======================================================================= ______ _ __ _ __ / ____/___ ___________(_)___ ____ _/ /_(_)___ ____ / / / /_ / __ `/ ___/ ___/ / __ \/ __ `/ __/ / __ \/ __ \/ / / __/ / /_/ (__ ) /__ / / / / /_/ / /_/ / /_/ / / / /_/ /_/ \__,_/____/\___/_/_/ /_/\__,_/\__/_/\____/_/ /_(_) 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 ======================================================================= Issue #42 "Somewhere between the air and imagination" March 2005 ======================================================================= We're off and running again! Welcome to another exciting issue of Fascination. We have been working extra hard behind-the-scenes prepping for CirqueCon 2005 and the premiere of the new show in Montreal, which we'll be in attendance covering! However, this month we toiled with ways to provide a better web presence for Fascination! instead of using Yahoo Groups, and we think we have it. Currently you can find our new home on the web at the following temporary address < http://www.azlance.com/~richsi/ Cirque/FanClub/ >, but soon you will be able to access Fascination! via < www.CirqueFascination.com > gaining access to our back issues, certain historical columns and much, much more. So come take a look at our new home and let us know what you think! This month we continue our three-part review of KÀ, Cirque du Soleil's newest permanent production at the MGM-Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. Wayne attended a "preview performance" and shares his insights on all aspects of this "finished" production. If you've yet to see KÀ and aren't bothered by spoilers you'll want to read Wayne's Review, with The Tribes and Peoples of KÀ and a scene-by-scene synopsis. In another only-in-Fascination! Exclusive, we take a look at "Delirium," the dance-remix companion disk to the chill-oriented "Solarium," soon to be issued by Cirque du Soleil Musique! And in our final exclusive of the month, we continue our series about auditioning for Cirque du Soleil. Keith and his wife LouAnna received the opportunity to observe the audition process and share their experience. Fascination! proudly presents the second part of this four-part series. Remember, you can read the full experience only in Fascination! Also, there's only one more month before CirqueCon Montreal 2005; are you ready? There's still time to join us for Cirque 2005! For information on our exciting "cirquey" weekend, please visit us at: < http://www.azlance.com/~richasi/Cirque/Cirquecon/ >. We hope you enjoy this issue of Fascination! If you have any questions or comments please feel free to email them to us using the following address: < CirqueFascination-owner@yahoogroups.com >. - Ricky =========== CONTENTS =========== * Cirque Buzz -- News, Rumours & Sightings * CRQ-TV -- Cirque on Television * CRQ.NET -- Cirque du Soleil Online * Itinéraire -- Tour/Show Information * Didyaknow? -- Facts About Cirque * Le Spectacle: "New Kid on the Block: KÀ, Cirque du Soleil's Fourth Resident Show in Las Vegas (Part 2 of 3)" By: Wayne Leung - Ottawa, Ontario (Canada) * Cirque Musique: "EXCLUSIVE! Preview of the Delirium CD!" By: Keith Johnson - Seattle, Washington (USA) * Télémagik: "Living it Up: A La Nouba DVD Review (Part 2 of 2)" By: Ricky Russo - Orlando, Florida (USA) * Behind the Curtain: "Who Has What It Takes? (Part 2 of 4)" By: Keith Johnson & LouAnna Valentine - Seattle, Wash (USA) * Parting Quote * Subscription Information * Copyright & Disclaimer ======================================================================= CIRQUE BUZZ -- NEWS, RUMOURS & SIGHTINGS ======================================================================= Cirque Lawyers take note! No, wait, maybe not ---------------------------------------------- As we've documented in these pages, Cirque du Soleil is protective of their intellectual property, including their name and variations thereupon. They even took Neil Goldberg, producer of such shows as "Cirque Ingenieux," to court for his use of the word "Cirque." Cirque du Soleil lost (the judge ruled the word "cirque" was a "generic" word, not subject to protection), so Goldberg can continue to use the word "cirque" anywhere he likes (and does, as a look at cirqueproductions.com attests). But there's another "Cirque" on the web, having nothing at all to do with circus. Type "cirque.com" into your browser and up pops the website for Cirque, Inc., the developer of Glidepoint technology. Glidepoint is the technology behind most of the mouse touchpads used in laptop computers (where moving your finger across a pad guides your pointer across the screen). More interesting is why they named their company "Cirque, Inc.". According to the website, the founders incorporated in Salt Lake City, UT in 1991 and named their company "after the snow cirques of the Wasatch mountain range." According to dictionary.com, in English "cirque" means, "A steep bowl-shaped hollow occurring at the upper end of a mountain valley, especially one forming the head of a glacier or stream." Of course, we all know what it means in French! [Source: Cirque.com, Cirqueproductions.com, dictionary.com, Keith Johnson] Luc LaFortune Honored --------------------- Luc LaFortune, the lighting designer for all of Cirque du Soleil's current productions was recently honored with the USITT (United States Institute for Theatre Technology) Distinguished Achievement Award in Lighting Design. The honor will be bestowed during the USITT 2005 Conference & Stage Expo in Toronto, Canada, which runs from Wednesday, March 16th to Saturday, March 19th). The Lighting Commission will host LaFortune at its special award session (March 18th), where he will share highlights of his design career and philosophies with a focus on his work with Cirque du Soleil. Throughout his career, LaFortune has created lighting for Peter Gabriel, the Eagles, No Doubt, Gipsy Kings and Salto Natale (a Swiss circus). His designs have also earned him accolades including the EDDY Award for Cirque du Soleil's "O" (1998), and he was named LDI (Lighting Dimensions International) Lighting Designer of the Year in 1994. [Source: Entertainment Design, USITT; Ricky Russo] CIBC Contest ------------ Canadian bank CIBC, the presenting sponsor of Cirque du Soleil Canadian tours, is having a contest for Canadian residents! And we note the grand prize offers something Cirque hasn't officially announced yet. Open a new personal checking or savings account at any CIBC branch before April 29th and you're entered to win. In addition to giving away 100 Umbrella/Fire Within DVD/"Le Best of" CD packs, 50 iPod minis with 5 Cirque CDs, and 2 Sony 42" Plasma TV/DVD player/Cirque DVD packs, the six "Grand prizes" include: - 3 trips to Toronto to see Cirque 2005 - 2 trips to Las Vegas to see "O" - 1 trip to * Paris* to see Alegría Until now, we weren't aware Paris was on Alegria's itinerary. But now we do! For more info, see < http://www.cibc.com/ca/ features/cirque-contest.html > [Source: cibc.com, Keith Johnson] ======================================================================= CRQ-TV -- CIRQUE ON TELEVISION! ======================================================================= * CIRQUE-A-THON ------------- Network: BRAVO (USA) * April 22nd (Friday) 08:00pm -- Varekai 10:00pm -- Dralion * April 23rd (Saturday) 12:00am -- Varekai 02:00pm -- Nouvelle Experience 03:00pm -- Varekai 08:00pm -- La Nouba 10:00pm -- Alegría * April 24th (Sunday) 12:00am -- La Nouba 02:00pm -- Saltimbanco 03:00pm -- Dralion 09:00pm -- La Nouba 11:00pm -- Saltimbanco * NOTE: Check your local listings for complete information. Schedule is subject to change. ======================================================================= CRQ.NET -- CIRQUE DU SOLEIL ONLINE ======================================================================= This Month in Cirque Club (By: Keith Johnson) ------------------------- The seven finalists for the Cirque du Soleil And Me contest have appeared! These are the winners of the seven previous weeks, with one Grand Prize Winner destined to win the Cirque du Soleil experience of their dreams - so cast your vote until March 20! There is also an article about the tent raising (in freezing temperatures) for Cirque 2005 in Montreal. And Press Releases announces the appointment of Aldo Giampaolo as head of the Theatre Shows department, who will manage the 100-city arena show. But the tastiest piece this month isn't even in English, technically. Gilles Ste-Croix, one of Cirques' founders, talks about early Cirque in a six-part series of video excerpts. This is worth watching even if you don't know French - he walks in on stilts and talks to attentive Cirque employees during what looks to be a lunch hour. His narrative is, fortunately, translated into English. The last installment is a riot, discussing one of the few animals in Cirque, a duck under the care of Mr. "No Animals" himself, Guy Laliberte! The boutique is blooming with new colors, such as light greens and blues, reflecting their new spring collection. They also have a new series of necklaces based on show acts; Quidam contortion, Mystère cube, O Trapeze, Alegría manipulation, even Varekai Icarus in his net! They vary in price though, with some going for $165.00. As if that weren't enough, they also debut several new bags and backpacks. In Cirque Club marketing messages: Kevin, a Varekai artist, talks about leaving Texas: "Almost four months have gone by since our arrival in Texas with Varekai, and we have enjoyed our visit immensely! We started with Dallas and Houston, and came to Austin in late February for the last leg of our stay. One of the most amazing things that we have come to appreciate about Texas is the incredible changing landscapes, from bayous and forests to prairies and windswept plains. Our stay in Austin also marked important changes for several of our veteran artists and technicians, who will be leaving Varekai for other horizons later this month. At the same time, three new artists joined the troupe, and despite butterflies, delivered a flawless premiere in Austin just two weeks ago. Texas has touched our hearts, and we can only hope that we've left a lasting impression on yours as well." Above text courtesy of Cirque Club. La Presse --------- 1. [60 Minutes Cirque Profile Transcript - CBSNEWS.COM ] < http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/02/18/60minutes/ main675104.shtml > 2. [Interview with Cirque Performers - CBSNEWS.COM] < http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/06/25/entertainment/ main626160.shtml > 3. ["Fab Four du Soleil" (on Beatles/Cirque show) - CBSNEWS.COM] < http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/10/14/entertainment/ main649299.shtml > 4. ["Primer of the Peculiar" (Review of Varekai) - Austin 360] < http://www.austin360.com/xl/content/arts/xl/2005/02/ cirquedusoleil_02-24-05.html;COXnetJSessionID=CtDbPJPDLbJ7tn OgJRDG9IsdhVGeEIpZyvopXkUxj8TGJmEuYI5g!