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Fascination Issue 011
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Fascination! Newsletter
Issue #11 - July 2002
"Live to Cirque; Cirque to Live"
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Bonjour et bienvenue! Our eleventh issue is bursting at the seams with
information related to Varekai's continued evolution, the new Alegría
DVD, and the further chronicles of "The Grand Tour" in Denver! But,
before we begin, an observation made by Barry Fink from the Las Vegas
Sun. He said, "[Cirque is] similar to an abstract painting, you don't
question, you merely enjoy." That's Cirque du Soleil, and that's
Fascination!
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Contents:
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* Cirque Buzz: News, Rumours & Sightings
* The Itinerary: Tour/Show Information
* Historie: This Month in Cirque History
* Anniversarie: Birthday Wishes to Cirque Alumni
* Le Spectacle:
"The Art and Evolution of Varekai" (By: Wayne Leung)
* From the Boutique:
"Alegría Comes Home!"
- "Extra Special Extras" (By: Paul Roberts)
- "Technical Notes" (By: Ricky Russo)
* The Cirque Connection:
"Teatro Zinzani" (By: Keith Johnson)
* Behind the Curtain:
"Alegría, Obstructed" (By: Ricky Russo)
* Le Spectateur:
"Clownin' Around" (By: Ricky Russo)
* Special Engagement:
"Le Grand Tour: Alegría" (By: Ricky Russo)
* Beyond the Bigtop:
"Varekai Programme Revisited" (By: Keith Johnson)
* Parting Quote
* Next Issue
* Subscription Information
* Copyright & Disclaimer
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CIRQUE BUZZ: NEWS, RUMOURS & SIGHTINGS
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Four Flowers, One Desert:
-------------------------
Using the words "a partnership based on creativity and
innovation," Cirque du Soleil in their June 13th press release,
confirming earlier rumors that they were not only developing
one, but two new shows for Las Vegas, Nevada, in partnership
with MGM-Mirage. The "Fascination! Newsletter" touched on these
rumors in issues past; they were rumored to be working on a
"Cabaret" style show, which we believed would be housed at the
New York, New York Hotel-Casino. Exciting new official details
have been released about this project - confirming the Cabaret
show, as well as another new show to set up shop at the MGM
Grand.
The first project, at New York, New York is set to open in 2003
under the direction of Philippe Decouflé, with Andrew Watson
serving as Director of Creation. While the theme and disciplines
therein are still in development, the show is said to be
"sensual, exotic and provocative;" containing elements of dance,
acrobatics and, of course, humor. This show will take the place
of "Michael Flatley's Lord of the Dance" currently showcased at
the hotel.
The Second project, for the MGM Grand, will replace "EFX Alive!"
currently starring Rick Springfield, and will reopen in 2004 -
Cirque du Soleil's 20th Anniversary year. Robert Le Page is set
as director with Guy Caron (Le Magie Continue, Dralion) serving
a Director of Creation. This show is set to "shake the
spectator's perception of space, conception of the law of
gravity, and comprehension of the world in three dimensions."
These project build upon the relationship between Cirque du
Soleil and MGM-Mirage, which started back in 1992 with a special
presentation of "Nouvelle Experience" on the grounds of the
Mirage hotel-casino. Other projects with this Las Vegas-based
company include: Mystère in 1993 (at Treasure Island), "O" in
1998 (at Bellagio), and a special engagement of Alegría from
1999-2000 (at Beau Rivage, in Biloxi, Mississippi). "MGM Mirage
has an excellent grasp of the creative strengths and energy that
drive Cirque du Soleil," said Guy Laliberté, CEO and Founder of
Cirque du Soleil in a recent press release. "We have always held
fast our dream of reinventing other forms of entertainment." And
it certainly looks as if Cirque du Soleil will continue to "Re-
invent the Circus" in the desert of Las Vegas, and worldwide, as
their expanded partnership with MGM Mirage will globalize their
efforts even more. (Source: Cirque du Soleil)
A Fire Burns Within:
--------------------
On June 10, 2002, Cirque du Soleil announced the official title
of its 13-part series set to air in North America on Bravo (in
the United States), ARTV (Canada), and the Global Television
Network (Canada) - "Fire Within". This production, which has
been in development for over a year, will air in late 2002 in
Canada and early 2003 for US audiences. It is a day-to-day peek
into the lives of Cirque artists, and administrative staff as
they come together to work, play, laugh, love, cry and dream.
