting innovation and contributing to the economic diversification of Dubai,” stated Al Habbai. Dubai, he stated, has achieved a global reputation for unique offerings and unprecedented achievements. This was feasible through proper planning and accurate execution of such projects, complemented by in-depth knowledge of the local market’s needs and capabilities. As part of strengthening local capabilities, ‘Marsa Al Arab’ will support Emiratisation in the tourism sector by providing new job opportunities and encouraging UAE Nationals to commit their innovative and creative ideas to this vital sector, he added. Through this resort, Jumeirah Group will introduce new leisure concepts and services to complement its existing family entertainment offer, which includes its portfolio of: Burj Al Arab Jumeirah, Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Jumeirah Al Naseem, Jumeirah Mina A’Salam, Jumeirah Al Qasr and Jumeirah Dar Al Masyaf. This will be achieved through the construction of a new family- oriented hotel. To boost guest experience at this new resort, Wild Wadi Waterpark, which has seen great success as one of the most significant recreational destinations in the UAE since its opening, will be relocated closer to the beach. “The new location will grow the Wild Wadi’s size by more than twice of its existing size. With new thrills, family rides and record breaking attractions Wild Wadi will boost its position as a popular water park globally,” stated Al Habbai. According to him, Dubai Holding will also develop ‘Marine Park’, a first-of-its-kind marine life edutainment centre in the Middle East, providing a rich learning and entertainment experience for the entire family. With a live theatre of a 1,000-seat capacity, the park will attract world-class shows that showcase various elements of marine life allowing its visitors to interact with exotic aquatic animals and fish. Together, the enhanced Wild Wadi and Marine Park will sprawl over an area of 2.5 million sq. ft. The new family destination will house a dedicated theatre with a capacity of 1,700 seats, which will become home to the world-renowned show Cirque du Soleil for the first time in the Middle East. Daniel Lamarre, the president and CEO of Cirque du Soleil, said: “Dubai’s unique geographical position between East and West, along with its regionally unparalleled infrastructure and sophisticated hospitality offering means that demand is strong for a beloved and enduring institution such as Cirque du Soleil, and we look forward to raising the curtain for new fans in this new facility with new shows designed specifically for Dubai.” “Cirque du Soleil already enjoys great patronage from residents and visitors alike and we are pleased to now have a permanent base in the new epicenter of global tourism,” noted Lamarre. In addition, Dubai Holding will launch the Dubai Pearl Museum to showcase a historical collection of rare and ancient pearls from the region and worldwide, sad the company in a statement. The Dubai Pearl Museum aims to shed light on the lives of the divers as well as the tools they used to find the precious jewels, reflecting the UAE’ heritage, culture and national pride. The museum will include a functional pearl farm in the adjoining sea, cultivating quality pearls. To complement this experience, Dubai Holding will create a pearl-inspired boutique hotel with unique facilities, services and specialist retail outlets that introduce its visitors to the rich past of the UAE and the Gulf region as a whole. Marsa Al Arab will include a private yacht marina and a yacht club, in addition to recreational attractions, such as diverse food and beverage offerings, making it a globally attractive tourist destination. Amongst the features of this unique development is a helipad to accommodate the needs of the discerning guests, it stated. Dubai Holding also plans to establish a mixed-use convention centre fully equipped to host large international conferences and festivals at the mega development. The convention centre will be supported by a new hotel, offering a selection of services for businessmen and corporates, it stated. The project will also include a large retail space stretching across 20,000 sq. m, which will replace the current Wild Wadi Water Park area. The shopping centre will consist of international high-end brands, as well as a selection of restaurants and coffee shops to meet the needs of its luxurious shoppers. Marsa Al Arab will also offer 300 sea-front residential apartments in the heart of the development. A major highlight of the project is an exclusive private island. As part of ‘Marsa Al Arab’, Dubai Holding will develop luxury villas on a private island, which will offer its residents complete privacy in a sophisticated environment including a private marina for its residents. Located on the left of Burj Al Arab Jumeirah, the luxury villas will be operated by Jumeirah Group. The island will also host a boutique hotel equipped with world-class facilities that reflect ‘Marsa Al Arab’s status as an attractive destination for elite travellers. Marsa Al Arab will offer a total of 140 luxury villas, overlooking the pristine waters Arabian Gulf and characterised by the highest levels of privacy and luxury. Overall, Dubai Holding will add 2,400 hotel rooms to Jumeirah Group’s portfolio, bringing its total offering to 8,428 rooms. There will be 400 new F&B (food and beverages) outlets throughout the destination. The existing hotels in the vicinity will be transformed into a unified and vibrant tourist destination, anticipated to attract 20 million visitors. With over 20 years of experience in the tourism and hospitality sector, Jumeirah Group will manage the family oriented tourist destination, while expanding its portfolio of luxury hotels, resorts and residential complexes. The development boasts pedestrian pathways, a jogging track, large swimming pool and a cycling course, allowing its residents to practice a diverse selection of physical activities. Jumeirah Group will offer 10,000 additional parking spaces to accommodate the anticipated influx of visitors, as well as work closely with various government entities and other relevant companies to provide a GRT network to interconnect the resorts and entertainment destinations, facilitating fast and easy movement throughout Marsa Al Arab. { SOURCE: Trade Arabia | https://goo.gl/B7oLlX } ------------------------------------------------------- MSC Cruises reveals its two new Cirque Shows {May.18.2017} ------------------------------------------------------- MSC Cruises revealed the names and concepts for the two exclusive Cirque du Soleil at Sea shows that will be performed on board MSC Meraviglia, coming into service on June 4. The two very different, contrasting shows – Viaggio and Sonor – each lasting 40 minutes will be performed twice a night for six nights in the ship’s £20m Carousel Lounge high-tech theatre. The long-term partnership between MSC Cruises and Cirque du Soleil will set new standards in live entertainment at sea and will see the world’s leader in artistic entertainment create a total of eight original shows that will be exclusively available on MSC Cruises’ Meraviglia generation ships, coming into service between June 4, 2017 – with MSC Meraviglia – and autumn 2020. Gianni Onorato, MSC Cruises Chief Executive Officer, commented: “We are committed to creating unique experiences that elevate the guest experience to new heights and, for this, we work with innovative, world-class leaders in their sector. It was thus only natural that, when it comes to entertainment, we would look to partner with Cirque du Soleil.” Mr Onorato continued: “Today we are delighted to reveal the concepts and inspiration behind the Cirque du Soleil at Sea shows that will soon premiere on our new flagship MSC Meraviglia. By creating two different shows for each of the four Meraviglia and Meraviglia-plus generation ships, we will make available exclusively to our guests something new and exciting with each ship’s launch. Moreover, these shows will be a true first at sea.” Yasmine Khalil, President 45 DEGREES, Cirque du Soleil’s Events and Special Projects Company, stated: “After years of hard work, our team is very excited to unveil the names and visuals of the two first productions of our partnership with MSC; two concepts very different from one another, both showcasing Cirque du Soleil’s “savoir-faire”. Guests of MSC Meraviglia are definitely in for a treat!” TWO ORIGINAL SHOWS Cirque du Soleil sat out to create two very different, contrasting shows, each with a different concept, ambiance, storyline, costumes and make-up. The shows will be performed twice a night for six nights so that guests can take the opportunity to see both shows. VIAGGIO, the first of the two shows, is the story of a passionate and eccentric artist who hears the call of his Faceless Muse. Mysterious and seductive, she beckons him into the vivid world of his unbridled imagination to complete his masterpiece. With each stroke of his paintbrush, the Painter reveals the details of his grandiose tableau. Electrifying colours fill the space with intriguing motifs and rich textures. Majestic acts transform the theatre into a living canvas. Before our very eyes, a masterpiece comes to life. With sound at its heart, SONOR – the second show – takes guests on an auditory adventure with dancers, acrobats and characters, all moving to the rhythm. It conjures a world of unique sensations, astonishing sounds, bold music and immersive projections and culminates in a grand finale for the senses. A UNIQUE COCKTAIL OR DINING EXPERIENCE Mr Onorato concluded, “We wanted to elevate the experience even further for our guests and for this we have worked hand in hand with the creative team from Cirque du Soleil to create the first Dinner & Show experience on our fleet.” The dinner experience will be a gastronomic delight, where every detail from the table settings, the costumes, the music and visual effects through to the menus have been specially designed to complement each pre-show experience. The dining experience will start one hour before the show performance begins and will be a treat for the senses with surprise animation from performers, live music, stylish table settings topped off with a table d’hôte three-course menu of eclectic creative dishes. The dining experience to complement SONOR guests will be invited into a parallel world where culinary creations will not only trick the eye but the senses, whilst VIAGGIO will immerse guests in a universe of colour, testing the imagination of guests from beginning to end. Other guests will be able enjoy a Cocktail & Show experience that will begin 30 minutes before the performance starts and will include a specially designed signature cocktail and tempting treats. Cirque du Soleil at Sea needs to be pre-booked by guests either before the cruise or once on board. Places in the theatre are limited to 413 seats so it is important for guests to book early to make sure to have a chance to live the experience. THE €20 MILLION CAROUSEL LOUNGE MSC Meraviglia will become the first cruise ship ever to feature an entertainment lounge designed to be able to meet the unique needs of Cirque du Soleil also whilst at sea. The Carousel Lounge was designed by MSC Cruises together with the Architect Marco De Jorio to meet these very specific needs. Equipped with the most cutting-edge technology and special rigging, the Carousel Lounge will enable Cirque du Soleil performers to deliver sublime performances for the exclusive enjoyment of MSC guests. The Carousel Lounge is a very intimate space, hosting up to 413 guests for each performance, one of the smallest venues for Cirque du Soleil, making the interaction between the guests and performers even more special. The name carousel was chosen to convey the combined spirit of MSC Cruises offering unforgettable experiences and of Cirque du Soleil’s unique performances, conjuring up festive and magical emotions. A carousel is associated with childhood memories of festive outdoor fairs. There is something inherently captivating about a carousel. Music, colours, lights, movement all combine in a unique, breath- taking experience. { SOURCE: World of Cruising | https://goo.gl/s5kuTg } ------------------------------------------------------- La Nouba’s Silva Poirier Speaks Recovery {May.25.2017} ------------------------------------------------------- Cirque du Soleil aerial performer who fell 30 feet and fractured her skull and face says she feels lucky to be able to talk and hold her son as doctors hail her ‘amazing’ recovery o) Karina Silva Poirer was injured after she fell 30 feet during a rehearsal in October o) The Cirque du Soleil aerial performer slipped and fractured her skull and face o) She slipped in and out of a coma three times and underwent several surgeries o) Doctors say the 39-year-old has made tremendous strides and is expected to walk again o) But they don’t know if she’ll ever have the strength to perform on aerial silks Seven months ago, Karina Silva Poirier, an aerial performer with Cirque du Soleil’s La Nouba in Orlando, Florida, fell during a rehearsal. The 30-foot drop resulted in her skull and face being fractured, and she slipped in and out of a coma three times. But after several surgeries and months of rehabilitation, Silva Poirier is speaking out about her incredible recovery. Silva Poirier, 39, comes from six generations of circus performers. Her husband, David Poirier, was also in La Nouba as an aerial performer. Just six months before the accident, their son, Kyle, was born. According to 911 calls, Silva Poirier fell around 10:15pm on October 20, 2016 as she was rehearsing an aerial silk act. She was flown to Osceola Regional Medical Center, in Kissimmee, where a trauma team worked to save her life. A YouCaring page was set up to cover medical expenses and help support Daniel and Kyle – surpassing the $25,000 goal. ‘When I saw her she was in coma like three times during the hospitalization. I did three surgeries on her, and every time she came back,’ Dr Pedro Ramirez, Silva Poirier’s neurosurgeon, told News 6. Doctors say that they are amazed by her recovery. ‘I have this opportunity to talk to you and to have the opportunity to hold my son, and see him grow and see my husband, and be with my family,’ Silva Poirier said. ‘I’m very happy to be here today,’ She said her now one- year-old son was her reason for fighting. Dr Ramirez says Silva Poirier’s strength to fly on aerial silks may never return, but that her progress is astonishing. She is speaking all five languages she knew before the accident and doctors expect her to walk again. An investigation carried out by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration found no major safety violations in the accident. { SOURCE: Daily Mail UK, News 6 Orlando } ------------------------------------------------------- Cirque du Soleil’s ‘C2’ event on its way to Melbourne! {May.26.2017} ------------------------------------------------------- After six editions of its flagship event in Montreal, C2 International will bring its two-day immersive conference to Melbourne. In collaboration with MCI, world leader in meeting and event management services, and with the support of the Victorian State Government and Melbourne Convention Bureau, C2 will bring the event to Melbourne, Australia, on 30 November, 2017. Imagined by created services firm Sid Lee in collaboration with founding partner Cirque du Soleil, it is designed to provoke collisions and spark new ideas. It combines talks, workshops, experimental brainstorming sessions, meet-ups, performances, braindates, labs and festivities. Melbourne’s C2 will be the first major one outside of Canada. The keynote speaker to kick off the line-up for C2 Melbourne is Uschi Schreiber, Chair of Global Accounts Committee & Vice chair of Global Markets at EY, with more inspiring leaders to be announced in the coming weeks. “I am excited to be part of the first C2 conference in Asia Pacific. Melbourne is a great place for this as it is associated with innovation and creativity! Today we live in a world that is in transition – from a model of business, political participation and society that we are familiar with to one that is still largely unknown and needs our shaping,” said Uschi Schreiber. “As the team at C2 was imagining where we may go for the first ever large-scale C2 outside of Canada, we sought cities with a rich culture, an intoxicating energy and a readiness to work together to set the stage that will reset imagination and unleash new ideas for business leaders, innovators and creatives from around the world,” says C2 president Richard St-Pierre. C2 events target executives from a wide variety of industries and provide the perfect backdrop to explore trends, opportunities, disruptions and major shifts on the horizon. C2 Montreal conference alone attracts over 6,000 executives every year, with participants coming from over 50 countries and 24 industries. For C2 Melbourne 2017, the theme will be “Ecosystems” and programming will explore fields like technology, arts and design, marketing, impact and leadership. “Melbourne is the ideas capital of Australia and the perfect host city for an event that is all about how creativity and new ideas can drive new business opportunities,” says Victorian Government minister for small business, innovation and trade Philip Dalidakis. “The Victorian Government is investing heavily in innovation because we know it is the key to the business ideas that will drive our economy in the future,” he says. Melbourne Convention Bureau, Australia’s leading convention bureau played a key role in securing C2 Melbourne. Karen Bolinger, Melbourne Convention Bureau Chief Executive Officer, said that with Melbourne being an innovator in the events sector, it made perfect