-1654842761? urac=n&urvf=11102955158150.8149536312265586# > 5. [Technical Aspects of KÀ - www.totalproductions.com] < http://www.totalproductionus.com/SiteFiles/dec_ka.htm > 6. [Dart Game from Austrialian sponsoer of Quidam] < http://www1.optusnet.com.au/offers/cirque/game.html > 7. ["Cirque" inspired party - Special Events Magazine] < http://specialevents.com/mag/meetings_galas_cirque_du/ > ======================================================================= ITINÉRAIRE -- TOUR/SHOW INFORMATION ======================================================================= [Touring Shows] Alegría: * Fukuoka, Japan: Dates: Feb 9, 2005 to Apr 3, 2005 * Nagoya, Japan: Dates: Apr 20, 2005 to Jun 12, 2005 * Osaka, Japan: Dates: Jun 26, 2005 to Aug 8, 2005 * Tokyo, Japan: TBA * London, UK: Royal Albert Hall Dates: Jan 5, 2006 to Jan 29, 2006 Cirque 2005: * Montreal, Quebec, Canada -- Jacques-Cartier Pier Dates: Apr 21, 2005 to Jun 19, 2005 * Quebec City, Quebec, Canada -- Galeries de la Capitale Dates: Jun 30, 2003 to Jul 17, 2005 * Toronto, Ontraio, Canada -- Ontario Place Dates: Aug 4, 2005 - Aug 28, 2005 * Minneapolis, Minnesota -- TBA * San Francisco, California -- TBA * San Jose, California -- TBA Dralion: * Barcelona, Spain -- Esplanada Norte Dates: Mar 17, 2005 to May 15, 2005 * Rotterdam, Netherlands -- TBA Dates: Jun 3, 2005 to Jun 19, 2005 * Oostende, Belgium -- TBA Dates: Jul 21, 2005 to Aug 14, 2005 * Zurich, Switzerland -- TBA * Bilbao, Spain -- TBA Dates: Nov 18, 2005 to Dec 4, 2005 * Seville, Spain -- TBA Dates: Jan 12, 2006 to Jan 29, 2006 * Valencia, Spain -- TBA Quidam: * Melbourne, Australia -- The Oval at Melbourne Park Dates: Mar 4, 2005 to May 1, 2005 * Adelaide, Australia -- Bonython Park, Port Road Dates: May 12, 2005 to Jun 5, 2005 * Perth, Australia -- Langley Park Dates: Jul 1 , 2005 to Jul 17, 2005 * Singapore -- TBA Saltimbanco: * Birmingham, UK -- StarCity Junction 6, M6 Dates: Feb 24, 2005 to Mar 27, 2005 * Paris, France -- Boulogne Billancourt Dates: Apr 8, 2005 to May 26, 2005 * Sao Paulo, Brazil -- TBA Varekai: * Austin, Texas -- Former Mueller Airport Dates: Feb 24, 2005 to Mar 27, 2005 * Pittsburg, Pennsylvania -- Heinz Field Dates: Apr 9, 2005 to May 8, 2005 * Baltimore, Maryland -- TBA Dates: May 19, 2005 to Jun 19, 2005 * East Rutherford, New Jersey -- Meadowlands Sports Complex Dates: Jun 30, 2005 - Jul 17, 2005 * Columbus, Ohio -- Arena District Dates: Aug 11, 2005 - Sep 11, 2005 * Hartford, Connecticut -- TBA * Charlotte, North Carolina -- TBA * St. Petersburg, Florida -- TBA * Miami, Florida -- TBA [Resident Shows] La Nouba: * Two shows Nightly - 6:00pm and 9:00pm * Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark Sunday/Monday * Location: Walt Disney World Resort, Orlando (USA) * 2005 Dark Dates: -- February 6th - 9th -- August 28th - 30th -- April 3rd - 6th -- October 9th - 12th -- June 5th - 20th -- November 13th - 15th -- August 14th - 17th -- December 4th - 13th Mystère: * Two shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:30pm Beginning June 13th: Except Sundays; 4:30pm and 7:30pm * Performs: Friday through Tuesday, Dark Wednesday/Thursday Beginning June 9th: Wednesday - Sunday, Dark Monday/Tuesday * Location: Treasure Island, Las Vegas (USA) * 2005 Dark Dates: -- January 3rd - 18th -- July 10th - 12th -- February 6th - 8th -- September 12th - 20th -- March 13th - 15th -- November 13th - 15th -- May 16th - 24th "O": * Two shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:30pm * Performs: Wednesday through Sunday, Dark Monday/Tuesday * Location: Bellagio, Las Vegas (USA) * 2005 Dark Dates: -- February 20th - 22nd -- October 16th - 18th -- April 18th - 26th -- December 5th - 20th -- August 22 - 30th Zumanity: * Two Shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:30pm * Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday * Location: New York-New York, Las Vegas (USA) * 2005 Dark Dates: -- February 7th - 10th -- August 15th - 18th -- April 18th - 21st -- October 10th - 13th -- June 8th - Jun 16th -- December 7th - 22nd KÀ: * Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 10:30pm * Performs: Friday through Tuesday, Dark Wednesday/Thursday * Location: MGM Grand: City of Entertainment, Las Vegas (USA) * Note: One show nightly at 8:00pm from Nov 26 to Dec 7. * 2005 Dark Dates: -- January 24th - 27th -- June 6th - 7th -- February 1st - 4th -- August 1st - 2nd -- March 23rd - 31st -- September 9th - 13th -- April 1st - 14th -- November 14th - 15th ======================================================================= DIDYAKNOW? -- FACTS ABOUT CIRQUE ======================================================================= IN THEIR OWN WORDS - Questions and answers from people we've had the honor of meeting and talking with in the last three years. While we can't reveal identities, since several of them still work for Cirque, we think some of the things they have to say would be interesting to fans and aspiring artists and musicians. We asked someone involved in Cirque's early years - What's Guy Laliberte like? "He's passionate, kind of crazy, very creative. A very hard worker, a workaholic. He used to be very close to the artists. He was like a big brother, but the bigger and bigger the company got the less and less people could reach him. He's omnipresent. But now people don't know him. Also he has no time." ======================================================================= LE SPECTACLE: "New Kid on the Block: KÀ, Cirque du Soleil's Fourth Resident Show in Las Vegas (Part 2 of 3)" By: Wayne Leung - Ottawa, Ontario (Canada) ======================================================================= PART II: The Story of KÀ: ========================= ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ** SPOILER WARNING ** This article will be choc full of spoilers, so for those who have yet to see the show and want to keep its contents a surprise I suggest you skip through to the end. Also, I am writing this article based on preview performances of the show, and the information contained herein may no longer be completely accurate. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Dramatis Personae The Tribes and Peoples of KÀ ---------------------------- The characters of KÀ inhabit a world of many tribes and factions. These tribes are largely segregated from each other and some tribes are in conflict with others. The story of KÀ brings together the different peoples of this world to meet their collective destiny. The Empire: A noble, proud and peaceful society which represents the pinnacle of civilization in the world of KÀ. The Empire is the height of art, culture, and education. They have developed a graceful and majestic form of martial arts which its combatants practice. The Twins - A boy (Cheri Tabushi Haight) and a girl (Jennifer Kimberly Haight), they represent the hope for the future of the Empire. Heirs to the throne, they are raised to be educated and noble but also skilled in combat. The story of KÀ is the story of the twins as they fulfill their respective destinies. The Emperor (Valentin Ganev) - He is the monarch of the Empire and father of the Twins. Dressed in luminous robes, the Emperor has a regal air. The Empress (Ekatarina Bogdanova) - She rules by the side of her husband, the Emperor, and is the mother of the Twins. Her elaborate dress references the Peking Opera, and the weeping tree design embroidered on her sleeves suggests a slight melancholy to her character. The Nursemaid (Teuda Bara) - The Twins' guardian, she is charged with watching over and caring for the Twins in their young age Somewhat of a surrogate mother, her relationship with the Twins is one of mutual loyalty and love. The Court Jester (Kleber Conrado Berto) - The Fool of the court, he shares a special bond with the Twins. He dances and entertains but is also an agile acrobat and possesses strength and courage beyond his role as a jester. The Valets (Anatoli Akerman, William Ferreira Amaral, Cbastien Tardif) - Servants of the Imperial Court, the Valets are a mischievous and bumbling trio who constantly get into trouble. They play off each others' stupidities like the Three Stooges. The Imperial Guards - Practitioners of the graceful and noble form of martial arts developed by the Empire, the Imperial Guards ceremoniously protect the Emperor and his Court. The guards are dressed in Asian-inspired robes with the Empire's tree insignia across the open chest for the men, and long flowing robes hanging from the upper-body for the women. The Archers: A malevolent underground society. Comprised of factions of archers and spearmen living deep beneath the surface of the Earth in caves, the bottoms of their faces are obscured with muzzles, and they have emblazoned intricate tattoos all over their bodies. The Archers mine a rare element that can be processed into powerful explosives for weapons. They have mastered the art of aerial combat and fly from scaffold to scaffold in their underground mines. Their society is built on war, destruction and dominion by force. They will stop at nothing to conquer the world of KÀ and enslave its inhabitants. The Evil Counselor (Jörg Lemke) - Leader of the Archer Tribe, architect