"Fire Within" is set to chronicle the behind-the-scenes elements
of the creation of Varekai, Cirque du Soleil's newest touring
production. This new series is produced by Galafilm is being
produced by Galafilm (an independent film company based in
Montréal) and Créations Musica (a subsidiary of Cirque du Soleil
Images) in association with the Global Television Network, ArTV,
and Bravo USA. (Source: Cirque du Soleil)
Cirque Burglarized!:
-------------------
Dralion, currently set up in Portland, Oregon, is facing a
crisis of its own this month - a thief. Between Saturday June
15th and Sunday June 16th, approximately $11,000 in items were
stolen from the Big Top, nestled beneath the Marquam Bridge. A
list of 12 "one-of-a-kind" items have been reported stolen.
Among them, a headdress featuring the "Dralion" dragon/lion
logo, a Chinese Lantern, Fans, Knee Hoops, Unitards, and a cloak
made of white feathers (the same cloak worn by the lead female
singer). Cirque du Soleil is currently working on a contingency
plan for recovery of the items - using temporary pieces so there
is no spectator impact. "You just can't reproduce it overnight,"
said Magdalena Vandeberg (Dralion publicist) in an interview for
a Portland newspaper. As an example, they'll need approximately
6 months to re-create the cloak. (Source: Joseph Rose, the
Oregonian)
A Longer Life?
--------------
According to our source at the "Meet the Performers" night in
San Diego (which we reported on last issue), the Tour Manager
reported that he had just been informed the "new touring
lifespan" of a Cirque show had been expanded to 12 years. We
haven't had confirmation of that yet, and we'll certainly see as
Saltimbanco enters it's 10th year, but it just might mean more
opportunities for Cirque fans to see shows!
Alegría DVD Problems Reported:
------------------------------
When fans began receiving their long-awaited Alegría DVDs this
past month, there was much happiness, until the DVDs were opened
and played. It has been posted to the Cirque Club
(www.cirqueclub.com) discussion board that the Alegría DVD is
not up to standards set with other recent releases - like
Dralion and Quidam. reported problems include the inability to
pause or fast-forward during playback (which in itself is a big
hindrance) and the audio is said to be "worse than the VHS
copy." Further review of the Alegría DVD is in our "From the
Boutique" column this month.
Varekai performer's real-life Icarean fall:
-------------------------------------------
Varekai's theme of Icarus falling hit a little too close for
comfort for one performer. During one of that show's final
performances in Montreal, Romech Mourtazov, a performer in one
of the most brazenly spectacular Cirque numbers, the Russian
Swings, overshot the outstretched screen that was supposed to
catch him, hit the side of the big top and fell from a height of
approximately 7 meters (21 feet). The crowd looked on,
horrified, but miraculously Romech only suffered a badly bruised
heel. According to the director of Cirque's training program
Bernard Petiot, "The performers are well-developed, well-trained
and well-controlled. We always consider the angles in every
movement, and it was a slight angle change in Mourtazov's flight
that made the difference." Varekai is one of the few Cirque du
Soleil productions which does not employ any safety wires or
nets, however the performers are very highly trained and all
necessary precautions are taken to ensure their safety. Cirque
du Soleil has, fortunately, never had a fatality in its 18-year
history. We are happy to report that Romech is well on his way
to a speedy recovery and is expected to rejoin the Varekai cast
shortly after the Quebec City premiere. (Source: Bill
Brownstein, The Montreal Gazette)
Mooooooooooooookie:
-------------------
Clowns have been a mainstay of Cirque du Soleil presentations
since the very beginning. They make us laugh, cry... and
sometimes make us mad when they take our popcorn and throw it
all over the place! Regardless of how we feel about Cirque du
Soleil clowns (good, bad or indifferent) they will forever
remain a part of the overall staging of a show. For Varekai,
Cirque du Soleil employed one of its alums - John Gilkey; and a
duo from Canada and Brazil respectively - Mooky Cornish and
Claudio Adalberto Carniero. Their segments have been blasted in
the press for being humorless, unfeeling, flat and "the weakest
part of Varekai." Fans alike have also made their feelings known
in various chat rooms, fan sites and discussion boards. But in
all the current negativity surrounding this duo, there's one
truth that seems to be overlooked: Cirque hired them. Guy
Laliberte accepted and approved them. And if he didn't think
they were funny, they would not be part of the finished
product.