sense to bring such a pioneering event to the city. “Melbourne has always been Australia’s pacesetter in the events space, and we have a mandate to continue to be a world leader by bringing the best events to our city. With C2 Montreal named the number one innovative business conference for two consecutive years, we knew this was an event of our city’s calibre,” Ms Bolinger said. Visit c2melbourne.com for news and updates about the 2017 edition of C2 Melbourne. { SOURCE: Australian Business Review, Marketing Magazine AU } ------------------------------------------------------- Guy Laliberté & Alexandre Amancio Form REFLECTOR {May.28.2017} ------------------------------------------------------- Guy Laliberté and Alexandre Amancio have launched Reflector Entertainment, a Lune Rouge company. Cirque du Soleil creator Laliberté and video game developer, producer, writer and director Amancio, are co-founders for Reflector, a multiplatform business that will develop intellectual property with a view to distributing next- generation content internationally. Reflector’s unique library of content will include films, television series, video games, novels and comic strips. The new banner will be a division of Lune Rouge, a holiding and investment company also founded by Laliberté that rallies skilled entrepreneurs to capitalize on unique creative talents and stimulate entrepreneurial innovation. The duo is working on a number of multiplatform ideas and concepts, which are expected to be announced shortly. “What makes Reflector unique is our creation of original content across a wealth of tandem and complimentary platforms, under the guidance of a creative brain trust,” said Amancio. “Several agreements have already been signed with major industry players and we will be unveiling a number of new story worlds in the near future. Laliberté added: “Reflector Entertainment is the embodiment of creativity. Our partnership aligns with the mission of Lune Rouge, which aims to support the next generation of entrepreneurs. We have unique resources and are developing worlds intended for an international market.” Reflector has also entered into a partnership with Unity Technologies, developers of the high-performance game engine, and is currently developing a project with Entertainment One. Creative entrepreneur and philanthropist Laliberté spearheaded Cirque du Soleil to become one of the most recognized entertainment brands in the world. Amancio is one of the creatives behind gaming franchises Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry 2. { SOURCE: Deadline | https://goo.gl/0XQSRl } ------------------------------------------------------- Cirque takes its act to Sea {May.31.2017} ------------------------------------------------------- When the MSC Meraviglia is christened June 3 in Le Havre, France — receiving a blessing from Italian actress Sophia Loren, no less — a group of 15 performers will have already spent more than a month on the docked ship flying through the air, juggling, perfecting acrobatics and, just as important, getting their sea legs. As Cirque du Soleil takes its act to sea through a new partnership with MSC Cruises, there’s no use rehearsing on solid land. The maiden trip leaves June 4 from Marseille to Genoa, Naples and Messina in Italy; Valletta, Malta; and Barcelona. Fares start at $589.50. The seven-day cruise will be a two-ring circus of sorts: The 5,700-passenger ship will be the first to host not one but two distinct Cirque du Soleil shows six nights a week in a $22 million theater called the Carousel Lounge, which was designed specifically for aerial feats. “Viaggio” is the first show; “Sonor” will not begin until June 18. While the entertainment company has performed on cruises before, these are the first original Cirque du Soleil productions at sea, in the first such venue built specifically for the needs of circus performers. Over the next three years, six more Cirque du Soleil at Sea shows will launch in custom-designed theaters on three sister ships of the Meraviglia, thanks to a long-term partnership between the Montreal- based performing company and MSC Cruises, which is based in Geneva. Creating a cruise show brings up some unconventional theatrical considerations. “You have to keep that high level that Cirque offers of acrobatic performance, but you’re not on flat unmovable land,” said Susan Gaudreau, show director of Cirque du Soleil at Sea. “It upped the level for us a little bit.” Plus, space on a cruise ship is limited. The intimate Carousel Lounge can accommodate 413 spectators, a fraction of the big-top settings that can seat up to 2,500. The setting called for added creativity. “The trapeze wouldn’t work because the ceiling is a lower height than what a big top is,” Gaudreau said. They had to find other ways to move performers through the air, such as using aerial tracks and creating a carousel that transports them. That wasn’t the only challenge. Gaudreau and Marie-Hélène Delage, creative director of Cirque du Soleil at Sea, knew that they were limited to one theater, one cast and one crew, but they needed to create two unique shows with their own costumes and concepts. “We wanted them to be as different as possible,” Delage said. “Not only in aesthetics but also in the acrobatic performance.” That meant they needed to find a range of abilities in anyone they hired, so that they could call on a particular circus talent in the first show — say, juggling — and then another in the next show — say, aerial work — to keep the productions distinct and audiences enthralled. “If you came to both shows you would not even recognize the same artists; you wouldn’t even know it was the same team of designers that created the two shows,” Gaudreau said. She said that the shape and size of the venue helped her dream up each show. “Viaggio” is the tale of a painter following his muse and discovering a world of color and imagination, and Gaudreau was inspired to use the Carousel Lounge’s expansive LED screen as a blank canvas to paint his masterpiece. The story of “Sonor” was inspired by the theater’s immersive sound system, and the narrative about a hunter pursuing his prey is driven by rhythm and music. “The sound system was so amazing I was like, ‘Wow, I’ve got to do something with sound.’ That was my main trigger,” Gaudreau said. The Carousel Lounge isn’t just the stage for the show. By day, the space will be open to passengers, who can drink coffee and gaze out the lounge windows that give way to 180 degrees of horizon views. In the afternoon, the lounge will close so that artists and crew members can rehearse before each 40-minute production. The show packages, for which passengers will pay a surcharge, include either a three-course- meal (at roughly $39 to $43) or cocktail (at about $16 to $19) and are tailored to each production. While audiences shouldn’t expect any heavy nautical themes at the shows, Gaudreau says they should look for a wink to the unique setting: “We call it ‘a little kudos to life at sea.’?” { SOURCE: Washington Post | https://goo.gl/u3dnZK } ------------------------------------------------------- Body Electric: Cirque Powers Up For Expo 2017 {Special} ------------------------------------------------------- Wind turbines may immediately spring to mind. But body-charged energy, in the form of movement, can also power us into the future — both through technological advances and sheer human inspiration. Canadian theatrical entertainment group Cirque du Soleil is spotlighting the latter form of kinetic fuel in Reflekt — its exclusive production for Astana Expo 2017, taking place from 16 June through 9 September (with approximately 70 shows in all). Beneath a 2,000-person capacity tent, 38 artists are bringing the ‘Future Energy’ theme to life in what Reflekt director Fernand Rainville dubs a show that is “very strong acrobatically.” Rather than address the expo’s green theme in a clinical, scientific way, he has embraced something central to all Cirque du Soleil productions: movement. “I brought everything down to human energy, trying to build on what the future can be — the energy of youth and the energy of physical performance,” he says. In one high-voltage number, a crew of nine young dancers perform with Segways (motorized skateboards). “Future energy is also how we take care of our kids,” he adds. In Reflekt, the audience is ushered down the symbolic rabbit hole by the comedic lead character, Arman, a head-in-the-clouds archeologist. He explores seven elements of Kazakhstani culture — joy, wisdom, success, well-being, height and growth, speed and divine protection — as he navigates the Central Asian republic’s past, present and future. Kazakhstani cultural contributions — from yurts to domesticated horses — are a driving force behind this one hour and 15 minute spectacle, which includes aerial work, contortionists, a trampoline wall, and a wheel of death (an adrenalin-pumping act which Cirque fans may recall from the show Kooza). He was also passionate about the country’s distinction of being the first to domesticate horses, thousands of years ago. While animals are famously not part of the troupe’s fresh and modern take on the circus tradition, Rainville found a way to include this important piece of Kazakh Steppe history — and to marry this with the future energy theme. “I thought: what are the horses of today?” he asks rhetorically. His answer: ‘horse power.’ “I’m incorporating something we’ve never had at Cirque yet: an electric motor bike,” says Rainville of the vehicle, which has been modified for tricks and stunt riding. Beyond electric motorcycles, he and his talented team also found a way to highlight solar photovoltaic energy while retaining the creative spirit of the colorful production. In Reflekt, Helia, the sun — itself an element of the Kazakhstan flag — emits ‘rays’ on stage via patterns and imagery fashioned by lighting designer Nicolas Brion. Another graphic on the national flag, Samruk the eagle-like bird of Kazakh legend — which lays its egg in the tree of life — appropriately features in the show’s aerial acts. One of the symbols of Kazakhstan after the independence is the so-called Golden Man, discovered in 1969 by archeologists in the Almaty region — dressed richly in red and gold. Rainville explains that while the production sheds light on such cultural influences, in true Cirque style, it does not do so with the goal of accurate reproduction. “Our inspiration is traditional but we haven’t redone on stage the traditional costumes,” he says of the some 300 wardrobe pieces made of custom-printed materials, designed by James Lavoie. The Eurasian country’s historical imprint on Reflekt is miles away from being “something you would see in a museum,” or a documentary- style showcase, he stresses. In one example, Rainville cites a pair of Mongolian contortionists whose hair is adorned with a unique take on classic braiding. “It’s very hard to describe. It all of the sudden becomes like a sculpture.” Likewise, the production’s sprawling soundtrack — performed by five live musicians and a singer — features indigenous instruments like the two-string dombra, while updating ancient sounds and arrangements. “It feels very much today. Then, at times, it goes into a very lyrical and epic feel, where the music takes you to the Kazakhstani Steppe on horseback,” he notes. In terms of setting the scene, one particular feature of Reflekt is a Cirque first: a bi-frontal runway stage. This design conveys the feeling of movement through travel — a signature of the nomadic Kazakh people. “That’s going to be very exciting because it brings a lot of intimacy into a room where you have the spectators placed on both sides,” says the director, “That makes them very close to the act.” Architecture on a grander scale also figures in the theatrical tableau. Rainville sees such building design as emblematic of the capital city today and accordingly mentions the Pyramid of Peace by Norman Foster. “There’s some very monumental about architecture in Astana. I wanted to refer to that in the way we start the show off.” Ultimately, the performance is a reflection of Kazakhstan’s past, present and future identity, as implied by the title Reflekt. Part of the creative process, according to the director, was to let go of preconceived ideas about Kazakhstani culture and to reintroduce it in the 21st century. Rainville concludes: “I hope that the Kazakh people feel that we’ve done something specifically that references who they are and that they feel that we are opening them up towards the future.” { SOURCE: CNN | https://goo.gl/kP59Hn } *************************************************************** Q&A –- Quick Chats & Press Interviews *************************************************************** ------------------------------------------------------- Three Cirque Performers Share Workout Routines {May.07.2017} ------------------------------------------------------- When you think of a “circus workout,” you probably envision bendy yoga poses, or plopping into the splits. But that’s not what the stars of Cirque du Soleil’s “O,” a show in Las Vegas that’s performed in and above water, swear by for their lean, toned, and hella strong physiques. These badass ladies fly above the crowd, get tossed around by colleagues for stunts, and perform fully-choreographed routines while submerged in water, which means that they need near superhero strength to nail their routines. Cirque du Soleil is a Montreal-based troupe that came from humble beginnings, starting with street performances in a small town near Quebec City in the early 1980s. Now the company has permanent installations and traveling shows across the world that attract some insane talent. We got three of their most powerful female performers to share the workouts that keep them focused, fit, and flying high for every performance. JENNA RANDALL – THE OLYMPIC SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMER FROM GREAT BRITAIN “O,” the aquatic show in Las Vegas, has more Olympic athletes performing in it than any other Cirque show, and Jenna is one of them. She competed in synchronized swimming during the Beijing games in 2008 and in London in 2012. Since she needs strength to propel herself out of the water, Jenna, who has been with Cirque du Soleil for three years, is intensely focused on having a powerful lower body. “For the synchronized swimmers in our show, we use our legs a lot in what we call an ‘egg beater’ action to keep our bodies out of the water,” she says. “So I have to have strong legs. I do a lot of weighted barbell squats and a lot of lunges.” She says she’ll do any kind of exercise that strengthens and protects her hips, too, because they’re used so much during each performance. But core work is also important. “I like to do sit-ups with extra resistance,” Jenna says. “I hold a weight on my chest or out in front of my face while doing it.” Another exercise she describes are called push-pulls, where she uses a cable machine to push down with one hand, and pull up a dumbbell in her other hand. “That really gets the rotational muscles working,” Jenna says. “It works all across the abdominals beyond just the six-pack.” While Jenna admits how she looks is one factor in her fitness program, it’s far from the only one. “The focus is to make sure I’m conditioned enough to be able to perform every night without getting major injuries,” she says. ABIGAIL SCHMIDT – THE AMERICAN ACROBAT AND NEW MOM Abigail has been with Cirque du Soleil for four years. She began touring with “Corteo” in South America and joined “O” two-and-a-half years ago. (And she has a nursing nine-month-old baby, too!). She has a background in artistic gymnastics, having competed for the University of Maryland for four years before retiring from the sport to get her master’s degree. She performs in two main acts in “O,” one of which is on a flying boat, where she does some flying herself. “I have large men throwing me around and catching me again,” she says. “The other act is more endurance, but on the boat, it’s more acrobatic and strength-based. Having upper body strength and a strong core is very important.” She also needs to be careful about her weight, but not for the reasons most people step on a scale. “As a flyer we get regularly weighed,” she says. “I have to sit at a certain weight that is comfortable for my catcher, but also isn’t unrealistic for my everyday life, because I hope to be doing this for a long time.” “My workout regimen tends to be a lot of bodyweight lifting,” she says.” Abigail does engage in some weight lifting, but more to focus on smaller muscles in her shoulders to protect herself from any injuries. She also does “monster walks,” which involve using a thick Theraband around both ankles to strengthen and sculpt the hips. “We do a series of four directions,” she said. “Keeping the legs apart with tension on the band, we walk side to side each way, and forwards and backwards.” Despite having such an athletic career, Abigail relished the time off after the birth of her daughter. “For eight weeks I did absolutely nothing,” she says. “I’d pushed myself my whole life, and something changed when my daughter was born that just told me I needed a break so I focused on her.” (The Slim, Sexy, Strong Workout DVD is the fast, flexible workout you’ve been waiting for!) MISA SUGIYAMA – THE SYNCHRONIZED SWIMMER FROM JAPAN Misa has been a pool performer with Cirque du Soleil for two-and-a- half years, but hopes to one day switch over to becoming an aerialist who spends most of her time flying through the air. With all the twisting and turning involved in both aerials and swimming, it’s important to keep her abs super strong. “I do a lot of core stuff,” she says. Plenty of people don’t enjoy doing planks, but Misa doesn’t mind, and she makes them more creative by trying plank variations