of its deadly arsenal of destruction and strategist behind the Archers' plans for domination. He is the brains of the Archer Tribe. The Counselor's Son (Miro Lacasse) - A brilliant designer of weapons and war machines and practitioner of the Tribe's Aerial combat techniques, the malignant, jealous and petty son of the Counselor is being reared to succeed his father at the helm of the Archer Tribe. The Chief Archer (Viken Kayabalian) - The stone-cold and imposing General of the Archers' forces, he directs the archers and spearmen during their strategic attacks. He commands the respect and loyalty of his troops. If the Counselor is the brains of the Archers, the Chief Archer is the brawn. The only glimpse of his heart is shown in his love for his daughter. The Chief Archer's Daughter (Noriko Takahashi) - A femme-fatale, the irresistibly beautiful, tough-as-nails daughter of the Head Archer is desired by all of the men of the Archer tribe. She continually spurns their affection but knows how to use her sexuality to get what she wants from them The many spider-like references in her costume suggest she is a black widow, although underneath her brazen exterior she secretly yearns for a virtuous life and the love of one who is pure of heart. The Mountain Tribe: A tribe of white fur-clad mountain-dwellers who descend from the heights to fish and scavenge for food. They are agile climbers and mountaineers. Their deceptively primitive appearance gives no hint of the fact that they are actually brilliant engineers and inventors. The Forest Tribe: An ancient, mysterious and mystical airborne people who inhabit the treetops of the forest. A majestic tribe gifted with the ability of flight, and masters of aerial combat, they are a peaceful society but will fight to free those enslaved and oppressed by the Archers. Firefly Boy (Igor Zaripov) - The young, handsome leader of the Forest Tribe; he swings from the treetops like Tarzan. His heart of gold compels him to fight to uphold the good in the world. The Animals: The animals in the world of KÀ are sentient, possessing human-like characteristics and are a benevolent presence. Some of the animals we meet in KÀ include a pair of crabs, a starfish, a turtle, a giant grass-hopper, a snake and a caterpillar. Synopsis -------- Pre-show animation: The ushers who greet the audience are part of the pre-show animation; they are courtiers in the Imperial court, and are "in character", chatting and interacting with the guests while they seat them. The cavernous showroom suggests that we are in an underground cave or mine Large fireballs periodically leap from the abyss at the front of the theatre. Atmospheric sound effects, dissonant chords of music and guttural whispers can be heard throughout the theatre (played through the personal sound system embedded in each theatre seat). Slowly, the Archers creep out onto the catwalks. They have a fearsome demeanor as they jump from catwalk to catwalk flying from level to level and set about their work in the mine. The theatre is aflutter with activity with Archers flying about when the Evil Counselor emerges and slinks across the ledge of the pit where he is joined by his son. They are about to discuss the rare element which the workers are mining when some hapless audience member flashes a camera in their faces The Counselor's Son pulls the inconsiderate guest from the audience onto the ledge of the abyss, confiscates his camera and tosses it into the void where it erupts in a fiery flash. The same fate befalls the guest's cell phone when it starts to ring and, when he is about to light a cigarette, the guest himself is thrown into the void! With a tap from the Evil Counselor's percussive sticks, the Archers on the catwalks erupt into a series of battle cries, the lights dim and the show begins. Scene 1: The Journey Home/The Pageant/Siege of the Archers Angelic vocalizations fill the air as rays of light emanate from the abyss We hear the distinct sound of children laughing and playing. Suddenly we catch our first glimpse of the magnificent Sand-Cliff Deck which rises from the deep as a ship. Imperial Guards flank either side of the ship and row. The Twins are happily play-fighting on the deck. The ship's deck raises above the audience's eye level and several key characters are revealed within as the massive deck revolves; the Valets, the Chief Archer's Daughter and the Twins' Nursemaid who is busily finishing the ceremonial robes that the Twins will don for the reception that awaits their homecoming. The ship docks. The Emperor, Empress, Court Jester and other members of the Imperial Court appear at the back of the stage on the Tatami deck which slides forward to meet the ship. The Court celebrates the return of the Twins by staging a magnificent pageant. The Imperial Guards engage in a graceful and synchronized martial arts demonstration as the Sand-Cliff deck revolves, showing the group from different angles. The spectacular effect mimics a panning camera move in a film. The Imperial Guard's Lady Officer takes centre stage to perform a solo martial-arts routine where she dances with the Court Jester and juggles flower sticks. It is time for the Twins to resume their studies. A Valet brings a large pile of books but instead of reading them he juggles them to the amusement of the court. Finally, the Twins serenade the court by playing a sweet, evocative melody on their flutes. As the orchestra strikes an ominous chord Archers invade the aisles of the theatre and the catwalks. They draw their bows and poise to strike. An arrow hits the stage; the Archers' siege of the Empire begins Pandemonium engulfs the Imperial court. The Emperor is fatally wounded. The Twins scream in terror as they witness the assassination of their mother, the Empress. Scene 2: Parting of the Twins/The Storm The surviving members of the Court desperately flee as the palace burns to the ground. The Court hopes to escape by means of a small sailboat, but in the confusion that ensues the Twins are separated. The Girl sets sail on the boat with the Nursemaid, the Valets and several Imperial Guards. The Boy and the Jester flee by land with the Archers in pursuit. We follow the Girl and watch as her boat sails into a fierce storm. We hear the choir singing ominously. The small boat rocks violently as the Girl, the Nursemaid, the Valets and other occupants hold on for dear life. The waves aggressively toss the boat about as if it were a toy. Several Imperial Guards are dramatically tossed overboard. The ferocious winds rip off the boat's sail. Finally, the boat capsizes. The Twin Girl desperately climbs to the top of the mast as the boat sinks into the deep. Scene 3: Underwater As a soft piano and cello duet plays we hear a splash and see the Nursemaid drowning in the water. A trail of projected bubbles follows her body as it sinks into the deep. With another splash we see the Girl determinedly swimming downward. She rescues her Nursemaid and pulls her back up toward the surface. Scene 4: The Archers' Den The scene changes and we are now inside the den of the Archers. A battalion of spearmen in ranks perform a synchronized dance to demonstrate their deadly prowess. We meet the Chief Archer and begin to sense the uneasy power balance that he shares with the Evil Counselor. We are also introduced to the Chief Archer's daughter who is the object of every Archer's desire, including the Counselor's Son. She spurns the attention of the men and relishes the role of "daddy's little girl". Meanwhile, the Counselor's Son demonstrates a model of the Death Machine that he has designed to refine the rare mineral that the Archers mine into a powerful explosive compound that can be used to kill and destroy all that stand in the Archers' path to conquest of the world. Scene 5: The Beach The Sand-Cliff Deck rises from the void and its entire upper surface is now covered in sand (actually ground cork). We see the Girl and Nursemaid lying unconscious on the beach. Suddenly two large puppet crabs (flexible performers in full-body puppet costumes actually crab- walking to animate the crabs) emerge from the sand and wake the Girl and her Nursemaid. The Imperial Court's three valets swim up to the storm-tossed beach. The group reunites and proceeds to explore the beach discovering and interacting with an array of whimsical creatures; a starfish, a sea-turtle and a spiny caterpillar. The exiles eventually leave the beach and continue on their journey. Scene 6: Lantern (Shadow Puppets) Once the group leaves the stage, the Sand-Cliff Deck tilts toward the audience and all of the sand from the beach is dumped into the void. When the deck reaches full-vertical we see the Boy and Jester emerge from the wings and venture across the front ledge of the void. They have been fleeing the Archers and are in need of rest. The Boy's hand was injured in the melee of the palace siege and the Jester sets down the lantern he is carrying to examine the Boy's injured hand. The shadows created by the characters' hands are projected by the lantern onto the vertical deck behind them. The Jester notices this and proceeds to comfort the Boy by coaching him into creating an elaborate series of shadow puppets on the wall; a dog, a dove and a cat. This sequence pays tribute to the first ever form of technology-based storytelling and the fact that the actors perform a simple shadow- puppet show in a multi-million dollar theatre is somewhat ironic. Though simple, the sequence is one of the most touching in the show and serves to illustrate the strong bond and relationship the Boy shares with the Jester. However, the moment of respite is short-lived as Archers soon appear and the pursuit begins anew. The Boy and Jester flee. Scene 7: The Mountainside/Attack of the Archers/Ice-slide The Sand-Cliff Deck tilts to an angle; a projection suggests that it is now an icy slope. The Girl and her entourage arrive at the foot of the mountain and cautiously proceed to climb the dangerously slippery slope. Suddenly, the group is ambushed by Archers who fire arrows onto the icy