Let's take a look at one of the members of the Varekai duo:
Mooky. Mooky Cornish's (real name Kathleen Cornish), is the
former lead clown for the Green Fools' Great Western Canadian
Bricks & Earth Circus, and while this is her first job with
Cirque du Soleil, she has been famously connected with the
enigmatic troupe for many years - famous for turning them down!
Her relationship with Cirque du Soleil began in 1994 when she
spotted a billboard for the Cirque in New Mexico. "So I got on a
train the next day," Cornish says in an interview with Lori
Montgomery, On Stage writer for the Calgary News & Entertainment
Weekly (December 20, 2001). "I went to Montreal." But when
Cirque didn't offer her a job right away, she took a position as
an apprentice. Over the years, Cirque du Soleil offered Mooky
lesser parts in its established productions, all of which she
turned down.
"I was in no position to take them," she said.
She was even offered a part for Mystère, which she also turned
down. "The truth is, I didn't want to go and do someone else's
part. I didn't want to live in Las Vegas." And now she doesn't
have too. The waiting as finally paid off with the ultimate role
in Varekai. Mooky Cornish has signed on with the troupe for
three years, performing in roughly half of the planned North
American tour. (Source: Lori Montgomery, FFWD)
This Month In Cirque Club
-------------------------
Cirque Club (www.cirqueclub.com) has four new articles in it's
members-Only section this month, and there are also two very
interesting ones in Cirque's general Press Release section. The
two Press Releases discuss the new Cirque TV series in
conjunction with Bravo TV USA, and the two new shows in Las
Vegas in conjunction with MGM Mirage Resorts. Cirque Club's
articles discuss Grand Chapiteau raisings in Portland for
Dralion and in Detroit for Quidam. There's also an article on
Alegria's premier night in Denver. Finally, and most
interestingly, is a quote from an "O" performer about what she
thinks about as she is performing. Catch these and more at
CirqueClub, Cirque du Soleil's official fan club.
Saltimbanco re-filmed?
----------------------
In an unprecedented move, Bravo, the arts and film network in
the United States, has announced that it will film for future
airing, Cirque du Soleil's oldest currently touring show -
Saltimbanco. Bravo is the official network of Cirque du Soleil
and currently owns the broadcast rights to its repertoire of
shows: from We Reinvent the Circus, Nouvelle Experience,
Saltimbanco (1994), Quidam, Dralion and recently Alegria. It is
rumored the filming will take place at the Royal Albert Hall in
London, where Saltimbanco plays from January 10-26, 2003. It is
unclear whether the Royal Albert Hall performance will be the
"final" curtain for Saltimbanco, the "final" curtain previously
fell there in 1998. (Source: Yahoo! Business News)
Why Milk:
---------
Have you seen the Cirque contortionists in that neat "Got Milk"
print-ad? Two of the ladies from "O" are pictured, one balanced
perfectly atop the other, all atop a table - with their milk
moustaches of course. Did you know there's also a video?
You can find it on the www.whymilk.com website (which also has a
write-up of Cirque off their main page, click on the ad image to
go there). From the main page, click on "Free Milk Stuff", then
click on "Videos." It's available in four(!) formats: 28K, 56K
and Broadband in Windows Media, and Broadband in Quicktime.