with added weight to increase the challenge and enhance her strength. She also likes the way her legs look when she’s this strong. “Before I did synchronized swimming, I was doing ballet,” Misa says. “We would train all the muscles in the legs—even the small ones—to create lines and make them look nice.” And for Misa, that’s accomplished via a variety of squats and lunges, sometimes with added weight, and sometimes just using her own body weight. But she’s also spending time working on upper body in her quest to become an aerialist. “I’m doing a lot of rows and lat pulldowns to strengthen my back,” she says. { SOURCE: Women’s Health | https://goo.gl/9l21q7 } ------------------------------------------------------- Q&A w/Mike Newnum – Luzia’s Technical Director {May.22.2017} ------------------------------------------------------- Cirque du Soleil puts on a good show. Flowers blossom from elaborate costumes; performers plummet from fifty feet up in the air. Even the show’s technical director, Mike Newnum, says he catches his breathe when he watches what the team does. The troupe’s latest performance, Luzia, a Mexico-inspired dreamscape, has had a challenging run. While the performances are carefully orchestrated, with each piece of equipment tested and routines practiced daily, mistakes happen. And sometimes they’re fatal. Cirque du Soleil co-founder Gilles Ste-Croix’s son, Olivier Rochette, was killed when a telescopic lift swung into him backstage, while he was setting up for Luzia in San Francisco in November 2016. Days before, Lisa Skinner, an acrobat, crashed to the ground during a live performance and fractured a vertebrae. In 2013, Sarah Guyard-Guillot, a mother of two, was high in the air when she dropped to her death during the troupe’s performance of Ka. But for Cirque du Soleil, the show must go on. “It was difficult times for the team members each coping with their grief,” Newnum says, “but we decided as a group to keep going and strive to put on the best show possible every night. We were extremely well supported by our headquarters in Montreal and welcomed extra staff members for a certain period of time to allow people who needed to take time to get back on their feet.” Westword caught up with Newnum in Seattle, where the troupe was wrapping up a production before taking a break and then heading to Denver for a June 1 through July 9 run. For Newnum, it will be a return home, which he talks about in the following interview. # # # Q. So you’re from Denver. Is that right? Denver’s been home for over twenty years. Q. How long is your run here? Six weeks. Q. So you’ll get to spend time with friends and whoever else is here? Yeah. And sleep in my own bed. It will be pretty sweet. I’m looking forward to it. I haven’t been able to spend six weeks in my own bed in many years. Q. Congratulations. Obviously, what you all are doing is spectacular and looks incredibly dangerous. I’m curious how you ascended into this role that has a lot of responsibility? Years of practice. What brought me to Denver originally: I ended up touring with Up With People for six years. They’re based in Denver now and have been since the ’90s. It’s a nonprofit touring show. We did community service. We stayed with host families, and we did the show. As soon as we started doing it, I became very involved with the show on a technical side. I just really loved it. It kind of became my university, if you will, my hands on university. We were traveling in mainly Europe, the U.S. and Canada. That was kind of how I gained my experience. I decided I needed a little break, and so I stayed in Denver for three years working for different production companies. And then I got the job with Cirque, and I started as an entry-level technician, and eventually, over the next decade, I worked my way up to technical director. Q. It seems like a terrifying job. Is it? As the technical director, no. It’s a good question; I haven’t had that one. I wouldn’t call it terrifying, because it’s all calculated. We know how the equipment works, and if we’re not sure how something works, we’ll make sure to test something with a dummy bag or something like that. We’ll swing it around or what not. We’re super, super- careful making sure that with the things we’re doing with the show, we’ve checked all of our balances. Plus, we have a whole team in Montreal that helps us do risk assessment and all that. We work really hard to make sure that we cross our T’s and dot our i’s. Q. So how much risk is acceptable? I don’t know that I could answer that. You’re asking some questions I’ve never had asked before. Q. It’s terrifying to look at what you all do. Because I’m the technical director, I manage all the technical operations. None of my guys are necessarily hanging stuff from straps or swinging from swing to swing or what not. I don’t think there’s one final answer for all acts that we have. I think there’s definitely regulations that we’ve created within our own company, depending on particular acts, but a swing-to-swing scene, which is our finale, it’s pretty crazy. Every day, it’s practicing on stage for an hour and a half. And we’ll still do one or two shows every day. And when we’re practicing, we have harnesses. It’s a safety line, basically. Even though we’ve done 400 shows now as of Sunday, every day we’re practicing with the safety line during the training. The artists push themselves, and try to do crazier tricks. If you ask me, I’m not going to swing off a swing and try to do a flip and a twist. But for them, that’s totally acceptable. I don’t think there’s one kind of blanket thing. Because it’s so unique, and we come up with and create different acts, they have different skill levels or different levels of what is considered crazy or what not. There’s definitely a team of people who are evaluating and questioning and doing research and what not, to make sure we are doing our due diligence as best we can. Q. Talk about the show that’s going to be performed in Denver, Luzia? It’s a pretty amazing and beautiful show. I’ve been with the company for over twelve years now. When I watch it, it still takes my breathe away, at moments. And I don’t mean that lightly. Based on what I’ve seen over the years, it’s pretty amazing, and I mean that respectfully, you know. This one is not just another show. There’s a contortionist, who can contort himself. Some of the swing acts are pretty crazy. We also have beautiful moments that people will see, and the music itself. It’s a pretty cool, fresh Cirque du Soleil show, beautiful with imagery. We always talk about the acts and what not, and all of these different things help support them to make that even more special and unique. Q. In terms of your role in that, you’re making sure everything goes off without hitch, as much as you can? Are you involved in the design of that? They hire a whole design team and they do the creation. That starts eighteen months or two years before the show exists. They hire that, and then that creation teams hands it over to the touring show, and then we take the high five, the torch, if you will, and take it on from there. Q. Having seen a lot of theater, often things go awry. How smooth are things? On any given evening, are there things that aren’t working? Or is it a smooth process? I think the best thing I can maybe relate it to is a car. Everything is totally fine. Then one day you hear a noise. When you think about it, our car is custom-made, and there is only one of them. So whether it’s our custom-made stage or our swing-to-swings or it’s our treadmills or it’s a water system that we have, what I want to make sure is that each head of the departments and their teams have all the tools they need so we can have every show the same, as much as we can. Of course, things do go awry. But we try within our best to make sure that every single show has the exact same thing every time. That’s pretty important to us. { SOURCE: Westword | https://goo.gl/UZk3fP } ------------------------------------------------------- Meet Brandon Livanos (Again) – Now in VOLTA! {May.27.2017} ------------------------------------------------------- Many kids grow up dreaming of running away and joining the circus and it was the same for Brandon Livanos. “It’s a dream as a child to always be like ‘I ran away and joined the circus,” Livanos said. And he actually did. The 31-year-old South African first caught the eye of circus recruiters in 2008 during a diving meet. “I was a high diver,” Livanos said. “That was my sport. I competed for South Africa.” After he was scouted, it took four years for Livanos to get a callback from the circus. He spent those years working as a stunt double and acting in Hollywood productions. Now Livanos is a performer with Cirque du Soleil’s new high-energy show, Volta, with shows running under the Big Top in Montreal’s Old Port until July 23. Livanos described the show as a “marrying of the circus with extreme sports.” “It’s beautiful,” he said. But that magic doesn’t happen by itself – Livanos said there’s a lot of hard work involved. “It’s a full-time job for sure,” he said. “We actually have six days when we perform and every day, we’ll basically have training to tweak things… to integrate new artists into new acts… there’s a lot of training that goes on.” Keeping fit is only one of many challenges performers face. For Livanos, the biggest challenge was the transition from athlete to performer. “Maintaining 300 plus shows a year… keeping that energy level up for the audience — you don’t learn that as an athlete,” he said explaining that athletes usually prepare for one, or a few big competitions per year, not 300. “You have to hone your craft,” he said, adding that the troupe is constantly doing workshops to help bring performances to the next level. Livanos admitted that live performances, often come with the possibility of making mistakes. “It happens all the time,” he said. The question just becomes: “Are we good enough to cover it that no one can see it happen?” Regardless, Livanos isn’t one to dwell on mistakes. “I don’t think there is failure, just opportunities to try again,” he said, adding that “it (failure) crafts us to be who we are destined to be.” For Livanos that destiny has led him to the circus. “I think I have found my niche in life and I don’t see myself leaving the circus,” he said explaining it’s possible for performers who reach the end of their career to branch out into other avenues within the circus such as choreographer, or director, to name a few. Livanos doesn’t seem to be in any hurry. “I have performed with some guys who are 40, 45 and they’re still doing incredible,” he said. “I’d like to just let the ball continue rolling and see where it goes.” { SOURCE: Global News | https://goo.gl/Pw8oBZ } ------------------------------------------------------- Meet Brynn Coseru – Synchronized Swimmer at “O” {May.29.2017} ------------------------------------------------------- You can’t help but wonder about what happens to them once they’re too old to do what they do — the awesome acrobatics that take your breath away, the incredible contortions that seemingly take superhuman flexibility, the synchronized swimming so amazing it’s been called dancing while drowning. While our neighbors — men and women arguably the best in the world at what they do — are a critical part of Cirque du Soleil shows that entertain millions and make millions, the vast majority of performers are not making the kind of money that allows them to retire to a Caribbean island once their artistic athletic careers end. In fact, Payscale.com puts the median salary of Cirque employees at $56,000 a year. Brynn Coseru, a mother of two young children who’s been a synchronized swimmer in Cirque’s aquatic classic “O” for 11 years, is attending Touro University for her career when her body can no longer take the wear and tear — she’s going to be an occupational therapist. What that essentially means is that she’ll help establish, advance, maintain or restore independence to any person who has an illness, injury, psychological dysfunction or disability. As part of fulfilling her master’s degree, the all-A student was inside a gym at the Henderson university recently displaying an invention she created to help people whose hands won’t allow them to swim correctly. In effect, what Coseru has done is develop fins for hands. “I think they’d work well for people with rheumatoid arthritis,” Coseru said. Other students at the Assistive Technology Fair showed off devices that ranged from an elevated gardening bed for a wheelchair patient to a basketball return for a child in a wheelchair. For the last 10 months Coseru has been rehabbing what she calls “wear and tear” hip and leg injuries she suffered in “O.” ’m about ready to go back,” she said. “I’ve really missed performing.” The daughter of accomplished gymnasts — her mother was a national collegiate champion while at Southern Illinois University and her father was an alternate on a U.S. Olympic Team — Coseru took up synchronized swimming when it became evident that she wouldn’t follow in her parents’ footsteps. “I was not good at gymnastics,” she said. “I took up synchronized swimming and loved it.” At the age of 14, she became part of a California synchronized swimming team that won a national title. In 2000, two years before she got her bachelor’s degree from Santa Clara University, her team made it to the U.S. Olympic trials. In 2004 Coseru learned that there was a position open for a mermaid who would swim in a tank at the Silverton. She auditioned and got the job. When a position came open at “O” two years later, she became part of the Cirque family. ”I’ve really loved Las Vegas,” she said. She met her husband, an acrobat from Romania, in “O.” “Most of the show came to the wedding,” she recalled. “They gave me a baby shower. My kids’ godfather works at the show. It’s a real family atmosphere.” As much as she loves swimming in “O” — she often holds her breath for 30 seconds on some routines and uses scuba gear for others — she knows it can’t go on forever. “I’m going to school to prepare for the future.” { SOURCE: Las Vegas Review-Journal | https://goo.gl/0Ne0BY } ======================================================================= ITINÉRAIRE -- TOUR/SHOW INFORMATION ======================================================================= o) BIGTOP - Under the Grand Chapiteau {Amaluna, Koozå, Kurios, Luzia, Totem & Volta} o) ARENA - In Stadium-like venues {Varekai, TORUK, OVO, Séptimo Día, & Crystal} o) RESIDENT - Performed en Le Théâtre {Mystère, "O", La Nouba, Zumanity, KÀ, LOVE, MJ ONE, & JOYÀ} NOTE: .) While we make every effort to provide complete and accurate touring dates and locations available, the information in this section is subject to change without notice. As such, the Fascination! Newsletter does not accept responsibility for the accuracy of these listings. For current, up-to-the-moment information on Cirque's whereabouts, please visit Cirque's website: < http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/ >, or for a more comprehensive tour listing, visit our Itinéraire section online at: < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?page_id=6898 >. ------------------------------------ BIGTOP - Under the Grand Chapiteau ------------------------------------ Amaluna: Rome, IT -- Apr 30, 2017 to May 28, 2017 Asuncion, PY -- Jul 26, 2017 to Aug 6, 2017 Montevido, UY -- Aug 30, 2017 to Sep 10, 2017 São Paulo, BR -- Oct 5, 2017 to Dec 17, 2017 Rio de Janeiro, BR -- Dec 28, 2017 to Jan 17, 2018 Koozå: Perth, AU -- Apr 13, 2017 to Jun 11, 2017 Singapore, SG -- Jul 12, 2017 to Aug 13, 2017 Shanghai, CN -- Oct 1, 2017 to TBA China City #2 -- TBA China City #3 -- TBA China City #4 -- TBA China City #5 -- TBA Kurios: Winnipeg, MB — Jun 2, 2017 to Jul 9, 2017 Edmonton, AB -- Jul 20, 2017 to Aug 13, 2017 Portland, OR -- Aug 24, 2017 to Oct 8, 2017 Vancouver, BC -- Oct 19, 2017 to Dec 3, 2017 Tokyo, JP -- February 2018 Osaka, JP -- 2018 Nagoya, JP -- 2018 &Fukuoka, JP -- 2018/2019 Sendai, JP -- 2019 Luzia: Denver, CO -- Jun 1, 2017 to Jul 9, 2017 Chicago, IL -- Jul 21, 2017 to Sep 3, 2017 Atlanta, GA -- Sep 14, 2017 to Nov 19, 2017 Los Angeles, CA -- Dec 7, 2017 to Feb 11, 2017 Costa Mesa, CA -- Feb 21, 2018 to Mar 25, 2018 Boston, MA -- TBA 2018 Washington, DC -- April 2018 Monterrey, MX -- TBA 2018 Guadalajara, MX -- TBA 2018 Mexico City, MX -- TBA 2018 Totem: Sochi, RU -- Jul 1, 2017 to Jul 30, 2017 Brussels, BE -- Aug 31, 2017 to Oct 29, 2017 Madrid, ES -- Nov 10, 2017 to Jan 14, 2018 Seville, ES -- Jan 25, 2018 to Mar 11, 2018 Barcelona, ES -- Mar 23, 2018 to Apr 15, 2018 Munich, DE -- TBA 2018 Port Aventura, ES -- TBA 2018 VOLTA: Montreal, QC -- Apr 20, 2017 to Jul 23, 2017 Gatineau, QC (Ottawa, ON) -- Aug 3, 2017 to Aug 27, 2017 Toronto, ON -- Sep 7, 2017 to Nov 26, 2017 Miami, FL -- Dec 15, 2017 to Feb 4, 2018 Tampa, FL -- Feb 15, 2018 to Mar 25, 2018 ------------------------------------ ARENA - In Stadium-Like Venues ------------------------------------ Varekai: Ljubljana, SL -- Jun 2, 2017 to Jun 4, 2017 Vilnius, LT -- Jun 8, 2017 to Jun 10, 2017 Tarragona, ES -- Jul 6, 2017 to Aug 13, 2017 Oslo, NO -- Sep 1, 2017 to Sep 3, 2017 Malmo, SE -- Sep 6, 2017 to Sep 10, 2017 Tallin, EE -- Sep 14, 2017 to Sep 17, 2017 Riga, LV -- Sep 20, 2017 to Sep 24, 2017 Minsk, BY -- Sep 28, 2017 to Oct 1, 2017 Helsinki, FI -- Oct 5, 2017 to Oct 8, 2017 Stockholm, SE -- Oct 11, 2017 to Oct 15, 2017 Sioux City, IA -- TBA 2017 Springfield, MO -- TBA 2017 Biloxi, MS -- TBA 2017 Lake Charles, LA -- TBA 2017 Hidalgo, TX -- TBA 2017 Sugar Lands, TX — Dec 20 to Dec 23, 2017 (FINAL SHOW) TORUK - The First Flight: Manila, PH -- Jun 23, 2017 to Jul 2, 2017 Taiwan -- Jul 6, 2017 to Jul 18, 2017 Christchurch, NZ -- Sep 1, 2017 to Sep 10, 2017 Auckland, NZ -- Sep 15, 2017 to Sep 24, 2017 Brisbane, AU -- Oct 5, 2017 to Oct 15, 2017 Sydney, AU -- Oct 19, 2017 to Oct 29, 2017 Melbourne, AU -- Nov 2, 2017 to Nov 12, 2017 Adelaide, AU -- Nov 16, 2017 to Nov 19, 2017 Bangkok, TH -- TBA 2017 Japan -- TBA 2017 China -- TBA 2018 OVO: Toledo, OH -- May 31, 2017 to Jun 4, 2017 Hamilton, ON -- Jun 7, 2017 to Jun 11, 2017 London, ON -- Jun 14, 2017 to Jun 18, 2017 Brooklyn, NY -- Jul 5, 2017 to Jul 9, 2017 Sunrise, FL -- Jul 13, 2017 to Jul 23, 2017 Miami, FL -- Jul 28, 2017 to Jul 30, 2017 Jacksonville, FL -- Aug 2, 2017 to Aug 6, 2017 North Charleston, NC -- Aug 9, 2017 to Aug 6, 2017 Fairfax, VA -- Aug 16, 2017 to Aug 20, 2017 Baltimore, MD -- Aug 23, 2017 to Aug 27, 2017 Uniondale, NY -- Aug 30, 2017 to Sep 3, 2017 Boston, MA -- Sep 6, 2017 to Sep 10, 2017 Laval, QC -- Sep 13, 2017 to Sep 17, 2017 Zurich, CH -- Oct 5, 2017 to Oct 8, 2017 Geneva, CH -- Oct 11, 2017 to Oct 15, 2017 Salzburg, AU -- Oct 18, 2017 to Oct 22, 2017 Leipzig, DE -- Oct 25, 2017 to Oct 29, 2017 Hamburg, DE -- Nov 1, 2017 to Nov 5, 2017 Berlin, DE -- Nov 8, 2017 to Nov 12, 2017 Mannheim, DE -- Nov 15, 2017 to Nov 19, 2017 Cologne, DE -- Nov 22, 2017 to Nov 26, 2017 Stuttgart, DE -- Nov 29, 2017 to Dec 3, 2017 Nuremberg, DE -- Dec 6, 2017 to Dec 10, 2017 Munich, DE -- Dec 13, 2017 to Dec 17, 2017 London, UK -- Jan 7, 2018 to Feb 11, 2018 Hanover, DE -- Mar 14, 2018 to Mar 18, 2018 Oberhausen, DE -- Apr 5, 2018 to Apr 8, 2018 SÉPTIMO DÍA – NO DESCANSARÉ: Lima, PE -- Jun 17, 2017 to Jun 25, 2017 Santiago, CL -- Jul 19, 2017 to Aug 6, 2017 Bogota, CO -- Sep 3, 2017 to Sep 23, 2017 Monterrey, MX -- Oct 19, 2017 to Oct 29, 2017 Guadalajara, MX -- Nov 8, 2017 to Nov 18, 2017 Mexico City, MX -- Nov 28, 2017 to Dec 22, 2017 Select US Cities -- 2018 CRYSTAL - A BREAKTHROUGH ICE EXPERIENCE: Lafayette, LA -- Oct 5, 2017 to Oct 8, 2017 (PREVIEWS) San Antonio, TX -- Oct 13, 2017 to Oct 15, 2017 Pensacola, FL -- Oct 19, 2017 to Oct 22, 2017 North Little Rock, AR -- Oct 26, 2017 to Oct 29, 2017 St. Charles, MO -- Nov 2, 2017 to Nov 5, 2017 Minneapolis, MN -- Nov 9, 2017 to Nov 12, 2017 Worchester, MA -- Dec 7, 2017 to Dec 10, 2017 Quebec City, QC -- TBA 2017 Montreal, QC -- TBA 2017 (GALA PREMIERE) --------------------------------- RESIDENT - en Le Théâtre --------------------------------- Mystère: Location: Treasure Island, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Saturday through Wednesday, Dark: Thursday/Friday Two shows Nightly - 7:00pm & 9:30pm 2017 Dark Dates: o July 12 o September 9 - 13 o November 8 Special Performance Dates: o Thu, Aug 17, 2017 o Fri, Nov 24, 2017 o Fri, Dec 29, 2017 o Sun, Dec 31, 2017 | 4:30pm & 7:00pm 2017 Single Performance Dates: o Sat, Jun 17 | 7:00 pm o Sun, Aug 13 | 7:00 pm o Sun, Oct 01 | 7:00 pm o Fri, Oct 20 | 7:00 pm o Sun, Oct 22 | 7:00 pm o Fri, Dec 08 | 7:00 pm "O": Location: Bellagio, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Wednesday through Sunday, Dark: Monday/Tuesday Two shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 9:30pm (as of Aug 12, 2015) 2017 Dark Dates: o June 11 o August 2 - 6 o October 8 o November 29 - December 12 La Nouba: Location: Walt Disney World, Orlando (USA) Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday Two shows Nightly - 6:00pm and 9:00pm *** CLOSING DECEMBER 31, 2017 *** Zumanity: Location: New York-New York, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark Sunday/Monday Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm KÀ: Location: MGM Grand, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Saturday through Wednesday, Dark Thursday/Friday Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm LOVE: Location: Mirage, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Thursday through Monday, Dark: Tuesday/Wednesday Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm MICHAEL JACKSON ONE: Location: Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas (USA) Performs: Two Shows Nightly - Dark: Wednesday/Thursday Schedule: 7:00pm & 9:30pm on Friday, Saturday, Monday & Tuesday 4:30pm & 7:00pm on Sunday JOYÀ: Location: Riviera Maya, Mexico Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday One/Two Shows Nightly: 9:00pm (Weekdays) 7:00pm & 10:15pm (Fri, Sat & Holidays) ======================================================================= OUTREACH - UPDATES FROM CIRQUE's SOCIAL WIDGETS ======================================================================= o) WEBSERIES -- Official Online Featurettes o) VIDEOS -- Official Peeks & Noted Fan Finds --------------------------------------------------- WEBSERIES: Official Online Featurettes --------------------------------------------------- *) LUZIASELF - THE WEBSERIES LUZIAself is a collection of portraits highlighting the unique stories, passion and dedication of some LUZIA artists. o) EPISODE 10: RUSSIAN SWINGS April 26, 2017 In this final episode episode of the series, LUZIAself with the LUZIA family. Get to know who inspires who in this waking dream of Mexico. LINK /// < https://youtu.be/I7k4CRFLM7w > --------------------------------------------------- VIDEOS: Official Peeks & Noted Fan Finds --------------------------------------------------- *) CIRQUECAST CirqueCast is a Vodcast (that’s video podcast) for Cirque fans by Cirque fans – featuring artist interviews, Cirque headlines, and the inside scoop to your favorite Cirque du Soleil shows! Join your hosts José Pérez (TheChapiteau), Richard “Richasi” Russo (Fascination!), Ian Rents (Hardcore Cirque Fans), and Dario Shame (a big 'ol fan), as we bring you a behind-the-scenes look into Cirque du Soleil, complete with discussions and the latest Cirque news. o) EPISODE 18 - Sep7imo Dia Discussion & Interview May 14, 2017 On this episode of CirqueCast we discuss Sep7imo Dia - No Descansare, the Cirque du Soleil show inspired by the music of the Argentinian rock band Soda Stereo. Plus, we interviewed Sep7imo Dia pole artist Saulo Sarmiento! Watch to learn more about the show and Saulo! LINK /// < https://youtu.be/TUgMCnvjB3Q > o) EPISODE 19 - VOLTA Discussion May 29, 2017 On this episode of CirqueCast, we discuss VOLTA - Cirque du Soleil's newest big top production inspired by the world of extreme sports. VOLTA world premiered on April 27, 2017 in Montreal. Learn more about the show, and find out what we each think of Cirque's latest production. LINK /// < https://youtu.be/iPl12hZ-EGU > *) OTHERS... o) TOTEM Makeup | Spectacular Hand Balancing Performer May 1, 2017 In this step-by-step makeup application video, watch Cirque du Soleil artist Sascha Bachmann from the show TOTEM get transformed into the hand-balancing performer. LINK < https://youtu.be/TxliIFIMWz4 > o) Amazing Cirque Moments for Mother's Day May 11, 2017 LINK < https://youtu.be/Y_KC8PxwPNQ > o) TORUK Na'Vi Artist Makeup Transformation May 15, 2017 In this step-by-step makeup application video, watch Cirque du Soleil artist Gabrielle Martin from the show TORUK - The First Flight, inspired by James Cameron's AVATAR, get transformed into her Na'Vi character. LINK < https://youtu.be/rC_TCvWO0G8 > o) Makeup Artist Challenge! | Mystical Sea Creature Makeup May 19, 2017 LINK < https://youtu.be/IGV-nrNjeoQ > o) EVERYBODY get your #NosesOn for RED NOSE DAY May 25, 2017 LINK < https://youtu.be/QQDPI21SYuQ > o) Inside the Box of KURIOS | 360° Virtual Reality Trailer May 26, 2017 LINK < https://youtu.be/lRiBUA4T1t4 > ======================================================================= FASCINATION! FEATURES ======================================================================= o) "Kurios About: The Kurios DVD - A Review" By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA) o) "VOLTA: FREEDOM IS THE ULTIMATE RUSH" Texts from the Press Kit & More Edited By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA) o) "We're Off and Running - A Series of Classic Critiques" Part 2 of 16: Le Cirque Réinventé, Part 2 (1988) By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA) ------------------------------------------------------------ "Kurios About: The Kurios DVD - A Review" By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA) ------------------------------------------------------------ UPC –- 4-00005-23931-1 Catalog — 523931 Video — 1.78:1 Wide screen Audio — English 2.0 Run Time –- 96 minutes (1 hour 36 minutes) Region –- 0/All It’s been a long and winding road, but we finally have a filmed version of Cirque du Soleil’s smash-hit show KURIOS in our hot little hands – and it’s awesome! A BIT OF HISTORY ---------------- We first began traversing this path all the way back in December 2014, when our friends at TheChaptieau had the opportunity to speak to Amelie Robitaille, KURIOS’s publicist, who was kind enough to answer one of the fans’ most pressing questions: whether or not KURIOS would follow Amaluna’s steps and see a DVD released in the near future. (Amaluna was filmed in Toronto in 2012 and released onto DVD in December 2013). “We will, in the future,” Amelie said then. “I can’t guarantee when. All I know so far is we are not filming the DVD in San Francisco as we are too busy. So yes, there will be a DVD release eventually. Because we are such a popular show right now, we are a victim of our success, so we have 10 shows per week. We are so busy that we don’t have time to actually get involved in the filming of the DVD, but it will be happening soon.” So we waited… patiently… for any word of filming. But then we heard some disparaging news: due to costs in producing the show, and its popularity, Cirque du Soleil decided not film the show. Ever. Wait, what? And that, as they say, was that. Or so we thought. Then out of nowhere on December 14, 2016, an Instagram post from Christa Mercey (Bella Donna in KURIOS), surprised many fans: “Make up ready for the DVD shoot. Let’s do this!” And if that didn’t convince anyone that KURIOS being filmed, another Instagram post by Kurios’ General Stage Manager pretty much confirmed it: it was a picture of a FILMING NOTICE sign alerting spectators that the event they were participating in that night was being recorded, and by walking into the big top they gave their consent to being filmed and photographed. It was really happening! KURIOS was being filmed in Miami! And on May 2, 2017, the DVD was available for purchase by fans during the Houston premiere of KURIOS’s tour. And that’s to a generous run by friend and fellow fan Jose Perez, we received a copy in the mail just a few days later. So what do we think about it? A KURIOS REVIEW --------------- Unlike most fans, I find most of the filmed versions of these shows to be decent representations of their subject matter. While most fans decried the Quidam, Alegria, La Nouba, and Amaluna DVD representations, I did not. Sure, I found something to nit-pick on each of them (La Nouba’s especially), but for the most part everything one enjoys about the show is there. (We won’t even get into Saltimbanco’s recording, okay?). Prior to the release of KURIOS, Cirque du Soleil actually filmed and released two other shows: TORUK- The First Flight and Luzia. And while I would have some major issues with both of these - from the lack of HD releases to the way the scenes were cut and stitched back together – it was nice to have these for home consumption. For KURIOS though, I found the DVD to be very well put together and edited. I was also happy to find that virtually everything you see in the show – again with some exceptions – is there in some form. And that there weren’t too many camera tricks – slow motion, spinning, and too many quick cuts – like we’ve seen in previous show recordings. Here’s what I liked about KURIOS on DVD: 1) I didn't feel the cuts in the action were too obtrusive, as I’ve (and many fans) have complained about in previous recordings. It all felt good and solid; a well edited together show. I don’t recall any slow-motion effects (which were used more than necessary in previous DVDs), or spinning camera tricks. The folks doing this seem to love KURIOS, and it shows. 2) The video quality also looked better than TORUK and LUZIA, so that's a plus. I didn't notice aliasing effects in this one, unlike for TORUK, which was really, really noticeable. KURIOS’s presentation looked clean, crisp, and clear – and for a DVD in this day and age that’s saying something. 3) The Go-Pro camera angles were a nifty touch, but I'm glad they were used sparingly. 4) I really liked the split screen effect to show Nico's puppetry act. That way we get to see both up activities up close. 5) The inclusion of the web-series “Kurios About” as a bonus feature, was nice to see. Running 26 minutes (although my DVD player said 23 minutes and 5 seconds), follow the cast and crew of KURIOS on tour, and find out what hides in their Cabinet of Curiosities. From the Big Top to Costumes, Make-up, Food and much more, the 12 episode “KURIOS About: The Webseries” gives fans a behind-the-scenes peek at the Cirque du Soleil’s 35th creation! Explore Cirque’s universe and reality from the eyes of an insider; see the artists and the staff work with devotion to make the show happen every day. That being said I do have some nitpicks, however: 1) I found the constantly moving camera very distracting in the beginning, to the point where it was ruining the opening number (CHAOS SYNCHRO). Naturally there's a lot going on in this act, but, it's really not necessary to constantly track around the action. Hold the camera still and let the action happen around it. It's like they wanted to show off they had the camera on dollies and cranes. 2) Sometimes the music playing did not match up with the action on screen. I only found this distracting one time, and this was in the opening number. [SPOILER] The crescendo that occurs as the juggler ascends into the air during the live show did NOT occur during the filmed version. Only after he came down did that point in the song occur. I'm sorry, but that kind of ruined the excitement of it all. 3) Speaking of the opening. [SPOILER] The artist train run that chugs along from one side of the stage to the other in the prologue is not in the recording. Although I can see why they didn't include it, it's really one of the best parts of the opening. It's so quirky, and so KURIOS. It also helps give context to the arriving train in the Chaos Synchro opening number, but without it you don't have that context. I did say it was a nitpick ;) 4) That damn light. Okay, how many times must you show that big-ass light in the rafters of the big top? I think we all get it by now that it's a steampunk-themed show. The light is cool... the first couple of times... but c'mon now. Move the camera away from that light and follow the action, mmmkay? 5) The DVD artwork. Why is Microcosmos pictured on the cover? Microcosmos is a fascinating, and beloved character from the show yes, but why him over any other character? What was wrong with using the poster as the cover art for the DVD? After using the fantastic new colorful artwork for LUZIA’s DVD cover, the cover for KURIOS’ DVD just seems… bland. THE CONCLUSION -------------- Although everyone’s tastes are different, the KURIOS DVD is probably one of the most solid recordings of a show I’ve seen recently. As a fan of Cirque du Soleil and of KURIOS specifically, I’m very happy with it. The only action – a recommendation really – I would like Cirque du Soleil Images to consider is to begin releasing these in HD – either on Blu-Ray or digitally. TORUK, with its dazzling array of colorful scenes, would have greatly benefited from an HD release, and I have no doubt that LUZIA and KURIOS would as well. And, of course, while we’re at it, how about HD/Digital releases for all previously recorded shows! At present time the KURIOS DVD - $25.00 USD – can only be found in two places: under the Grand Chapiteau at KURIOS, and at the Cirque du Soleil Boutique at La Nouba. ------------------------------------------------------------ "VOLTA: FREEDOM IS THE ULTIMATE RUSH" Texts from the Press Kit & More Edited By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA) ------------------------------------------------------------ On April 28, 2017, Cirque du Soleil presented in Montreal the world premiere of its latest production, VOLTA. Last issue I remarked that normally I'd be walking down the cobblestone-lined pathways of the Jacques Cartier Pier in the Vieux Port of Montreal with a couple- thousand Québécois in celebration of this feat. But not this year. It just wasn't in the cards (or the budget). Although I was unable to attend the premiere of VOLTA with fellow fans and friends of Cirque du Soleil as I normally did, thanks a dear friend I was able to get a little more insight into the show through the texts printed in the show's programme book. Since sharing that text with you last time, Cirque du Soleil released the full PRESS KIT for VOLTA, which has a lot more information about the show's scenography, costumes, and, of course, acts within it. Here's what we know now... THE CONCEPT ----------- In poetry, the volta, or turn, is a rhetorical shift or dramatic change in thought and/or emotion, and with this latest creation, Cirque du Soleil is pushing the boundaries of circus arts by integrating several action sports disciplines, presented for the first time on its stages, including BMX acts, Parkour and BMX Flatland. Inspiration for VOLTA was drawn from the spirit of adventure that pervades the world of action sports. Whether they are on a bike, hopping from rooftop to rooftop, or barreling down a mountain, action sports enthusiasts constantly challenge themselves and defy convention. VOLTA tells a spellbinding story about the freedom to choose and the thrill of blazing your own trail. Inspired in part by the adventurous spirit that fuels the culture of action sports, the show weaves acrobatics into a visually striking world driven by a stirring melodic score. VOLTA is a story of transformation. It is about being true to