cliff and proceed to pursue our heroes. The Ice slope begins to rotate while the Archers continue to embed arrows into its face. The characters use the arrows as holding points for acrobatic manoeuvres as they slip and slide about the face of the rapidly rotating deck. During the course of the thrilling sequence the Nursemaid slides off the edge of the deck into the abyss, the three valets are captured by the Archers and the Girl is rescued by a couple of fur-clad Mountain men. The pursuing Archers all eventually slide off the wildly spinning deck and drop into the void. At the end of the scene the deck tilts to full vertical becoming a "cliff," and the final Archer drops to his death in the void. Scene 8: The Blizzard/Treetop Chase Snow falls gently from the sky as we see the Nursemaid unconscious on the Tatami deck which slides in underneath the vertical cliff. She is discovered by two Mountain men who help lift her (and their cargo of freshly-caught fish) up the cliff in a large sling. The Nursemaid is reunited with the Girl. The two Mountain men scale the vertical wall. At the front of the void, a large palisade of wooden posts, suggesting treetops, rises and we see the Chief Archer's Daughter playing in the snow. Several Archers join her, brazenly leaping from post to post. As always, the Archers flirt with the Chief's daughter, continuously vying for her affection, and as always she spurns their attention. When the Archers sense the approach of the Boy and the Jester, they crouch behind the posts and hide. The Archers ambush the Boy and Jester and a battle ensues. The Boy and Jester valiantly battle the Archers but are outnumbered. The Jester falls into the void, and the boy is captured. The Chief Archer's Daughter watches as the Boy is carried away. Scene 9: Mountaintop Refuge/Archers Attack Still vertical, the cliff descends half-way into the void and we see the encampment of the Mountain men perched on top of the cliff. The camp consists of a teepee and small fire. The Nursemaid and Girl emerge from the teepee and interact with the Mountain men in a brief moment of levity. However, the group's rest is short-lived; the Archers once again fill the aisles of the theatre and fire on the group. The Girl and her Nursemaid are frightened but the Mountain men have a clever plan for escape. Scene 10: Flight of the Bird The Mountain men usher the Nursemaid and Girl into the teepee and, surprisingly, the sides of the tent fly up and the teepee turns into a large Leonardo Davinci-esque flying machine. With a Mountain man on either side flapping the wings the Bird takes flight and the group sails directly over the heads of the audience, venturing as far as half way to the back of the auditorium. The Girl dangles precariously underneath the bird and performs a series of aerial cradle skills. The Bird sails into the wings of the theatre and away from the attacking Archers. Scene 11: Captivity/Lovers/Dance of the Magic Flute Back inside the lair of the Archers, the Counselor's son oversees construction of the massive Death Machine that will process the mined ore into deadly weapons. Lifts rise at the front of the void to reveal the captives from the Empire, now slaves housed in round hamster wheel-like cages. The Boy is brought into the lair and thrown into one of these cages. The Chief Archer's Daughter comes to see the Boy. She reveals the flutes given to her by her father as a souvenir of the raid on the Empire. They are the Twins' flutes. The Archer's Daughter gives the Boy a flute and he plays a sweet, evocative melody for her. She is enchanted by the Boy's song and leans toward him. The Boy sneaks a kiss. The Archer's daughter is smitten, she has fallen in love with the Boy but is conflicted. Their love is forbidden and she has a duty to uphold to the Archers. After a moment of hesitation she opens the cage and allows the Boy to escape. He leaves her with a kiss and gives her his flute as a token of his love for her. Love fills the Archer's Daughter's heart for the first time and she performs a beautiful dance with the flute (an intricate baton manipulation routine). The Counselor's son has secretly witnessed the entire scene. He collapses to his knees in anguish; his heartbreak galvanizes his resolve to destroy the Twins and the last remaining hope for the Empire. Scene 12: The Forest Hanging vine-like structures and columns fly into place from the wings. They evoke the lush foliage of a dense forest canopy. The Firefly Boy swings in the air and performs an aerial straps routine. Meanwhile Forest men are swaying and jumping from large swinging Chinese poles and creatures descend on the large columns, among them a giant winding snake. Singer Beth Quist is perched on a hanging vine and sings an exotic melody while playing a small hand drum. The Twin Girl appears to have fallen from the Mountain men's Bird and we see her falling through the forest canopy. She is rescued by the Firefly Boy. Scene 13: The Slave Cage We return to the Archers' Den where the Death Machine has been completed and the enslaved former citizens of the Empire (including the captured Nursemaid and Valets) toil away in the mines. The jealous and vengeful Counselor's son, designer of the Death Machine, now senses he has enough support and admiration amongst the Archers' forces to stage a coup. Having had his heart broken by the Chief Archers' Daughter he captures the Chief Archer and assumes command of the Archers' forces. The Counselor's Son's fiendish Death Machine (Wheel of Death) is powered by slaves running in hamster-wheel cages on both ends of a long rotating pendulum arm. We recognize the two slaves in the Wheel of Death as former members of the Imperial Court. While operating the machine, the slaves escape out of the cage and brazenly taunt their captives by performing elaborate and dangerous stunts on the moving Death Machine. The enslaved Empire is inspired by the courage of the two slaves and while the Archers are distracted by the events, the Empire rises up and revolts against its captors. The bravery of the two slaves in the Wheel of Death begins to turn the tide in the war. In the confusion, the Chief Archer's daughter is able to rescue her father from captivity. Meanwhile, in the course of their separate adventures the Twins reunite and joyously celebrate their reunion. Together they will fight for the freedom of the Empire. Scene 14: Drums of War/The Final Battle The Girl has enlisted the help of the Firefly Boy who rallies the Forest people to the aid of the Empire. As the drums of war echo throughout the theatre the Twins, the Firefly Boy and the Forest people suit up and prepare for the final battle. Our heroes stand on the ledge of the void. The Sand-Cliff deck, now serving as a battlefield, rises and on the opposite end we see the forces of the Archers, now under the command of the Counselor's Son, in attack formation. The deck tilts to near-vertical (approximately 80° from horizontal). We will watch the battle from an overhead view. The approximately twenty combatants are all rigged to harnesses and suspended from individual flying winches. As they jump, fly and land on the battlefield, projected patterns radiate outward from their landing spots The forces launch into their attack. A chaotic battle ensues with combatants making flying leaps through the air. When it looks like our heroes are on the verge of winning the Archers unleash flash- bombs and push their line forward. Our heroes reform their ranks and resolvedly fight through with all of their might and, despite their disadvantage, they are able to defeat the Archers' forces by sheer determination. As the battle ends we see the Evil Counselor rushing to the aid of his wounded son who is lying on the battlefield. Scene 15: Epilogue/Finale The lights fade up and the Tatami Deck slides forward. We get the sense that some time has passed and we relish in the resolution of the story. The Twins are reunited with each other, their Nursemaid and their Valets. The Empire is restored with the Twins as the rulers. The Boy has wed the Chief Archer's Daughter. The Girl has married the Firefly Boy and is now pregnant. The Chief Archer, now dressed in a ceremonial Imperial robe, presents his bow and breaks it over his knee signifying his new dedication to peace. A moment of tension arises as the Counselor and his son arrive at the celebration. The Son bears what looks like an explosive device. However, the device is not a weapon but rather a firework. In a glorious gesture of peace and reconciliation the Counselor's son illuminates the skies over the Empire with a magnificent pyrotechnic display. The Counselor and his son have realized the error of their ways and are determined to act now in the name of peace. The Death Machine rises from the void, except it has been converted to a beautiful spinning windmill of fire. The Court Jester emerges from behind the machine. The peoples of the world of KÀ have been united, peace pervades the land and the civilization can live in peace and harmony. END OF PART TWO ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ** END OF SPOILER WARNING ** ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Next Issue: We finish our look at Ka with final impressions and opinions. ======================================================================= CIRQUE MUSIQUE: "EXCLUSIVE! Preview of the Delirium CD" By: Keith Johnson - Seattle, Washington (USA) ======================================================================= Cirque fans have been waiting months for the other dancin' shoe to drop. We've heard of a 2-CD/DVD set originally scheduled for last fall called "20 Years Under The Sun." And we've heard it would contain the previously released chill remix-oriented "Tapis Rouge: Solarium" CD (originally a VIP tent gift, then re-released in the US with a new cover on November 23, 2004), as well as "Delirium," a disk of dance remixes of Cirque du Soleil music. We were also wondering what the mentioned DVD content might be. When it didn't make its original Fall 2004 release date, we