The 3:00 long video (with a very faint soundtrack) documents the
photo shoot, with the contortionists putting on their wigs and
sipping that milk! They do a number of poses for the camera,
including some with three ladies. There are no performer names
given and no interviews, just coverage of the photo session.
It would be nice if the Milk Moustache Campaign offered posters
of the various ads, but we didn't find any on the site. Thanks
go to "Jane L" on the Yahoogroups Cirque list for the initial
sighting.
Journey of Man, still earning:
------------------------------
In spite of the IMAX film's release for home viewing in October
of last year, the Cirque du Soleil/Sony Classics film is still
earning dollars at the box office. Playing now for 766 days
(that's a little over 2 years), Journey of Man has managed to
earn $13,357,443 total. For an Imax movie, that isn't too
shabby! Find out if Journey of Man is playing near you at:
<http://www.cirquedusoleiljourney.com/ > (Source: Variety)
"Fascination!" Adds Seventh Writer:
-----------------------------------
You never can have too much talent, and the "Fascination!
Newsletter" wishes to extend a warm welcome to Wayne Leung, our
newest writer!
Hi! My name is Wayne Leung, I'm 21 years old and I live in
Ottawa, Canada - Canada's capital). I speak English, French and
conversational Cantonese Chinese.
Growing up in Canada I watched many Cirque du Soleil television
specials on the CBC, but it wasn't until I saw Saltimbanco (when
it played Ottawa in 1998) that I became a devoted fan. Since
then I've seen Dralion and Varekai live in Montreal, and own
nearly all of Cirque's DVDs and CDs.
I had a brief stint as a professional actor and singer as a
child/teen but I'm currently working on an Engineering degree.
Since I'm now immersed in a highly technical background I'm
looking forward to writing for Fascination! as an outlet for my
artistic side, and hope to write intelligent and insightful
articles for our readers. Happy reading!
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THE ITINERARTY: TOUR/SHOW INFORMATION
=======================================================================
[Touring Shows]
Alegría:
* Denver, Colorado: 6/12/02 - 8/04/02
* Minneapolis/St-Paul, Minnesota: 8/21/02 - 9/8/02
* Mexico City, Mexico: 10/10/02 - 11/10/02
Dralion:
* Portland, Oregon: 6/12/02 - 7/21/02
* Seattle, Washington: 8/1/02 - 8/25/02
* Sacramento, California: 10/4/02 - 10/20/02
* Phoenix, Arizona: Fall 2002
Quidam:
* Detroit, Michigan: 6/20/02 - 7/14/02
* Boston, Massachusetts: 7/25/02 - 8/18/02
* Cleveland, Ohio: 9/26/02 - 10/13/02
* Tampa/St. Petersburg, Florida: Fall 2002
Saltimbanco:
* Vienna, Austria: 7/10/02 - 8/04/02
* Brussels, Belgium: 9/4/02 - 10/06/02
* Madrid, Spain: 10/31/02 - 12/01/02
* London, England: 1/10/03 - 1/26/03
Varekai:
* Québec City, Canada: 6/27/02 - 7/21/02
* Toronto, Canada: 8/1/02 - 9/08/02
* Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: 9/19/02 - 10/6/02
* San Francisco Bay, California: 11/7/02 - 12/8/02
* San Jose, California: 1/16/03 - 2/9/03
* Other Confirmed/Rumored Stops:
- Chicago, Atlanta, Miami, Jersey City
Boston, Houston and Dallas.
[Resident Shows]
La Nouba:
* Two shows Nightly - Thursday through Monday.
* Times: 6:00pm and 9:00pm
* Location: Walt Disney World, Orlando.
* No performances on Tuesday or Wednesday.
* Other than its normal off nights, "La Nouba" is
scheduled to be dark on these dates in 2002:
- July 22nd through July 25th
- September 9th through 12th
- October 21st through 24th
- December 3rd through 11th
Mystère:
* Two shows Nightly - Wednesday through Sunday.