oneself, fulfilling one’s true potential, and the power of the group to make that possible. It celebrates freedom as a movement. VOLTA also explores the themes of self-realization and alienation in a world where technology often isolates people from one another rather than freeing them. Using the rise of the celebrity culture and reality TV as a subtext, VOLTA is an allegory on the flip side of fame and the search for authenticity. WAZ, a popular gameshow host, has lost touch with his inner self in the pursuit of fame, pulling others in the trap of instant glory. But as doubt sets in, WAZ is enlightened by childhood memories as he encounters 'free spirits' who open doors to his inner soul he has long kept shut. On his high-voltage search for meaning, will WAZ find the courage to relinquish his fame, reconnect with his true self, and shine bright? THEMES AND INSPIRATIONS ----------------------- Action sports and the spirit of adventure – The creators of VOLTA drew inspiration from the spirit of adventure that pervades the world of action sports. Whether they are on a bike, hopping from rooftop to rooftop, or barreling down a mountain, action sports enthusiasts constantly challenge themselves and defy convention. Authenticity as an antidote to superficiality – VOLTA explores the themes of self-realization and alienation in a world where technology often isolates people from one another rather than freeing them. Using the rise of the celebrity culture and reality TV as a subtext, VOLTA is an allegory on the flip side of fame and the search for authenticity. Quid Pro Quo – WAZ is the host of Quid Pro Quo (QPQ), the most popular gameshow on TV in the world of VOLTA. Every week, everyone tunes in to watch contestants scramble for a chance to become instant celebrities. In order to be transformed into ELITES, 2 contestants must first compete against one another in a trial of skill. When the 1,000th episode of QPQ begins, WAZ’s life is about to take a sharp turn. SET & STAGE - A BREATHING, PULSATING WORLD ------------------------------------------ Stone, light, mechanics, and the human element are the bedrock of VOLTA's story. And VOLTA's stage (which affords the audience a 240- degree view of the action), has a pulse and life all its own. In a heartbeat, it can turn from a dark, stone-dead quarry into a cathedral of light! From the dynamic acrobatic Parkour act to the high energy BMX, Trial and Flatland numbers to the Highline and Wingsuit evocations, the performances in VOLTA require a complex array of state-of-the-art, meticulously designed acrobatic equipment and rigging. THE LANDSCAPE – a granite quarry – looks like it was mined out of a gigantic rock. It is a manmade, geometrically variable environment, constantly changing and adapting to the storyline. The light breaking through the background and the stage floor and emanating from WAZ’s Cube makes the stage breathe. When the characters of VOLTA invade this seemingly cold environment, the set literally comes to life. THE OUTER RING of the circular stage is a revolving plate with footlights that illuminate the performances. It is used to generate kinetic energy on stage as well as move props and artists. Three slim, articulated hydraulic lifts emerge from the stage floor to populate the space above the stage. Higher up, the bridge that spans two of the Big Top’s four masts can move gracefully up and down to modulate the audience’s focus and serve as a second stage, despite weighing 2,268 kilograms. All of the mechanics on stage provide a showcase for the story that is about to unfold. As, for example, in the Parkour act, artists execute a cavalcade of moves and jumps in a fluid and poetic choreography, leaping from freestanding structures spread out on the stage onto three hydraulic lifts, and then onto the bridge and back. The route the acrobats take is meticulously mapped out, taking into account a series of biomechanical parameters. THE CUBE, WAZ’s refuge where he keeps treasured childhood mementos, represents the duality of the main character. It is a 5,900 kg, highly versatile mechanical device – one of the iconic symbols in the world of VOLTA. The Cube can pivot and move upstage and downstage. Two of its movable panels are used for delivering video content. But beyond the stagecraft and the mechanics, the Cube is a pivotal element in the VOLTA narrative. A theatre décor in its own right, it is the refuge where WAZ can conjure up memories from his childhood in private and out of sight. From WAZ’S dressing room, the Cube turns into WAZ’s childhood bedroom. Inside, WAZ rummages through a treasure chest of cherished mementos. At one point, the Cube metaphorically turns into a time capsule when WAZ plays family movies depicting his happy life at home; the two LED panels unfold from the sides of the Cube to deliver the cinematic content for all the audience to see. Past and present collide in this miniature world where big things happen. (The electrical components of the Cube, such as the rotating motor and the LED panels, are powered by a 200-amp electrical source like the one used in an average home. The wallpaper on the back wall of WAZ’s Cube is perforated with tiny holes to let air through and cool down the two LED panels on its flanks.) THE ROULODROME — For the breathtaking BMX act, a full-fledged roulodrome (skate park) is mounted on stage in front of the audience's very eyes. Because of the limited space under the Big Top (the VOLTA stage is exceptionally deep) the six massive ramps used in the breathtaking BMX act are of increasing size and slip one inside another, like Russian dolls, when stowed away. The ramps are made of thick, heavy-duty polycarbonate – a material used to make bulletproof glass – and are fully transparent so as not to block the view of spectators sitting in the front rows, who see riders through the ramp come at them at more than 30 km/h. And the material must be strong and resistant, because a rider landing on a ramp generates a force of 12 Gs: twelve times his weight! VIDEO CONTENT – REVEALING THE LIGHT WITHIN ------------------------------------------ VOLTA is a luminous world chock-full of LED-clad objects. The Cube is equipped with two panels made of 4-mm LED tiles that deliver film quality video content. The stage is ringed with LED lights and is lined with a forest of movable lampposts that focus the audience’s attention on the performance. The video content is divided into four sections: WAZ’s childhood memories, filmed in warm, cinematic fashion; the superficial, computer-generated world of QPQ, which has a colder, slicker look and feel; the calculated city world and its grid-like patterns; and the realm of the Free Spirits, with its natural and earthy atmospheres. To create a sense of cohesion, these four palettes were tied in together through an overall photorealistic approach. The production’s video control system is 100% interactive and can be triggered by the simple kick of a drum or the sound of a voice. Three cameras capture the action on stage as well as audience reactions, and the images are played back on the screens in real time. There is even a camera mounted on WAZ’s microphone during the QPQ sequences. The short "family movies" played on the two LED panels that flank the Cube on both sides and transport the audience into WAZ’s past, evoke the main character’s simple, happy childhood out in the country. To give the impression that the observer is privy to the character’s innermost secrets and to create the warm, timeless look, the films were shot in a portrait-style vertical format using special vintage equipment. An ultramodern digital Alexa XT camera was paired with German-made Zeiss Vintage lenses from the 1960s like the ones used by legendary director Stanley Kubrick to create the soft, film-based textures of the movies. When light enters into these lenses, it leaves a distinct signature that creates that classic vintage look. MUSIC – A STREAM OF GRIPPING LANDSCAPES --------------------------------------- VOLTA is propelled by a series of atmospheric, epic and poetic musical landscapes. The vast palette glides from synth-pop to more melodic lines, from ambient shoegazing to waves of symphonic and orchestral sounds to which stirring choirs, brass and string textures were added. Written by composer Anthony Gonzalez (M83), the highly cinematic music of VOLTA evokes a complex array of emotions and moods that ebb and flow majestically like the tide, always in sync with the acrobatic performances on stage. It is a narrative tool in its own right, echoing the different arcs in the storyline and expressing the distinct personalities of the worlds of VOLTA – the GREYS, the ELITES, and the FREE SPIRITS. COSTUMES - THE FABRIC OF VOLTA ------------------------------ More than 1,200 costume elements were produced for VOLTA by the artisans in the costume workshop at Cirque du Soleil’s international headquarters in Montreal. The stunning costumes echo the themes of alienation and self-realization, and embody the fatuity and overindulgence of self-realization that have gone awry. They also reflect the DIY (Do It Yourself) mentality of those who strive to "find their free". In his Quid Pro Quo outfit, Waz is the ultimate Super Elite: solid gold through and through. Gold colored dragon scales make up his hard, exterior shell. This armor is wearing Waz more than he is wearing it. It increasingly becomes a burden as the show progresses. When he sheds the cloak, he appears as a Grey on the verge of becoming a Free Spirit. When he is among the Greys without his Quid Pro Quo cloak, he walks around unnoticed, literally blending in with the crowd. (The laser coat Waz wears as the host of Quid Pro Quo contains 168 lasers, contains 90 meters of wiring, and has a capacity of 115 different laser beam combinations. His distinctive headdress has approximately 1,500 blue feathers.) In the world of VOLTA, the Greys represent the everyman. In multiple shades of grey, the prints and patchwork-type patterns and textures of their outfits mimic the bleakness of the landscape and blend with the stage. The Grey's costumes are held together with belting from head to toe. Some of the Greys are in a transitional state to becoming Free Spirits; when they remove their coats, the backs of their shirts have colorful patterns showing their individuality. The Elites' costumes are as big as their egos. Clad in metallic gold and black, the Elites are wannabe royals, "blinged" up beyond ridicule. Metallic glitter gives their flamboyant neo-Baroque costumes a hard shine that underscores their self-importance. The shiny gold textures are created with laser-cut metallic and glitter transfer. Free Spirits are open-minded, life-loving travelers who won’t hesitate a moment to veer off course for the sheer sake of adventure. On their travels, they collect meaningful objects and trinkets, which they attach to their costumes. The fabrics and prints call to mind extensive travel and encounters with many cultures of the world. The Free Spirits' complex, richly colored outfits evoke handmade techniques such as macramé and crochet. (The make-up designs for the life-loving Free Spirits are inspired by vibrant Hindu colors such as oranges and aqua blues. The colors on the characters’ bodies are applied with sponges full of holes or, in the case of the Swiss rings performers, using various paint splattering techniques.) The Memories emerge during the dreamlike, cinematic sequences that portray Waz as happy child full of promise. Printed with delicate forest and tree motifs, the Memories' costumes have a mystical, ethereal feel and convey transparency, sheerness and flow. CHARACTERS ---------- WAZ -- Once a young boy full of dreams and aspirations, Waz lost his way a long time ago. Growing up as a child, he was mocked for being different: he has blue feathers instead of hair. He uses his fame as the host of QPQ as an armor under which he keeps his secret carefully hidden. As he hosts the 1,000th episode of QPQ, something is eating up at him, and his tightly wound world is fast unspooling. When Waz retreats to the "Cube" – in turn his dressing room and his refuge – he is lulled by memories of his youth. As doubts begin to creep in, he starts to realize that who he once was and what he has become are poles apart. His façade starts to flake away. Waz finally realizes he can show his true face and shine once again. THE GREYS -- The Greys are the everyman, city dwellers who have accumulated the dust of inertia over time. Like the Elites they aspire to become, the Greys are out of sync with their true selves. Lost in the fog of misguided hopes, they have a tendency to look for happiness in the wrong places. They live their lives permanently glued to their cell phones and screens. Mostly cut off from one another, they settle for their everyday routine, the tedium of repetition. Greys come to the Quid Pro Quo TV show for a chance to bathe in instant celebrity. If they win, they are transformed into Elites. But what they don't realize is that they're merely switching from one false promise to another. Like Waz, the Greys have faded over time, letting fear get the best of them. THE ELITES -- The Elites are bloated, self-important royalty wannabes. Fitting in is all they aspire to. Instant stardom is the name of the game! Self-knowledge, awareness of others, open mindedness, and curiosity are the least of their concerns. They are conformists who look down on the Greys - even though they were once Greys themselves – and they utterly despise and fear the Free Spirits, because they find their freedom deeply unsettling. They are slaves to judgment. They are power hungry and ruled by fear. Another thing Elites have in common: they idolize Waz, for Waz is their king and savior, which makes them nothing more than brave little soldiers. THE FREE SPIRITS -- The Free Spirits personify the glorious rejection of "good enough." They are not bound by rules or expectations - not because they are lawless, but because they are free. They are driven by impulses and dreams: freedom is a movement. For them, there are no walls or barriers. They are benevolent, life-loving individuals who see beyond their own nose and care deeply about others. They travel the world, collecting and sharing experiences. They are real and genuine, always seeking to fulfill their potential and that of others. The Free Spirits and the Elites are polar opposites. To a Free Spirit, originality is strength. Waz's encounter with the Free Spirits – particularly Ela – will inspire him to embrace his true self. THE MEMORIES -- Memories are the embodiment of Waz's childhood dreams, at a time when everything was still possible, when he still held his destiny in his own hands. A time when fear and not yet taken root in his gut. Memories are the rays of light in his dark world, lifelines to his true self. They reveal the blue feathers under his armor in all their cerulean splendor. SHOOD KOOD WOOD -- This character is Waz's sidekick. He warms up the QPQ audience and emcees the contestant trials. An Elite wannabe, Shod Kood Wood represents the fear of change. His entire world hinges on WAZ continuing on as the king of QPQ. YOUNGER WAZ -- Younger Waz is the main character’s alter ego. In the world of VOLTA, he is visible only to Waz. This younger version of himself represents his childhood hopes, dreams and aspirations. He is Waz's guardian angel. ELA -- Ela is the archetypal Free Spirit. She sees the untapped potential in others and tries to rouse them from their apathy. She is there at the right moment to help Waz set out on his journey. ACTS & ACROBATIC PERFORMANCE ---------------------------- QUID PRO QUO 1,000TH - Rope Skipping When the 1,000th episode of Quid Pro Quo begins in a frenzy of hysterical excitement, “rope skipping” is selected as the first challenge. After the ecstatic contestants compete in the winner-takes- all challenges, the victor is transformed into an ELITE. In this act, rope skipping takes on a new dimension with a heightened level of acrobatic prowess. Artists perform single rope and double Dutch sequences (two ropes turning in opposite directions). With an urban, hip hop attitude, they tumble, flip, and perform handstand hops through the spinning ropes. When the act culminates in a breathtaking speed pass at full throttle, the two spinning ropes are just a blur. MEETING ELA - Precision Walk, Roller Skates & Batons ELA appears on roller skates with other FREE SPIRITS and performs for WAZ, who is totally captivated. ELA is his connection to the real world – a spot of color in his bleak reality. Playfully intrigued, she approaches to touch his blue feathers, but he pulls back. The GREYS execute a striking group choreography, changing directions in rhythmic unison, their eyes glued to their cellphones – compasses leading nowhere. They are all the same: withdrawn, strait-jacketed into their daily routines. ELA playfully joins in the performance of a fellow FREE SPIRIT. Combining dance and gymnastics, the artist twirls her batons as if they are an extension of her body. Demonstrating exceptional control, she spins one, two, and then three batons around her neck, arms, and legs, tossing them high into the air and catching them after performing a series of acrobatic figures. GUARDIAN ANGEL IN THE CITY – Acro Lamp WAZ pulls out mementos from his treasure chest, finding pleasure in reconstructing his long-forgotten past. He encounters younger WAZ who tries to shed some light on his predicament. In a moment of calm introspection, “younger WAZ” grabs onto a suspended red lamp just like the one in WAZ’s Cube and flies majestically above the stage in long sweeping arcs. Hanging on with his hands or feet, he swings and spins gracefully above WAZ using the light to metaphorically illuminate the journey ahead. RISE & SHINE – Parkour As the GREYS wake up and begin their daily routines, the