wondered if the "Delirium" part of the deal might have fallen through. And when "Le Best Of" made its appearance in October, we were concerned the project was abandoned. That concern was to put to rest throughout the fall and winter, as tracks from Delirium started appearing on UK-produced 12" vinyl singles. First to appear was "Aborigenes Jam" remixed by Francois K with Eric Kupper. Then came "Emballa" from Louie Vega featuring Jaffa, followed by "Kumbalawe" from Roger Sanchez (which, as we mentioned last month, is the hit of the bunch making the Top 10 on Billboards Club Play List). Finally, a Tiesto remix of "Mer Noire" arrived with an Alain Vinet and Quicksound take on "Africa" as the flip side. Now, thanks to a kind source, we've gotten word that Solarium/Delirium will be released as a two-disk set (no word on any DVD content though) this May. According to our source, the set comes in a nice book-style package that is "very striking." In addition, our source clued us into a special performance tied into the CD sets release! On Saturday, March 26th, some time between 3pm and 11pm, near the pool of the Doubletree Surfcomber Hotel in Miami, FL, Cirque du Soleil Musique will celebrate the release of "Solarium/Delirium" with an exclusive live performance with guest DJ Alain Vinet. Also appearing that night will be Louie Vega and Eric Kupper, who also contribute to the Delirium set, among other performers. The showcase is part of a convention called M3 ("Miami, Music, Multimedia" - m3summit.com), which states it is "the only gathering in the United States to merge music, technology, art, fashion, and multimedia as an integrated lifestyle. Part festival, part trade show, and part industry confab, M3 brings together business leaders with forward-thinking consumers to celebrate the future of entertainment." The Easter weekend convention combines "Buzz-worthy music, art, technology, and multimedia presented in state-of-the-art environments," with "High-profile forums for the introduction of new products, fashions, and ideas to an international audience of industry professionals and music lovers." M3 is attended by "Artists, producers, music company executives, advertising directors, film and television music supervisors, fashion designers, video game creators and serious fans. What they each have in common is a desire to both work and play hard, and they share an insatiable appetite for pop culture and the latest art, entertainment, fashion and gear." Sounds like a bunch of scene-meisters to me! Which might be why Ian Tremblay and the Cirque du Soleil Musique division decided to host Saturday night's "Sunset Session." Again from the website; "Produced in a beautiful, pool-side, beachfront environment and featuring state-of-the-art sound, video, and multimedia, the M3 Sunset Sessions present A-list artists alongside the most exciting new talent from around the world. The line-ups push the boundaries of electronic and urban music, highlighting top DJs, turntablists, and live performances." But wait, there's more! How much is this killer confab, including this special evening concert? A mere $180.00 if you buy your membership by March 20th (after that it's $285.00). But a limited number of $20.00 "Sunet Session" tickets are available for Miami Cirque fans at www.wanttickets.com. * * * - A.P.B. - ALL POINTS BULLETIN - TO ANYONE WITHIN THE SOUND OF MY WORDS - Are you in Miami? Want to check this out and report back? Contact us!! Info at the end of the newsletter. End of Bulletin. . . Normally for us that would be it. We, like you, would have to wait patiently for the May release of the two-disk set to get our complete taste of what's only been hinted at in the vinyl releases to date. But what if an advance copy were to make its way into our hot little hands? What would an intrepid reporter do, to what lengths would we go, to get the information to you, our valued readership? Bless EBAY. There you can find almost any Cirque collectible you want. We've seen one-of-a-kind experiences and even original Cirque character mask props there (though neither was actually sold, see our past issues for details). EBAY, at one time or another, features everything from currently offered products to rare items from Cirque's beginnings, and occasionally glimpses into its future. Which leads to this months exclusive preview of the dance-remix "Delirium" CD, from a preview copy purchased there. The CD came with no packaging other than a list of tracks. The CD is even stickered "Not For Production" and was duplicated on a gold CD-R blank. Now here's where Yours Truly is out of his league. I'm not a club hopper, dance fiend, or highly knowledgable about the DJs or remix styles featured here. So I couldn't even begin to tell you how these remixes fare against other offerings from these DJs and producers. I don't even know what kind of "style" most of these are in, and must embarrassingly admit I don't know my "house" from my "deep house" from "trance." There are several in the Cirque-fan-verse much more qualified to comment on these tracks. But I have the CD and they don't - thank Visa! So I shall press on with my impressions of this soon-to-be-released 62:09 long set, and the reader will pardon if they are not as knowledgable as they might be. The approach here is certainly different than Solarium, which featured down-tempo "chillout" remixes of Cirque songs. While that disk might have been a more appropriate sell for the upscale Cirque target audience, Delirium presents Cirque music with a heavy dance beat in a mostly continuous mix from beginning to end, clocking in at 127-133 bpm (beats per minute) throughout. 1. Emballa from Varekai (6:22 - 127 bpm) - Louie Vega featuring Jaffa - We start out with energy, as this Varekai track gets a nice latin- style remix. Much of the vocal is preserved here, making it more of a "song" than some of the others. It doesn't sound much different than the Nitin Sawhney-produced "soundtrack" version, but takes on more of a tropical flavor. 2. Querer from Alegria (6:05 - 127 bpm) - Julien Jabre - A samba! What a different approach! Francesca Gagnon's original vocal comes shining through. Though I must admit I'm so used to the original that hearing these lyrics in this arrangement is a bit unsettling. Again, much of the lyric is used, giving this version a more complete feel. Hand claps and a pipe organ-sound keyboard also pique interest. 3. Kumbalawé from Saltimbanco (7:51 - 129 bpm) - Roger Sanchez - This is one of the standout tracks of the bunch, well deserving of its place on the Top 10 Club Play List. A basic funky beat is soon followed by a deep male voice chanting "Koom-ba-la, ja-koom-ba," followed by the title word with a long echoing tail. A keyboard accentuates the bassline, pulling you deeper in. Sounding like a voodoo priest the chanting continues, augmented only by the title word sung by the chorus from the original song. There is no real "song" to be found here, only tribal groove. Entrancing and powerful. Wait, I have to listen to it again.... 4. Aborigenes Jam from Dralion (6:42 - 132 bpm) - Francois K/Eric Kupper - The pace picks up here with samples of African-sounding percussion comprising much of its backbeat. More electronic in its pulse, this utilizes much of the female vocal during its breaks. It's nice, but after the power of Sanchez' Kumbalawe, this just kind of lies there. 5. Poiknoi from Saltimbanco (6:41 - 131 bpm) - Sasha - Going even more electronic, brings in some of the strings and female vocals from the original and surrounds it with swirling percussion. The song breaks the beat in the middle, almost presenting the chorus in its original form, surrounded by an echo chamber. I have a preference, such as it is, for songs that don't lose their beat for long periods, so I can't say I'm attracted to this too much, though it is pretty. 6. Africa from O (8:48 - 127 bpm) - Quicksound with Alain Vinet - Quicksound is a Montreal-based percussion/performance collective and here they collaborate with fellow Quebecer Alain Vinet on a tune that's a favorite of remixers (appearing here in its third incarnation). I can't see the attraction here, as there is no real "song" to remix, just a vocal and kora playing. But that must be it, as is allows the remixer free reign. Here I feel it doesn't work - the vocals don't seem to "fit" inside the beat, and the kora from the original doesn't add much. The percussion is nice, featuring an interesting digiridoo sound, but otherwise this doesn't click with me. 7. Terre Aride from O (6:10 - 126 bpm) - Jori Hulkkonen - Is this a remix? Really?? I can hardly tell. A bit of vocal chanting and bit of the male throat singing is all that connects it with the 0 original. I can't recognize this at all. It just goes on for six minutes without taking any interesting directions. A mis-fire. 8. Spiritual Spiral from Dralion (6:44 - 134 bpm) - Carmen Rizzo - Deep drum percussion takes center stage here as the pace quickens towards the last two selections. With no forefront beat dominating the mix you have to listen deeper to get the rhythm. Hammered dulcimer samples from the original make an appearance as does a filtered version of Erik Karol's vocal. The filtering lends an interesting aspect to the tune and keeps the ear attuned. 9. Mer Noire from O (6:44 - 133 bpm) - Tiesto - A heavy beat slams to the forefront to announce the final song on the disk. More digiridoo sounds come next, followed by the angelic original chorus female vocals. We return to the more complete song form, with much of the original, including several of the exotic instruments, used here. This would be my favorite were it not for the complete breakdown in the middle, for more female solo vocalizing from the original. As if that weren't enough, it takes another :50 for the beat to return after that! Yes it's pretty and nice and all, and the beat is still there in the background, but is a break of that length necessary? The return of the beat is joyous but short, until the song finally brings the album to a close. And that's it! The first, exclusive look at the Cirque du Soleil dance remix album. On the whole, I find both Solarium and Delirium fun to listen to depending on mood. There are (of course) hits and misses on both. Now if only Cirque du Soleil Musique could finally get beyond the "remixed by/interpreted by/inspired by" kick they're currently on and concentrate on show soundtrack albums that actually represent the shows they come from. But we'll get to that next time. ======================================================================= TÉLÉMAGIK: "Living it Up: A La Nouba DVD Review (Part 2 of 2)" By: Ricky Russo - Orlando, Florida (USA) ======================================================================= Title: La Nouba DVD ISBN: 1-4049-6954-3 UPC: 0-43396-09054-5 Video: 1:78:1 Wide screen Audio: English 5.1 / 2.0 (Defaults to Dolby Stereo 2.0) Subtitles: English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese Run Time: Approx 90 Minutes When I sat down to review the La Nouba DVD, I did so with a bit of apprehension. Of all the Cirque du Soleil shows I've seen live (and I've seen them all except KÀ), La Nouba is the one I've seen the most. At last count I've seen La Nouba live 10 times; it was also my first live Cirque du Soleil experience. I fondly remember my first viewing in the spring of 1999. Thus La Nouba is the show I am most familiar with -- its acts, its theme and its music -- thanks to the looming presence of its permanent Grand Chapiteau. So when it came time to watch the DVD of the production and review it for our faithful readers I wasn't very excited. I didn't know then how wrong I would be. Disc Two -- The Special Features (continued) -------------------------------------------- It's 30 minutes before showtime and people are being let into the lobby of the Cirque du Soleil theater, Doug White (bicycles) is checking out his gear, Krystian Sawicki ("Le Titan") is receiving a massage to his hamstrings in an unusual way -- someone is standing on his legs, Isabeau Proulx Lemire (singer) is practicing in the theater's stairwell, and the Les Cons are finishing up their makeup. It's almost showtime... what's going on behind the scenes? In the previous installment I spoke about the filming of the production itself (on disc 1), as well as some of the smaller special features available on disc 2: a "Les Cons" featurette, the "La Nouba Photo Gallery," and a section featuring Cirque du Soleil previews and promos for various current and upcoming products. Now, I wish to turn my attention to what I consider the "meat" of the special features: the "Meet the Musicians" and "In-Depth Interviews" selections. In "Meet the Musicians" we are introduced to Isbeau (the singer), Benoit Glazer (Conductor, Trumpet Player, Keyboards), Cliff Schwartz, Benoit Lajeunesse (Violin, Mandolin) and Benoit Jutras (Composer). To be honest, I was hoping for another "Meet the Artists" section like Alegría and Varekai. I liked that everyone got his or her moment. When I first saw this was just going to focus on the musicians rather than the entire cast I was disappointed. But after watching this featurette, I felt I knew a lot more about the musicians and their on- stage lives. For example, did you know that Benoit Jutras was still writing and re- writing the score to La Nouba two weeks before its premiere? "I am a bit of a control freak," Jutras admits, writing all the arrangements himself. Or that one of the musicians was caught by Guy Laliberte resting during the show when he was not called upon to play? The interviews were intriguing, open, honest and fun. Its focus allows the subjects to breathe and tell me more. In the In-Depth Interviews section you dive behind-the-scenes with select La Nouba characters, cast and crew reliving some of their most cherished moments of the Production. We first meet Elena Day, who plays the Green Bird. "My character is a watcher," she says. "She watches the action of others, wishing she could be part of it." Throughout most of the production the Green Bird is an observer, hoping to become one of the "amazing, beautiful, flying beings" that she sees around her. Unfortunately for her, she's a flightless bird who may or may not understand her own special qualities. "I think what's so special about her," Elena says, "is that she's just beautiful in her own way." Elena enlightens us on how she found the character's motivation and how she's able to showcase that persona twice a night, five times a week. Fans might be interested to know how she came up with the "death scene" that is now a famed part of the Balancing on Chairs performance -- "I had just bought my car that day," she says, "and I was real angry about the process... I just took [the moment] over the top, and just started screaming and freaking out. The audience loved it [so] we kept it!" Sadly, Elena Day is no longer with La Nouba, but she will always be part of that which we all sometimes strive: to be more than what we are. -- "I think she's hysterical when she gets really angry." Next we hear from Power Track artist Chrissy Van Fleet who spent 13 years in gymnastics to prepare her for this position; she speaks about doing the same thing each and every day. "Sometimes it's easy to lose focus... but the way that we try and keep that motivation is to remember the experience I had first [watching] the show and to give that back to the audience." She speaks of that first viewing completely wowing her. Recall when I asked about fans Cirque Rituals? Chrissy speaks of some her fellow mates adhere to just prior to going onstage: "there are small things that we do, little handshakes, hi- fives, [and] claps. [There is] a little special thing probably with everybody as we're going into the building... before we start our act." And has she fallen victim to any embarrassing moments? "I walked right off the stage one time," she says, speaking about her role as an urbanite during the production's opening number. How do you recover from such a blunder? "You blush, get up and walk back," she exclaimed. What about her mates? Oh yeah... "[Our] biggest tumbler doing a triple [flip] actually went flying into the audience, and his catchers, who went to hold him back... they went into the audience too!" "You name it [and I'll] ride [my bike] over it," says Doug White, Extreme Mountain Bike Rider. He's ridden over dump trucks, barns, all kinds of small buildings, busses and "all kinds of cool stuff," or so he declares. Doug likes to have fun with his performance and tends to look around at the audience, he admits, though no one has attempted to grab him while in the audience. He's very serious when it comes to the Bicycle Jump, however. "Pavel is my hero," he says of the Les Con who lies down with the unknowing spectator during the Bicycle Jump. "He lays there and doesn't flinch 10 times a week." To Doug, this is the most serious and most important part of his performance, and thankfully there hasn't yet been an accident during the jump. "It's in my contract that I'm not allowed to hit Pavel," he says candidly. "So far I've kept my job!" There have been touchy situations, however. One time Doug peeked over the lifts as the stagehands waved up at him not to jump down, as he always does to end his act. The lift, which would normally be about 7 feet down, was down 11 feet. What did daredevil Doug White do? He jumped in anyway... "The show must go on!" "The danger is always there," says Andrei Roublev, flyer in the Flying Trapeze number. He speaks about his experiences with La Nouba, including an accident that almost put him out of the show permanently: he dismounted with another flyer but landed atop him, knocking him out for 1 minute and was out of action for two weeks! He was also asked what went through his mind as he performed. His response? "It's hard to describe... but the [feeling] of flying is the most important for me." Carlos Marcio Moreira, from Brazil, fills the uncanny shoes of The Walker -- the man in the green bowler hat with a unique strut. He's the next member of the La Nouba cast we hear from and he shares with us some candid insights into his character. "He comes from nowhere. He feels so much what he sees in front of him. He has sensitivity; enjoys so much. [He's] surprised by what he sees. [He's] happy." And just like his alter ego, Carlos needs the response from the audience to perform in top form; he loves to see the smiles of the audience. And how does he get his audience to smile? By his walk of course... inspired by none other than the king of the silent era, Charlie Chapman. The man behind Pierrot Rouge, the character in red, is Wellington Lima. Also from Brazil, Wellington became an acrobat at the age of 11, doing martial arts and dreaming of going to the World Championships of Trampoline someday. His inspiration came from another artist in Brazil, strangely enough, who was jumping onto buildings. Instead of jumping onto buildings, Wellington somersaulted into coconut trees! The PowerTrack/Trampoline number is where Wellington gets to shine, bringing a burst of energy unmatched anywhere. During his interview he speaks candidly about the creation of the number, which he performs with Krystian Sawicky's "Le Titan" character. He says the idea of the wall was to have a fight between him and Le Titan, a kind of duel between two powerful foes. Which would be better? During the first part of the act we see this duel, a sort of competition between them; but as the number continues, the two come to a mutual understanding and even salute one another. And what they do together seems to defy logic. Those who have seen La Nouba know that the performers tumble into the building's windows... has Wellington ever missed one? "In the five years," he says, "four our five times!" then smiles. I guess it's all part of the show. "Laughter is all that motivates us," says Michel Deschamps (Balthazar the Clown), our final La Nouba cast member. "It's a direct link with the public." Deschamps, who speaks only French, had this to say about his character: "Balto is a naive clown. He can get angry too