playful and mischievous FREE SPIRITS invade the city and transform the space into a playground. In a tribute to the discipline and artistry of “free running,” the FREE SPIRITS execute a series of high-level moves and jumps in a fluid and poetic choreography, leaping from freestanding structures spread out on the stage onto the three hydraulic lifts, then onto the bridge and back, crisscrossing in midair. This act explores the themes of synchronicity, musicality, partnering and individuality. URBAN JUNGLE – Shape Diving Following the invasion of the city by the FREE SPIRITS, some GREYS are inspired to let their inner free spirit come to life, straddling both worlds. In an electric, urban atmosphere, five artists tumble and jump through shapes, sometimes feet first, sometimes backwards, sometimes bent in half, even adding breakdancing and hip-hop-style moves into the mix. DAYDREAMING – BMX Flatland & Ballet Duo In his Cube, WAZ turns on a home video projector and watches 8mm movies of his childhood days, reliving fond memories of riding his beloved red bicycle and playing in the backyard with his mother. A world champion BMX flatland rider performs a riveting routine on his bike and engages in a pas de deux with a ballet dancer as WAZ looks on. Coming from disciplines that seem worlds apart, the two artists create mirror-like images in a mesmerizing synchronized choreography. INTERVENTION – Swiss Rings/Bungee In all their glory, the FREE SPIRITS storm in to encourage WAZ to pursue his quest. He experiences sensations that he hasn’t felt since he was a child. Suspended from the bridge, eight top-level gymnasts on four sets of Swiss-style rings twist, swivel, and sway to and from on their apparatus in a high-energy celebration of WAZ’s departure from the gameshow. They are busy showing their tricks when two artists suddenly fall from the sky on bungee cords and interact with the gymnasts below in alternating patterns. *** INTERMISSION *** LEAVING THE CITY – Acrobatic Ladders WAZ has shed his QPQ persona and is now wandering in the city as an ordinary citizen. As he looks for a way out, he wanders through an alleyway and encounters GREYS who, like him, have evolved and aspire to genuineness and authenticity. Two articulated ladders attached to the edge of the stage on pivot points are the towering symbols of WAZ’s escape from the artificial world of QPQ. Artists climb, spin and execute acrobatic and artistic figures on the ladders in synchronized and alternating patterns. At certain points, the ladders swing out majestically over the audience. STARLIGHT – Tight Wire The FREE SPIRITS arrive on stage carrying lanterns that mark the path through this newly discovered world. WAZ finds himself amid a group of nomadic FREE SPIRITS, and for the first time in a long time, he has his sights set on the future – HIS future. The FREE SPIRITS appear on stage carrying luminous stones while an artist performs a fluid tight wire act. Using quick footwork, he hops, sits, rolls and executes somersaults effortlessly, occupying both the space above and under the wire. GLOBETROTTERS – Charivari The FREE SPIRITS celebrate the splendors of their boundless world and their adventurous lifestyle as ELA looks on. While an artist holding onto a ring executes acrobatic figures and spins at an astonishing speed, a rider shows his skills at trial bike riding, a discipline in which the rider attempts to scale obstacles without setting foot on the ground. A highline artist walks a tight rope while ELA interacts with the trial rider’s performance. MIRAGE – Hair Suspension A spellbinding artist suspended only by her hair levitates slowly from a cushion underneath her, barely touching the ground. This mysterious, slithering character then rises up above the stage, swinging back and forth or spinning like a top, all the while exercising her hypnotic power over all. HALL OF EQUALS – Hand to Hand on Unicycle This act is WAZ’s rite of passage into the new world. ELA invites him to partake in a ritual celebration with the FREE SPIRITS. At the end of the act, WAZ is ready to show his true face to the world as the FREE SPIRITS cheer him on. A percussionist performs a thunderous tenor drum solo and is soon joined by four other percussionists suspended above the stage who continue the dramatic, pulsating beat in unison. The FREE SPIRITS watch on as two artists perform a hand to hand act on a unicycle. Suddenly, 24 ropes fall dramatically from the sky. As the artists turn on the rotating stage, they use the ropes to create the structure of a tent in a majestic swirling motion. BREAKTHROUGH – Contemporary Dance The real WAZ emerges. He comes face to face with his younger self, and they both look one another in the eye. WAZ has proven that he has remained true to his inner self – a fearless, free and innocent young boy full of big dreams. As his true identity has been locked away until now, so was his hidden talent. Now he is ready to shine. When his inspirational dance comes to an end, SHOOD KOOD WOOD greets his old friend. After witnessing their idol’s breathtaking performance, the GREYS, the ELITES, the FREE SPIRITS and SHOOD KOOD WOOD are awestruck. WAZ’s dance is the physical manifestation of his liberation, building up from simple, understated arm movements, and exploding into dramatic grand jetés. The choreography, which reveals not a dancer, but a free man, expresses WAZ’s humanity, vulnerability and courage. MOMENTUM – BMX WAZ is now in control of his life and has been admitted into this community of life-loving FREE SPIRITS. In a contagious spirit of celebration, they let it all out and show their mettle. A full-blown BMX park is mounted on stage in front of the audience’s very eyes for the breathtaking BMX finale as five riders invade the stage to deliver a jaw-dropping, fast and furious performance of nonstop acrobatics on wheels. The riders go up the jump boxes and perform air tricks before landing and leaping off the ramps again, crisscrossing and spinning their bikes in midair in a spirit of brotherhood. Some of the tricks you'll see are... o) SUPERMAN: The rider extends both feet outwards to resemble Superman in flight. o) FLAIR: The rider does a backflip with his bike combined with a 180-degree spin before landing on the ramp. o) DOUBLE TAIL WHIP: The rider throws the bike out to one side while still holding onto the handle bars so that the frame goes 360 degrees around the steering tube twice; the rider then catches the frame again and stands back on the pedals. o) FLIP WHIP: While doing a backward flip with his bike, the rider performs a tail whip: he throws the bike out to one side while still holding onto the handle bars so that the frame goes 360 degrees around the steering tube; he then catches the frame again and stands back on the pedals. o) 720: The rider does two 360-degree spins in a single jump. * * * "VOLTA is a show about the thirst for freedom and the path to self- realization for the good of the many, in a world where the cult of celebrity sometimes consorts with technology to isolate us from one another. It is also a dazzling ode to the courage it takes to blaze one's own path. "VOLTA was born out of a desire to create an utterly modern and contemporary show. We wanted to take our devoted fans into new, uncharted territories and touch the hearts of new followers without ever losing track of the Cirque du Soleil DNA. Up-and-coming creators from Quebec combined their talents with those of other renowned creators from around the world to explore new vocabularies - particularly that of action sports - to pay tribute to 'free spirits' who live their wildest dreams to the fullest in a spirit of brotherhood." - Jean-Francois Bouchard Bon spectacle! ------------------------------------------------------------ "We're Off and Running - A Series of Classic Critiques" Part 2 of 16: Le Cirque Réinventé, Part 2 (1988) By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA) ------------------------------------------------------------ A few weeks ago, as I was flipping through a few classic Cirque du Soleil programme books (as is my wont), I was happily caught off-guard by a brief history of the company that it had written about itself in Saltimbanco’s original European Tour programme, published sometime in 1996. Not because the historia was in English, French, and Spanish, but rather I found the wording a bit more colorful… haughty… than what you’d find from the company today. Something about its whimsical and heady nature spoke to the way Cirque du Soleil saw itself then, containing a youthful verve and arrogance that is simply no longer present. When did Cirque lose this dynamic sense of self, this liveliness, and vivacity about its past, present, and future? Unfortunately, not long after. Thereafter the speak becomes less joie de vivre and more lié aux affaires, and Cirque du Soleil turns from a rag-tag band of street performers into a bona fide corporate entity right before our very eyes. This is not a new revelation – far from it in fact – but this re-discovery struck a chord of curiosity within… How did others see Cirque du Soleil during this period? Think about it: as Cirque’s multitude of shows travel around the globe in either arenas or under the big top, at each stop, in each city, there is a write-up in the local press. Sometimes the coverage is just a brief blurb about the show and its theme, occasionally there’s a short interview with a performer, a stage hand, or creation director, and other times it’s an assessment of the show itself, evaluating its technical and acrobatic merits with what had come through before. But the reviews we see today are too current, discussing these shows through a contemporary lens; shows that have/had 15 to 20 years touring the globe, shows we would refer to as “classic” or “signature”. What I’d become interested in knowing was what some of the first reviews, peeks, and evaluations of these shows were as they took their first steps across North America. How did the press see Le Cirque du Soleil in 1998, 1994, 1990, 1987? It was time to peck through the archives. What I found was extraordinary, and more than I expected. And I'm sharing these discoveries here in Fascination through a series of collections, beginning with the 1987 tournée of Le Cirque du Soleil (better known today as Le Cirque Réinventé), and continuing on from there. Last issue was Part 1 of 16: Le Cirque Réinventé, Part 1 (1987); this month we continue looking at 1988's reviews of Le Cirque Réinventé. # # # WHERE MAGIC IS PURE AND FANTASY REAL By: Anna Kisselgoff | New York Times May 17, 1988 Everything comes together beautifully in Le Cirque du Soleil, an enchanting circus troupe from Montreal that lives up to its name as a circus of the sun. More than a little poetic sunlight filled the night air Wednesday evening at Battery Park City, where a blue and yellow tent had been pitched just off West Street at Battery Place for the circus's New York debut. To say, as everyone does, that Cirque du Soleil has no animals is akin to saying that Shakespeare has no prose in his plays. There is, in fact, a touch of the Bard in the concept behind this wonderfully witty and theatrical show. Like Bottom in "A Midsummer Night's Dream," the rustics who open the performance enter a temporary dream-world in which they are transformed. Children will understand this fantasy sphere immediately and adults will appreciate the several levels of artistry through which this connective thread of a narrative is always maintained. From hip comedy and art rock music to ancient Chinese acrobatics, Cirque du Soleil's totally choreographed theatrical production has something for everyone. The basic message is that fantasies can be fulfilled, if only in the imagination. A fuddy-duddy is transformed into the circus's master of ceremonies and a gaggle of folk in loud shirts and dresses turn into graceful aerialists and acrobats. The line between cliches and universals, however, is magnificently understood by the circus's creators. You will find traditional circus acts here, but also a comment and twist on these acts. The veneer is refined and innocent, often transmitted through the glowing face of a child performer. The two-hour show, scheduled through June 5, is a synthesis of easily recognizable art forms pioneered by others and yet the final result is deeply original. There are echoes of Montreal's avant-garde dance troupes and comedy routines from the new vaudeville. Chinese acrobats have left their influence in the acts with balancing chairs, contortionists and bicycle riding tricks. The point is that it all comes up looking like nothing else. On this occasion, the evening was opened by Guy Laliberte, Soleil's founder and president, and Governor Cuomo, on behalf of a benefit for two organizations concerned with the homeless, HELP and the Coalition for the Homeless. The tone of the evening is set immediately by the irreverent clowns amid the audience, but its component of magic, real and simulated, comes clear only when four young genies in exotic robes act as our guides. A clump of fugitives from Samuel Beckett enter amid an enveloping mist; Michel Barette is transformed into the ringmaster and introduces the chair-balancing act. Here as elsewhere, the accent is not on the death-defying risk, but on beauty of design. Bravura mixes with art. There is no tension. What a relief. Thus, some of the youngsters doing handstands on the tower of tilted chairs are attached to wires - a touch of Peter Pan. And when Antoine Rigot flies down from a high wire and leaves his raincoat in the air, the surreal imagery is apt. His duet on a tightrope with Agathe Olivier, who bourrees along the wire on toe, recalls Picasso's acrobats as do the witty acrobats from Paris who add a flick of flamenco - the petite Amelie Demay and Eric Verelas. Fairground history has its echoes with Daniel Le Bateleur, whose juggling is sheerly artistic, especially when he makes a rope tie itself into knots. The faceless tumblers who trot out with attache cases comment on rat races and use teeterboards as metaphors. Benny Le Grand's disappearing act is too good to give away, but Daniel Lacombe's pie in his own face clowning and his second solo is too good not to reveal. Mr. Lacombe's mad conductor, tilting forward from his ski boots as he conducts the 1812 Overture (on a walkman) with a thigh bone while throwing batons into the air is Walter Mitty gone berserk – also hilarious. For poetic relief, there is Andrew Watson and Jackie Williams in a trapeze act that has a fantastic touch, as Ms. Williams flies out toward the audience when least expected. Angela Laurier was the smiling contortionist. Guy Caron and Mr. Laliberte created this magical show, with Debra Brown as choreographer. * * * * * ART UNDER THE (LITTLE) BIG TOP By: Andrew Pollack | New York Times May 25, 1988 Two dancers are flirting. He plays the oboe as she pirouettes toward him. Then he advances toward her, leaping and doing a somersault, only to be pushed away. It could be ballet or modern dance - but it's a tightrope act. Later, a young couple is doing a steamy tango. Suddenly, she is standing on her head in the palm of his hand. She remains there as he drops to the ground, rolls over and stands up again, all to the Latin rhythm. Such combinations of dance and acrobatics exemplify Le Cirque du Soleil, a circus from Quebec that has been drawing standing ovations in Canada and California for performances that are part circus, part theater. The four-year-old troupe, whose name means Circus of the Sun, will make its East Coast debut in Battery Park City in Manhattan on Wednesday. ADDING ART TO THE SPECTACLE Le Cirque du Soleil is one of a handful of so-called new-wave circuses that try to present the circus as art, not merely spectacle. Participants perform in one ring to specially composed music, and try to establish an intimacy with the audience often lacking in the three- ring extravaganza that has become customary in the United States. Other such circuses include New York's Big Apple Circus, San Francisco's Pickle Family Circus and Australia's Circus Oz. But among them, Cirque du Soleil is the least traditional and the most theatrical, producing a brightly polished high-tech show that aims its appeal as much to adults as to children. Many of its acts are the same as those found in traditional circuses or Chinese acrobatic shows. Thirteen people ride one bicycle. Three men and two women balance on a tower of chairs. And a contortionist folds her body into shapes that are impossible to describe, let alone do. One big departure, however, is that there are no animal acts. FROM TOURISTS TO STARS Technically, the acts are no more proficient than those found in other circuses. What really sets Cirque du Soleil apart is how the acts are packaged. There is no loud ringmaster here, warbling "La-a-adies and ge-entlemen," no drum roll before each stunt. Instead of being composed of isolated acts, the circus flows from one act to another, and all the acts are loosely united by a common theme: A group of frumpy tourists wanders by mistake into a circus. The Queen of the Night appears in a cloud of smoke and transforms the motley visitors into circus performers wearing dazzling costumes, allowing each to act out his or her fantasies. Almost all the acts are choreographed to pulsating new-age music composed by the circus's musical director, Rene Dupere, and played live by a five-piece band. The music is so coordinated with the performance that each juggle seems to have its own special note. Like much of what is now called the new vaudeville movement, this circus had its origins in street performing. Guy Laliberte, the troupe's founder and president, abandoned his plans to study nuclear engineering in his late teens and began traveling around the world learning such skills as fire breathing