depending on the situation, but it's always a childish anger. He's like an 8- year old kid. My partner Sergei is maybe 5-years old [and they're] roaming through the show together and experiencing all sorts of things." He is asked whether being paired with Sergui (who is from Russia and also deaf) cultivated any problems? His response, "At first our interactions were minimal. We put on our costumes, went to a studio and dreamed up situations. We just improvised and improvised. Soon, after rehearsing maybe a week, we could see it working out. We were going to be a team." And a team they are, performing twice a night, five nights a week. "Clowning might be hard work," Michel says, "but to me it's pure relaxation." In conclusion, the La Nouba DVD is far from perfect. Cirque is still missing the boat on many of its special features -- How about a commentary track with the creators? How about more of a behind-the- scenes documentary on how La Nouba was created? How about including "Inside La Nouba" as a special feature? Alas, even if the disc was missing the fabulous "Meet the Artists" section, what we do have with the "Les Cons", "Meet the Musicians" and "In-depth Interviews" with select artists I found the two-disc set to be a great addition to my Cirque du Soleil DVD collection and would recommend every fan add it to theirs! ======================================================================= BEHIND THE CURTAIN: "Who Has What It Takes? (Part 2 of 4)" By: Keith Johnson & LouAnna Valentine - Seattle, Wash (USA) ======================================================================= In Part 1 of our series (last month) we discussed the background of the audition process, talking with Richard Dagenais - Head of Auditions and Logistics, Casting (our host), and Anne-Marie Duchène - Artistic Scout. Here we resume our exclusive look at a Cirque du Soleil audition as the second, crucial day for the dancer candidates truly begins. NOTE - We have PICTURES taken during our visit for you to see! Just go to < http://www.azlance.com/~richasi/Cirque/FanClub/ > and look at "Issue Fotos" for Issue #42. 9:47am - "Kumbalawe" from Saltimbanco plays on the sound system as people continue to warm up. The kinds of artists Cirque is looking for is heavily influenced by what the creative teams and artistic directors of a show are looking for. For example, Richard explains, Dominic Champagne is one of the creators of Varekai, along with the rest of the creative team (Andrew Watson, choreographer Michael Montanaro, composer Violaine Corradi, and so forth). "Once the show is up and running there's an Artistic Director that will keep the artistic integrity of the show alive. Dominic is not going to go on tour with the show, although he might visit once in a while and give his comments." "Our scouts meet with the artistic directors and get to know them, their tastes, what they're looking for. So when they are in an audition they're not seeing artists through their own eyes but through the artistic directors' eyes. It's difficult but that's what they have to do, to see whether these people are going to be able to satisfy what the artistic director is looking for. You have to strike a balance between your own opinion, your taste, and putting yourself in a room with somebody watching a movie that has never met those people." "When you're touring with Cirque, and you're going all over the world, your endurance, personality, focus, availability, generosity - everything counts," notes Anne-Marie. "When you see that [in a candidate] from the get-go you say, "OK, this is the one." You have to keep a global picture of everything that's going on with each artist, so you maintain an open mind knowing there are all these categories. My job is to present artists to creative directors, so I'm the link between the artists and the creators. I say, "We don't have a profile that [this person] fits, I just want you to look at her." Then, if an artist gets signed the scout is so happy. "Oh did you see? That's my artist! My audition!" (Laughs) "There are certain profiles we need that are challenging to find," Richard continues. "We have about 20% turnover in artists every year." Is 20% annual turnover of 720+ artists high? "For a dance company it's not uncommon. It's also normal for us. Some people want to retire, others get injured, some we don't renew their contracts. Some people switch shows; that's how we can keep some of them for 10- 15 years. So all of that put together counts for 20%. When you have 120 artists in a [ballet or theater] company and only two shows it's different than when you have 720 artists, 10 shows and new creations [as Cirque does]. We scout the whole world for acrobats and artists and sometimes it gets a little bit difficult, you wonder where you're going to find people. And you don't have to find just two, you have to find 20 or 40 or 100. It grows and grows and it makes it very challenging for us. That's what makes it exciting, that challenge." Cirque fans are familiar with high-profile artists switching shows, such as Olga Pikhienko going from Quidam to Varekai. Does it happen often? "A little bit, not a lot. There comes a point where an artist, for one reason or another, wants to do something different. It's something we encourage because we can keep our artists longer, which is a good thing for us." The constant need for artists keeps Richard and his group busy. "A year ahead we do an audition calendar with the scouts, decide where to go during the year. Four to five months ahead of time we look at the number of candidates we have to evaluate in a territory. Do we need to do marketing, such as in the paper, to attract more? We book studios and hotels about 2 months out. We then look at all the demos; do we have the possibility of a good evaluation? If they're complete they're put in the database and about 1 month out we invite them to audition. We also look through the profiles of the candidates, to see if we have a lot of specialty dancers or just general dancers." How many people might view an audition tape or demo during the process? "We have scouts who will evaluate demo tapes. For musicians and singers it can be an outside evaluator, somebody who's not necessarily with the casting team. They will work with the scout to help choose the people that we will invite to the auditions. If there's an opening the tape will be presented to different artistic directors and the director of the show. We might also show it to the choreographer. So that's about five. And the Artistic Director of the show makes the final choice." We asked Richard how auditions are handled for the various disciplines Cirque is looking for. "[For dancers,] the first day is basic dance; movements, vocabulary. The second day [which we're witnessing] is more specific movement, and we also do acting exercises with them. It's a lot of fun with dancers because it's all physical." And the search for dancers takes Cirque around the world. "The thing with dancers is that they travel. We're in Seattle and we have Brazilian dancers (as well as a person from Toronto). We go to Berlin and we see Canadian dancers. So we go where they are but they also come where we go." What about actors? "For actors the process is similar. The first day, they present us a 3 minute act which will show us who they are and what they do. The second day we do more elaborate acting exercises." "Singers and musicians are done in a sound studio because we need good quality recordings. With singers we bring them all in the first day; we can see 20-30 per day. We give them 10 minutes to do 2 or 3 songs. We have an expert singer evaluator who evaluates technique. If they get called back we'll give them specific things to work on. Either specific things from our shows or other styles of music we want to hear from them so they choose their own songs. For that we use a pianist." But there aren't many positions for singers, are there? "There aren't that many slots for singers, but the database needs people for emergencies and other situations. We always tell them they might be called next week or maybe in the next year or two. And we keep following up with them so we know where they are and their availability. But we'll know that they fit what we're looking for." "Musicians are different in that there's no callback. We book individual appointments and can see about 8 a day. It takes 45 minutes to 1 hour to evaluate musicians. We need to know if they can play well and play in the style we're looking for. A lot of them play at least two instruments and have solid technical training; it's not only what we're looking for, it tends to be what we get. "Musicians are a treat to audition. To see them dance, or hear them sing or play. That makes it difficult if we have to tell them we're not going to keep them in our database. We know they're talented but they just don't fit." I noted that many of the musicians in Cirque shows are from Canada. "We have a lot of Canadian musicians because there are a lot of great musicians [in Canada]. We have a lot of good ones in our own back yard, why not take them?" What about the circus arts disciplines? Is there one area of the world that excels? "For circus arts, Eastern Europe has a big circus history. It's a question of cultural and social tradition. In some of the gymnastic disciplines Eastern European countries have a bigger pool. Europe has a big circus culture; for example there are hundreds of circuses in France." 9:53am - Anne-Marie kneels on the floor as the candidates gather in a semi-circle. She talks about what will happen during the day, going one step at a time. "It's up to all of you," she tells them, "to show the audition team who you are. To take risks. Allow yourselves to enter the unknown. And, most importantly, have fun." 9:58am - Charmaine conducts warm-up exercises, helping stretch muscles so they won't get injured. Following her lead, the group kicks legs high in the air, effortlessly achieving what my wife LouAnna and I have difficulty with in aerobics class. Their amazing strength and flexibility is evident as they move. But they have been doing this as their lives' passion for years, even decades. 10:16am - Charmaine leads them in another dance exercise to music from a dance class CD. Several tracks from the CD are used during the morning for various exercises. LouAnna snaps several pictures under less than ideal circumstances; perched on a chair on top of a large box, she has to crane her neck close to the glass separating us from the audition room. What kind of career can a dancer have in the high-pressure world of a Cirque du Soleil show? "Acrobats and dancers have short careers," Richard explains. You age out of the discipline, but not necessarily out of Cirque. Because we have ex-dancers or acrobats that have progressed into character roles. When you're a dancer or acrobat you learn all these acting skills and you're able to transpose that into acting." The challenge lies not so much physically as mentally. "For a dancer from a ballet company that is used to doing 100 shows a year, that has to learn a dozen ballets a year, it's very challenging and it's always different. When they come to Cirque it's the same show 374 shows a year, 10 shows a week - it's tough. Dancers have to really think if that's what they want." "It's kind of like doing a Broadway show. Some dancers find it too repetitive, some love it. You have to find the right person and they have to keep themselves motivated. It's a different approach because you don't get challenged and motivated because you're doing something new, you have to find it somewhere deep in your role. Once they understand and grab that it becomes challenging and motivating for them. But it's a new mindset." What kind of experience is Cirque looking for in dancers? "The most useful kind of experience with regards to dancers is stage experience in front of an audience. You learn a lot in front of an audience; you have one shot to give them the experience you're supposed to give them, to leave an impression. It's different than being in a studio; the studio is your kitchen, you can make a mess there. But in the hall it's different." "There's not one kind of specific experience we need. We need classical dancers for La Nouba and Mystere. We need African dancers for Dralion and Zumanity. We have a lot of modern dancers - such as the Green Lizards in Mystere. We have Indian dancers in Dralion, an exotic dancer in Zumanity. We don't close our doors to anything." The Cirque casting website makes mention of this as well. "Your background may be in one of the great traditions or in one of the new dance forms; you may be unconventional, on the fringe, or totally outrageous; your dance may come from near or far; whatever the case, put your best foot forward!" Richard describes a case in point: "Zumanity goes to show that you never know what will be needed. A couple of years ago we got a demo tape of a pole dancer - "Oh my God, look at this!" - Back then, we couldn't use it. Then a few years later they came to us and said, "Do you have any pole dancers?" "Oh, we had a great one!" And we had to scramble to find that videotape and contact information." 10:25am - Charmaine stops and discusses another music selection with Richard, selecting a solo bongo track. The candidates, having warmed up, start removing jackets and overshirts, bearing muscular arms and taut stomachs. As we continue talking, Charmaine is teaching moves, counting out time and beating out the count with claps of her hands. The most important key to unlocking the door to an audition with Cirque du Soleil is The Demo Tape. "A lot of artists don't know how to put a demo together. They'll send a demo with a piece of paper saying, "I'm the fourth one from the left," and there are 60 dancers on stage. So we tell them to go to the website and see what we're looking for. If you give us a good demo it gives us a chance to see who you are. But if you're in a group of people on your tape we don't know. In that case we usually ask for another demo." Cirque has spent a considerable amount of time analyzing and refining their demo/audition approach. For Richard this meant placing a priority on refining the pre-selection process. Instead of having general auditions that involved a whole bunch of people Cirque knew nothing about, they went to invitation-only auditions. Now, "We don't see as many people as we did before, but the number we keep has stayed about the same. So the percentage of people that we keep has increased quite a bit. In New York, we had 65 dancers audition and we kept 6." Here they have 27 and will probably keep around the same number. He also knew that Cirque needed to better the communication with the candidates about what was needed on their demos. "[We needed to] ask for more precise things on the demos to have a better evaluation and a better idea of their technical level and their artistry. Because our needs are so specific, we don't want to waste the time of the people who do come in, spending money flying and so forth that might not correspond to what we are looking for. So it was important to look at ways to improve that pre-selection. Now instead of dealing with 65 people we deal with 27, it's much easier, less stressful." One of the things they stopped doing was making general requests for demos in their audition publicity materials. "We realized that people stopped reading after, "Send us a resume and demo," and didn't go any further. So they would never go to the website (www.casting.cirquedusoleil.com) and find out what we really needed, they would just send us incomplete material. So now we say, "Our auditions are by invitation only. For more details, go see the website." So they go and see exactly what they need to send. And it's starting to work because the number of complete files that come in has greatly increased compared to what we'd gotten before. We don't get so many of the "I'm the third one from the left" demos anymore. We're starting to see results, and it's encouraging." Indeed the Cirque casting website, under "How to Apply," has very explicit instructions on what is to appear in demos for all of their disciplines. Take the requirements for a demo from a classically- trained dancer, for example: Two-minute presentation to the camera; Pirouettes - basic, attitude, arabesque, à la seconde; Fouettés; Jumps: tours en l'air, jetés, petit and grand Allegro; Pointes; Adagio showing flexibility, strength and extension; Flexibility: split (side and front), back bend; Three-minute solo choreography in studio; a solo segment in performance. Or, this one for actors: Presentation to the camera: (2 minutes); Excerpts from a performance or rehearsal (10 minutes) or an original scene (3 minutes); Characters. Show us 4 to 12 characters in short interludes (15 seconds to 1 minute) on stage (8 minutes). Anne-Marie agrees that being more specific has helped, adding, "We're honing down on people's skills. Hopefully the word will get around that the auditions are tight, we're serious, we're gonna push you, you gotta give it up, and really get artists that are exquisite or have really special skills and are generous." 10:35am - The team divides the candidates into groups of three and has them perform the dance they were learning, but facing the ever-present video camera. In direct comparison to each other, candidate's strengths and weaknesses become evident. The woman of an Argentinean dancing couple, while doing a stretch on one leg, bobbles the move; her balance isn't very strong. In our first prediction of the morning, LouAnna suggests she will soon be cut. But there are more factors than technical talent the Cirque team is looking for. She has something else to offer, as we will soon find out. Besides, she survived the first grueling day. We ask Richard if the people we're seeing will all make the final cut, after the culling of half the troupe yesterday. "There are some people [here today] that are in a gray area, a few question marks. At the end of the day we have to ask; if we presented these people to an artistic director, do we think that this person would corresponds to what the AD is looking for? If we think they do, then we're sure." "We try not to make an opinion too quickly. Yet there are some [people] that are obvious. Our process is very subjective. Because our taste is our taste, we are influenced in certain ways that the artistic director will never be influenced until they actually meet the artist, if they ever do. They have to see it through a camera lens, while we have a personal interaction with them. Sometimes it's funny because you go back home and you look at the tapes and you start to doubt. "How come that's not the person I saw?" That's why we have our technique and why it takes two days. We need a lot of material, we need to give them a chance to really shine and be able to put on camera the talent that we see. The camera needs to be able to capture it, and it's not always easy. It's like when you see a live show on TV, it's not the same feeling. And that's one of the difficulties that we deal with." END OF PART TWO Next Issue: We witness some improve exercises - and final cuts are made. ======================================================================= PARTING QUOTE ======================================================================= "Do you illuminate the world or do you destroy it?" -- Roberty Lepage, Creator and Director of KÀ ======================================================================= SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION ======================================================================= Fascination! is a monthly newsletter, available only through sub- scription. To subscribe, please send an email to: < CirqueFascination- subscribe@yahoogroups.com >. To unsubscribe, please send an email to: < CirqueFascination-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com >. 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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. =======================================================================