and stilt walking. SUPPORT FROM GOVERNMENTS In 1984, the provincial Government of Quebec gave Mr. Laliberte, then 23 years old, a grant to organize a troupe of street performers as part of the celebration marking the 450th anniversary of the discovery of Quebec by Jacques Cartier. Le Cirque du Soleil has grown ever since, with backing from both the Canadian and Quebec Governments and several corporations. The 28 performers of the troupe are mainly in their 20's and not bound by old approaches. In a reversal of the usual roles, women occasionally lift up the men in the acrobatic numbers. And audience rapport is helped by the fact that the troupe's blue-and-gold tent seats only 1,750 people. This circus makes little use of conventional clown stunts and at times seems to mock that tradition. "We hate circuses the way they're done right now," said Denis Lacombe, who is the troupe's leading clown. Mr. Lacombe, who prefers to call himself a "visual comedian," presents one of the shows most crowd-pleasing acts: a portrayal of a symphony conductor who gets carried away by Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture," swaying so hard that his body is parallel to the floor. Mr. Lacombe performed the same act last year with the Big Apple Circus. Fred D. Pfening 3d, president of the Circus Historical Society, an organization of circus enthusiasts in Columbus, Ohio, said he believed that by appealing to adults, Le Cirque du Soleil attracts new audiences to the circus. "It was almost like watching a Broadway production about a circus," he said. "They've brought the yuppies back to the big top." * * * * * MINIMALIST CIRCUS LOADED WITH MAXIMUM PUNCH By: Mel Gussow | New York Times June 5, 1988 The Cirque du Soleil is not only a captivating entertainment, it also provides a cautionary lesson in a theatrical time when musicals are becoming more elaborate and more expensive. With Cirque du Soleil, the French-Canadian one-ring circus scheduled to conclude its brief run in Battery Park City next Sunday, less is, legitimately, more. Take, for example, the climactic sequence, "Tower on Wheels." In related circumstances in a three-ring circus, this might be an extravaganza with gymnasts jumping back and forth on motorcyles or on the backs of prancing horses while above adjoining rings high flyers switched trapezes in mid-air. Here the act is performed with one bicycle, whose rider is joined by three friends, then by three more, and so on, until, before we know it, 13 people are perched on a bicycle built for one. The cycle is so layered with passengers that it is almost invisible as it glides smoothly around the ring. To emphasize the fact that a single cyclist can be the equivalent of a one-man band, Luc Tremblay rides a bicycle into the arena and takes no passengers. He flips, turns, spins on one wheel, rides backwards and treats the vehicle as an extension of his own anatomy. At such moments as this the Cirque du Soleil is imaginative in the extreme (and certainly indebted to Chinese acrobats, some of whom act as trainers). Not only has the company banished all animals from its acts, it offers no large-scale production numbers and has severely limited its use of mechanical equipment. Though we are sitting in a big tent, with, at capacity, some 1,700 other patrons, this is an intimate backyard circus, the lower-case garden variety, and its considerable pleasures are enhanced by being so close to the action. We do not have to strain our eyes or our necks to catch a distant flip in the sky. Despite all the pre-opening fanfare that made it sound as if the Cirque du Soleil were unique, the troupe has to be considered within a context. This is not the first small circus to make a large impression. One-ring circuses tour throughout Europe. The Big Apple Circus is a New York favorite and the Pickle Family Circus is an equally admired company in San Francisco. Among other migrant troupes, there has also been Le Cirque Imaginaire, the fanciful, two-man, toy circus, invented by Victoria Chaplin and her husband, Jean Baptiste Thierree, and in several locations in New York it has been possible to see Huck Snyder's vest-pocket play entitled "Circus," in which actors portray animals. Though it is on a grander scale, in common with Ms. Chaplin's and Mr. Snyder's companies, the Cirque du Soleil is an adjunct to performance art. Following tradition, the Big Apple Circus is a series of acts, some more appealing than others, only glancingly linked by an annual motif. The Cirque du Soleil is a cirque with a difference. It offers a cohesive theater piece - conceptual art in perpetual motion. The individual acts flow into one another, unified by music, movement and point of view. The principal idea, which sounds simpler than it actually is, is that anybody can do anything, that the most ordinary person can be transformed into an equilibrist - with, of course, a maximum of practice and determination. One does not have to train with a flying fraternity of Wallendas or Gaonas in order to win circus wings. In fact, many of the members of the resourceful company have a double or triple expertise and all are marked by their youthful vitality. As Agatha Olivier and Antoine Rigot dance and change places on a low wire, sometimes to the tune of Mr. Rigot's oboe, the two are like incarnations of Bo Widerberg's Elvira Madigan, practicing in a secluded country garden. They are experts in slow motion. On the other hand, there are Jacqueline Williams and Andrew Watson, spinning each other at a high speed on a high trapeze (without benefit of a safety net). They twirl so quickly they become a blur. Slow or fast, these performers are perfectionists, including Angela Laurier who, using her body as her instrument, raises contortionism to an art. Twisting her apparently boneless frame into awesomely intricate positions, she seems to have grown additional limbs - whose legs are those around her head? As is also true of her fellow performers, she makes the effortful look easy. Although there is humor in some of the acts, such as the teeterboard ensemble, whose shower-capped members look like refugees from Woody Allen's futuristic "Sleeper," the Cirque du Soleil is weakest in the clown department (a weakness shared by the Big Apple Circus, whose funniest performers are elephants). Denis Lacombe's slapstick stunts, especially his conducting of an imaginary orchestra while his feet are strapped in "lean shoes" on a trampoline, has a manic fervor. But Mr. Lacombe is not to humor what the artful Eric Varelas and Amelie Demay are to balancing acts (each takes a turn in balancing the other upside down on his head). Also, there were too many forced attempts at involving reluctant members of the audience in routines. Watching these clowns go through their moves, one wishes for one of the Olympian gymnasts of New Vaudeville comedy to enter the ring. Many of them polished their techniques with the Pickle Family and other circuses, and are throwbacks to the clowns of silent movies. One might suggest that the Cirque du Soleil performing artists are themselves throwbacks to the saltimbanques, the circus performers recorded in paintings by Picasso. The Cirque du Soleil shares that saltimbanque feeling of spontaneity, of theater being created as we watch it. As such, the company is in stunning contrast to the computerized, overamplified world of Broadway show business. * * * * * CIRQUE DU SOLEIL By Herbert H. Denton | Washington Post September 4, 1988 In the dreamy, opening scene of the performance of Cirque du Soleil, the sassy and poetic, avant-garde French-Canadian circus that debuts Friday in Washington, a ragtag collection of backwoodsy Quebecer types totters into the ring, the men in their loud, mismatched plaids, the plain-jane women in kerchiefs and aprons, and they are magically transformed one by one into dazzling circus performers. What is truly amazing about that little fairy tale routine is that something like it actually happened in real life. In the true story, a bunch of vagabond Quebec buskers, street performers in their twenties and early thirties who shared the outrageous fantasy that they could create a new kind of circus without freaks or animals, a hip one-ring circus that would be wildly cheered across North America, joined forces four years ago and, with a lot of pluck and a lot of help from the government, surprised nearly everyone, most of all their parents, and succeeded beyond all expectations. Performing under the bright, blue-and-yellow striped big top of Cirque du Soleil -- literally, the "Circus of the Sun" -- are trapeze artists, jugglers, acrobats, contortionists and clowns, and an act in which 13 performers climb onto one bicycle and wheel around the ring. But forget about the musty old Barnum & Bailey-style circus. Think about the musical "Cats." This is a fluid, modern circus with music, lighting and circus feats seamlessly interwoven. The troupe worries as much about the artistry of its stunts as it does about technique. There are lots of high-tech special effects; the performers segue from one act to another with choreographed dirty dancing to the rhythms of sensual tangos and syncopated reggae beats. The humor is fresh, set in the year 1988. It is a circus that lives up to its feminist ideals by having a standing, sylphlike young woman performer balance her male partner atop her head. The playful performers and creators of Cirque say one of their aims is to surprise and unsettle spectators. Nobody does that better than the pugnacious clown with the stage name of Benny le Grand who wanders through the crowd before the show begins, hectoring ticket holders as they search for their seats. Sometimes he snatches women's pocketbooks and examines the contents. On occasion, he will mischievously spray perfume from a stolen purse on others in the crowd. "Whatsa matter?" le Grand shrieked at some somber customers who came to see the troupe perform in Lower Manhattan's Battery Park City this past spring. "Didja get into a bad batch of Valium?" Before they ran off to the streets to begin inventing the nouveau circus, the founding members of Cirque had led fairly ordinary lives. Gilles Ste.-Croix, now 38, studied architecture before deciding to chuck it all and found happiness performing on stilts in the streets. "I was brought up to be a very serious guy," he says now. Technical director Richard Bouthillier, 35, worked as a railway diesel mechanic, which he says was good training for the circus. "Doing the job of technical director is doing a lot of pipe fitting. Everything is custom-made." Cirque's "Queen of the Night," contortionist Angela Laurier, 26, whose insectlike inverted-body bends are among the hits of the show, used to worry her father when as a child growing up in Montreal she not only would twist her body in weird shapes and bring her legs backwards over her head for fun but also persisted in trying to teach neighborhood children how to do that. "Now he's happy," she says, "but he still asks me what I'm going to do with my future." Guy Laliberte', 29, the cocksure president and driving force of Cirque, had been in a post-high school course preparing to study nuclear engineering when he decided to drop out and play an accordion on the streets. Later, he learned how to juggle and then to breathe fire. Although his parents were anguished by his decision to quit school, they were probably not all that surprised. Earlier, at the wise old age of 14, he had left home, leaving behind a note that, among other justifications for his bold act, quoted the cult philosopher Kahlil Gibran: "Your children are not your children. They are the sons and daughters of life's call to life." He is so proud of that youthful wisdom that he now describes the incident in his autobiographical blurb in Cirque's souvenir program. The roughly $10 million-a-year operation the founding trio built got rave reviews when it first appeared in the United States last year at the Los Angeles Festival, or as Quebec newspapers put it at the time, went south of the border for the "conquest of California." It also won effusive praise from New York critics this spring. In a breathless paean of a review, The New York Times' Anna Kisselgoff gushed, "To say, as everyone does, that Cirque du Soleil has no animals is akin to saying that Shakespeare has no prose in his plays." At their home base in Montreal, Cirque is extolled almost as much for its financial success as for its creative invention. Year by year since 1984, the troupe has increased the number of shows it performs and at the same time weaned itself from dependence on government funding. According to spokesmen, more than 90 percent of the funding comes from the box office. Although the circus itself is still a nonprofit organization, Laliberte' and two partners have spun off the concessions as profit-making operations. The enterprise reflects the confidence of a new generation of Quebecers who are less fixated with politics than were their inward- looking '60s-generation brothers and sisters who toyed for a decade with the idea of having the province secede from Canada, before finally rejecting it in a referendum. After the long years of wearying political conflict, Quebecers have become less self-conscious, less introspective, more secure in the belief that their Gallic culture will endure as the distinct exception that it is in English-speaking North America. They are more confident, like the founders of Cirque, that they have something to show off to the rest of the world. Although government grants from the regime of separatist Quebec Premier Rene Levesque gave Cirque the money to turn the dream into reality, Laliberte' says he and most of the other street performers involved in its creation had not been very political. Instead they had for the most part favored Quebec's now-defunct satirical Rhinoceros Party, which intended among other things to sell patronage jobs for $15 a post. Out of the politics of the absurd, there has emerged, mystifyingly, a new civil religion in Quebec, the gospel according to Adam Smith. It is an ethos that has prompted long lines to get into business schools and a mind set that has helped to spawn a whole new class of French- Canadian yuppies with BMWs and gentrified homes. The partners in Cirque are very much a part of that trend. Laliberte', for one, likes to refer to himself as a marchand de bonheur, a "happiness merchant." "We're action people and I think that is the big difference in our generation," he said in an interview just before the group finished playing for a month this summer to adoring, packed houses on Toronto's lakefront. "We have that Latin blood in us and we realized that in North America we could turn that to our advantage," he went on exuberantly, punctuating his comments with frenzied gesturing. "We do believe in our creativity." Although Canada has no indigenous circus tradition, there had long been the dream of starting one, especially among the legions of street performers and government cultural officials. In 1980, the government established a Circus School in Montreal that has become something of a prep school for Cirque. Cirque did not get started until 1984 when Laliberte' and company persuaded somewhat skeptical government officials that they could put on a touring circus as part of the celebration of the 450th anniversary of explorer Jacques Cartier's discovery of Canada and were awarded a $1.6 million grant. The core group had previously put on a provincial festival of Quebec's street performers, but in truth, the organizers did not know very much about putting on a circus, and, most critical of all, none of them knew how to pitch a tent. And neither did the man they hired to do it. Just after the alleged tent master put it up, there was a heavy downpour that blew it to the ground. But the show had to go on and for its first efforts, Cirque performed outdoors or in local arenas of Quebec while the damaged big top was being repaired. But the show, even staged unexpectedly alfresco, proved to be a big hit from the beginning, and the troupe traveled the province constantly experimenting and altering its acts. They were avid students when circuses from Europe and China came to Canada, and began traveling abroad both to recruit performers and borrow techniques. Acrobat Ame'lie Demay, 19, and her partner came from Paris, where both had attended circus school. She says she enjoys being in the troupe because people are so open to new ideas about acts. "I think they have a very different way of thinking," she says of the Quebecers. "They are French but we are in the continent of North America. In Paris, someone once said to me that in America you can be at the top of the world in a month, {in Paris} it will take you a lifetime." Debra Brown, a dance choreographer and gymnast coach, was so excited when she saw Cirque perform in Vancouver two years ago that she went backstage after the show and volunteered her services, explaining some of her ideas for bringing more style and coherence to the performance. She was hired. "Our goal was to get the circus back to where it was at the beginning of the century when it was a recognized art, just like opera was," says artistic director Ste.-Croix. "So in that sense, we are really reinventing the circus. We're a young group and we think that if you live in the 1980s, you ought to have that in your show as well." In their salad days, the core group of performers who created Cirque traveled around Quebec in a beat-up old school bus that served both as sleeping quarters and a storage facility for props. But, the long caravan of 52 trucks, trailers and semis that will roll into Washington and set up on the Mall across from the Air and Space Museum is considerably more elaborate. About half the touring group of 85, roughly 28 of whom are performers, will live onsite, as they do whenever they travel. The operation is virtually self-sustaining, bringing in its own power generators and a traveling French restaurant that serves 300 elaborate meals each day to members of the company. There is a laundry and shower trailer and a classroom for young performers and the dozen or so school-age children who travel with their parents and are instructed by two teachers in the entourage. Among other facilities, there is a massage trailer, a welding shop and dressing and makeup rooms. But as the operation itself has gotten more elaborate, the organizers have strived to maintain the intimacy of the show itself. The tent is only 140 feet in diameter and seats 1,700 people, so that no one in the audience is more than 15 rows from the ring. "The intimacy is very important to the show," said Cirque's chief publicist Jean He'on. "We want you to see the expressions on the performers' faces. We want you to see them sweat." The Washington tour is scheduled for only two weeks, which is standard for Cirque. But in other cities runs have been extended by popular demand. "My dream is to bring all the people of different opinions under one big top," says the frenetic president Laliberte'. "You know, I think people should take more time to laugh." * * * * * LE BIG TOP ON THE MALL By Martha Sherrill Dailey | Washington Post September 8, 1988 Five stories up in the air, on top of a rising circus tent, a couple of guys slide around. Another hangs from all fours on a taut wire rigging. They've pulled off their black T-shirts. They've wrapped them on their heads, turban-style. They all wear Ray-Bans, not eye patches. And still, they look like pirates. "Hey, bay-beeee," says one, leering from the rippling Big Top's top. And from way up there, you can hear his Quebecois accent. Another guy claps. Acrobatics, oui, but this isn't the wire act. The real performers haven't arrived. It's just some of the Cirque du Soleil production crew of 25. Along with some local muscle, they are setting up their tent on the Mall. The French Canadian circus, which has landed next to the Air and Space Museum, opens tomorrow night. "It's easy today," says Richard Bouthillier, technical director and vice president of the Cirque, under the bluest sky and whitest clouds in months. This athletic-looking man is in charge of the tent, and the 460 tons of stuff it takes to conjure up a one-ring circus. "No rain. No heat. No wind." Below the grinning pirates is the Cirque encampment. It takes up 140,000 square feet of Mall and looks very organized. There's a careful circle of azure trailer cars and glossy red pickups that announce Cirque du Soleil in gourmet typeface and tiny gold stars. The name, the stars, the colors -- everything looks as imported as Evian water. Even the crew. They aren't your seedy circus types. They hang out with real attitude. They are French, after all. Style prevails. There are lots of faded black jeans and good haircuts. (The average age is 28.) You don't wonder if the clown's an alcoholic and how the animals are being treated. There are no animals. There isn't even sawdust. It's a feel-good, hip circus. Maybe it's not the Greatest Show on Earth, but it's the cleanest. It's a young, wholesome group -- they smile a lot and touch your arm when they say good-bye. Even the tent has style. But, then, what tent doesn't? There isn't a hokey phrase, exactly, for "under the Big Top" in French. They say "sous un chapiteau," which means "under the capital." It's somewhat classy, you have to admit. But a tent is a tent, and the Cirque tent is a bright blue and gold -- fat stripes -- that screams CIRCUS! in a fairly inelegant way. At first sight of it you can almost hear charging band music, or smell the popcorn -- but that's about all you'd smell, since the only animal in sight is a black Scottie. The tent is new, purchased four months ago from Bourdin Enterprises in France. It cost $300,000, red poles, cupole, cornices, chains and pegs not included. It's made of shiny PVC, not canvas. "After three years of touring, the old one was getting worn out," says Bouthillier. "And it was leaking a lot. We have a wood circus ring and bicycle acts. We had to be careful they didn't slip and hurt themselves." It holds 1,734 people -- 400 chairs, and grandstands with cushions for the rest. It's big enough to hold the wooden ring, the moody purple theater lights, the five-piece band with synthesizers, the clowns and trapeze. Big enough to hold the standing ovations that Cirque du Soleil has gotten in Santa Monica, San Francisco, New York and Toronto. But there's a lot of talk about intimacy. "The front row could put their feet on the circus ring -- but they are not allowed to," says Bouthillier, wholesome as the rest of the Cirques. He has been with the show for eight years -- since before it was officially a circus -- and lives on the road with his whole family. His 8-year-old daughter Annie performs in the bicycle act – 13 people on one bike (they must have needed someone little). His wife Marie works in the ticket office, and his 4-year-old son Jean-Cimon grows and plays all day. And he knows everything about tents. Bouthillier is a "tentmaster," as they say. His idol, the tentmaster of tentmasters, is nearby -- an aged, wiry fellow from Switzerland named Marcel Rosseel. Rosseel stands in the cool, dark shadow sous un chapiteau. Bouthillier doesn't want to bother him. "He worked with the Circus Knie," he explains. "He has put up tents all over the world for 40 years. Now he's retired. He's on pension. He's just visiting Washington. He's the greatest tentmaster in the world." Putting up the tent isn't everything. The crew doubles up on jobs. The tent guys become welders, ushers, sound and light technicians, drivers. "Everything fits like gears," says Danny Pelchad, the preproduction director. He's interrupted constantly with questions from the crew. ("Comment? Comment?" he jokes with them.) Pelchad has been in Washington a month -- getting sewer permits, water permits, that kind of thing. But once the circus vans arrive at the site, 28 hours is all it takes to make camp. The pegs go down. The tent masts -- the main supports -- go up. The electrical system, phone system, water system and kitchen are set up. And then the tent, the bleachers, the stage ring, the lights. Very last, a wooden sidewalk is laid over the grass, around the tent's edge. "It's the only circus that when you walk," says Pelchad, "it's not in the mud." Jean He'on takes off his sunglasses and relaxes over coffee on the terrace of the portable kitchen. He is used to talking about the Cirque. He's the press attache'; he should be in a Campari ad. "The kitchen is the main room," says He'on. "It's the soul of the company. It's where we all hang out." The we are the 85 Cirque members on the road. Half of them have taken over a local Holiday Inn -- probably in a big way. The other half live on site, mostly in the kitchen, where there is cafe' creme and cappuccino all day. There, He'on is joined by a sudden herd of crew members -- some of them Washington free-lance technicians. There are wraparound Polaroids on top of heads. More black T-shirts. Orange leggings. Shaggy hair. "I can unicycle and I can juggle," says Julie Howard, 24, a student at George Washington University. After reading about Cirque du Soleil in the newspapers, Howard looked into helping out. A wee thing from Liverpool, England, she's been lifting and hammering with all the big guys. "Oh, they are really fun," she says of the troupe. "Yesterday it was the best. We were hanging out and someone shouted: Everyone to the Big Top! We gathered together and helped roll down the sides. It was like a scene from a movie." "Yeah, like a Fellini movie," says Lorraine Dozer, 24, who describes herself as a "roadie from Ithaca." She's used to following rock bands around, setting up the sound equipment. "I came down from New York for four days to help put up the circus," she says. "I have a 6-year-old daughter back there, in her first week of school. I can't wait to go back and tell her about being here. It's such a romantic thing." "Yeah," says Howard, scowling. She isn't all that thrilled about going back to school, ever. "I feel like I've run away. I'd stay if they'd have me." * * * * * THE CONFECTIONS OF CIRQUE By David Richards | Washington Post September 12, 1988 A round-faced, flaxen-haired French Canadian, Guy Laliberte', is credited with founding Cirque du Soleil. But I can't help wondering if somehow Lewis Carroll, Federico Fellini and Louis XIV didn't also have their say in the way things turned out -- which is remarkably, indeed. Forget your preconceptions about the circus -- and your prejudices, too. Circus of the Sun, as it is all too mundanely translated, is a creation unto itself. You can watch it for the audacity of the youthful performers, who lend themselves joyfully to the tightrope and the teeterboard, climb in impossible numbers onto a single bicycle and do perilous handstands on a stack of wooden chairs. You can watch it for the constant shimmer and swirl of color -- an effect that might otherwise be achieved by dynamiting a ragpicker's bag and then filming the explosion in slow motion. Or you can watch it as a foray into the wonderland of the subconscious, where logic is suspended, fantasies prevail and our lumpen selves soar through the air. In the end, that may be this lovely show's deepest appeal. It has both the terrible clarity and the sweet evanescence of our dreams. Operating out of a yellow and blue tent on the Mall, Cirque du Soleil opened its flaps this past weekend on a run that has already been extended until Sept. 25. At that, the engagement is ludicrously short, considering the throngs that will be laying siege to the ticket booth. Condescending to no one, this outing truly qualifies as entertainment for the whole family. Cirque du Soleil is the antithesis of everything we've been raised to think a circus extravaganza should be. There isn't a wild beast in sight, if you discount Benny Le Grand, a clown given to amusingly aggressive behavior. The band is made up of five musicians, playing a fluid rock-jazz score that wraps around the performers like a charmed snake. No ringmaster blows a shrill whistle to direct eyes to this or that corner of the big top. The spectacle has been so adroitly staged and choreographed that there's never the slightest question where you should be looking. To an endeavor usually marked by excess and a brawling vulgarity, Cirque du Soleil brings an artist's sensibility and a decorator's taste. If Barnum & Bailey is the K mart of circuses, then this is the designer boutique. The display counts as much as the merchandise. Even the logistics of setting up an act or changing the scene have been inventively incorporated into the flow. It all begins when a group of ragged peasants, as round of cheek as they are wide of eye, stumbles into the darkened ring. As it dawns on them where they are, they make a few awkward stabs at entertaining an imaginary crowd. Silly, potato-like creatures they are, until the mists, magically gathering at their feet, envelop them, and the Queen of the Night (Angela Laurier) transforms them into the supple creatures who will beguile us for a couple of hours. The bill features its share of astonishing acts. Laurier herself is a first-rate contortionist, whose spidery delicacy prompts comparisons to a daddy-longlegs even as her flashing phosphorescent eyes suggest a dangerous black widow. To the pulsating beat of a tango, Eric Varelas and Ame'lie Demay engage in the rigorous art of hand balancing. That generally means that she is upside down, her head in his raised hand, unless it is the other way around. Sometimes, however, she does her headstand on his head. That the two are mere slips of things further beggars the imagination. On the tightrope, Agathe Olivier and Antoine Rigot conduct themselves like woodland sprites, gamboling and leaping about with no awareness, apparently, that they do not have a grassy knoll underfoot. He turns flips; she crosses the wire on point. Later, meeting midway, they simply slip past one another without so much as a jostle or an "excuse me." Don't ask me how. As for Andrew Watson and Jacqueline Williams, they work from a bar at the very top of the tent. Joined only at the wrist, they perform some dazzling aerial twirls and twists. Turnabout being fair play -- or, perhaps, this just being an age of sexual equality -- she gets her chance to dangle him in space. The climax comes with one of them -- I won't say which -- taking a startling leap into the void. Heart-stopping as such moments can be, it would be folly to pretend other circuses don't boast as much. Plucked out of context, in fact, some of the acts in Cirque du Soleil are downright pedestrian. The juggler (Daniel Le Bateleur) relies more on optical illusion than dexterity to achieve his effects, which are limited. By the same token, while it may be surprising to see a dozen or so bodies squeezed on a bicycle, as feats go, it's really not that far removed from the 1950s fraternity fad for packing telephone booths. Using the teeterboard for leverage, the troupe manages to construct a human tower three persons tall. But I've seen five elsewhere. The difference, I daresay, is the packaging. Take, for example, those teeterboard acrobats. They have been costumed like new age penguins – with yellow face masks, black derbies and fuzzy briefcases at their waddling sides -- and between tricks they scurry about as if they were headed off to work on Wall Street. The precision choreography does a lot to dress up the number, and provide it with resonance beyond the actual stunts. Another factor also enters into play. Wherever you sit under the tent, you will have a close-up view of the performers. And frankly, when it's all but performed in your lap, a simple flip off a teeterboard is more impressive than a triple somersault undertaken by a performer so far away he could be an ant. Here you actually see the sweat, the concentration, the spontaneous smiles of accomplishment. The Barnum & Bailey approach has always been to confront the spectator with three sets of trapeze artists, a dog act and a jalopy spewing forth clowns, all at the same time. Underlying such profligacy is the cynical notion that the only way to astonish the jaded public is to lard it on. Not so. Cirque du Soleil astonishes by restoring a human dimension to the proceedings. No one benefits as much as the clowns, probably because the clown, if he is to be more than just a sight gag, counts on his rapport with the spectators. From the start, Benny Le Grand makes it clear that he is no respecter of audiences and that misbehavers can expect his wrath. If not his wrath, then a healthy squirt of water. Or even a bucket over the head. He's all around the tent -- his bulbous red nose leading the way, his flyaway hair catching up the rear -- the self- appointed principal in the anarchic school of life. Denis Lacombe is the other zany, although he himself tends to be the victim of his rampages. As a mechanical wind-up doll, he comes across a trunk full of cream pies, emits a shriek of delight and then proceeds to hit himself repeatedly in the puss with the splattering pastries. Later, he returns as a disheveled maestro, who conducts the "1812" Overture with such vigor that his swooping body very nearly touches the floor. It's done with trick shoes, but Lacombe has you believing the music has carried him away. And yet whatever is happening, one of the round-faced peasants is never far away -- gaping, as we are, at the miracles or trying with sweet clumsiness to duplicate them. They are our surrogates at the fete, until the pastel clouds start billowing into the ring once again and the performers vanish from view. From dust to dust, the Bible says. From colored mists to colored mists, counters Cirque du Soleil. # # # That's all for in this issue, but there's plenty more to come! o) Issue #162, JUL 2017 – Le Cirque Réinventé, Part 3 (1989) o) Issue #163, AUG 2017 - Nouvelle Expérience, Part 1 (1990) o) Issue #164, SEP 2017 - Nouvelle Expérience, Part 2 (1991) o) Issue #165, OCT 2017 - Saltimbanco, Part 1 (1992) o) Issue #166, NOV 2017 - Saltimbanco, Part 2 (1993) o) Issue #167, DEC 2017 - Alegría, Part 1 (1994) o) Issue #168, JAN 2018 - Alegría, Part 2 (1995) o) Issue #169, FEB 2018 - Quidam, Part 1 (1996-1997) o) Issue #170, MAR 2018 - Quidam, Part 2 (1998) o) Issue #171, APR 2018 – Dralion, Part 1 (1999-2001) o) Issue #172, MAY 2018 – Dralion, Part 2 (2001-2003) o) Issue #173, JUN 2018 – Varekai, Part 1 (2002) o) Issue #174, JUL 2018 – Varekai, Part 2 (2003-2004) o) Issue #175, AUG 2018 – Varekai, Part 3 (2005) ======================================================================= COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER ======================================================================= Fascination! Newsletter Volume 17, Number 6 (Issue #161) - June 2017 "Fascination! Newsletter" is a concept by Ricky Russo. Copyright (C) 2001-2017 Ricky Russo, published by Vortex/RGR Productions, a subsidiary of Communicore Enterprises. No portion of this newsletter can be reproduced, published in any form or forum, quoted or translated without the consent of the "Fascination! Newsletter." By sending us correspondence, you give us permission (unless otherwise noted) to use the submission as we see fit, without remuneration. All submissions become the property of the "Fascination! Newsletter." "Fascination! Newsletter" is not affiliated in any way with Cirque du Soleil. Cirque du Soleil and all its creations are Copyright (C) and are registered trademarks (TM) of Cirque du Soleil, Inc., and Créations Méandres, Inc. All Rights Reserved. No copyright infringement intended. { Jun.09.2017 } =======================================================================