* Times: 7:30pm and 10:30pm
* Location: Treasure Island, Las Vegas.
* No performances on Monday or Tuesday.
* Other than its normal off nights, "Mystère" is
scheduled to be dark on these dates in 2002:
- August 4th through 7th
- October 6th through 9th
- December 4th through 17th
"O":
* Two shows Nightly - Friday through Tuesday.
* Times: 7:30pm and 10:30pm.
* Location: Bellagio, Las Vegas.
* No performances on Wednesday or Thursday.
* Other than its normal off nights, "O" is
scheduled to be dark on these dates in 2002:
- August 12th through 13th
- October 14th through 15th
- December 4th through 19th
=======================================================================
HISTORIE: THIS MONTH IN CIRQUE HISTORY
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* July 05, 1984 -- 1984 Tour opened Rimouski, Canada
* July 05, 1985 -- 1985 Tour opened Québec [Vieux-Port de Québec]
* July 05, 1986 -- Le Magie Continue opened Québec, Canada
* July 05, 1990 -- Nouvelle Expérience opened Seattle, Washington
* July 06, 2000 -- Saltimbanco 2000 opened Seattle, Washington
* July 07, 1987 -- Le Cirque Réinventé opened Québec, Canada
* July 10, 2002 -- Saltimbanco opened Vienna, Italy
* July 11, 1990 -- Le Cirque Réinventé opened Montréal, Canada
* July 12, 1984 -- 1984 Tour opened Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, Canada
* July 12, 1994 -- Alegría opened San Francisco, California
* July 14, 1992 -- Fascination opened Osaka, Japan
* July 14, 1992 -- Saltimbanco opened San Francisco, California
* July 19, 1984 -- 1984 Tour opened Baie-Saint-Paul, Canada
* July 21, 1995 -- Saltimbanco opened Berlin, Germany
* July 21, 1999 -- Saltimbanco opened Adelaide, Australia
* July 23, 1988 -- Le Cirque Réinventé opened Toronto
* July 24, 1992 -- Fascination opened Sapporo, Japan
* July 25, 1984 -- 1984 Tour opened Québec, Canada
* July 25, 2002 -- Quidam opened Boston, Massachusetts
* July 26, 1985 -- 1985 Tour opened Toronto [Harbour Front]
* July 26, 1991 -- Nouvelle Expérience opened Toronto, Canada
* July 26, 1995 -- Alegría opened Chicago, Illinois
* July 26, 1996 -- Saltimbanco opened Anvers, Belgium
* July 26, 2001 -- Quidam opened Copenhagen, Denmark
* July 28, 1993 -- Saltimbanco opened Chicago, Illinois
* July 31, 1990 -- Le Cirque Réinventé opened in London, England
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ANNIVERSAIRE: BIRTHDAY WISHES TO CIRQUE ALUMNI!
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* July 06, 1963 -- Toumany Kouyaté (Singer/"O")
* July 10, 1959 -- Pierre Dubé (Taïko Drummer/Mystère)
* July 22, 1982 -- Alexi Anikine (Russian Swings/Varekai)
* July 25, 1991 -- Bin He (Water Meteors/Varekai)
* July 26, 1974 -- Karyne Steben (Duo Trapeze/Former Saltimbanco, "O")
* July 26, 1974 -- Sarah Steben (Duo Trapeze/Former Saltimbanco, "O")
=======================================================================
LE SPECTACLE:
"THE ART AND EVOLUTION OF VAREKAI" (By: Wayne Leung)
=======================================================================
Alright, I have a confession. I'm absolutely hooked on Cirque du
Soleil's newest show, Varekai. Ever since the first time I saw it (a
week after the premiere), I knew right away that I needed to see it
again. So, see it again I did; three more times throughout the
hometown Montreal run. Doing so gave me a unique opportunity to
explore the art and evolution of this breathtaking new production.
Those of you who are veterans of live Cirque du Soleil shows already
know that you can't even get close to seeing all there is to see when
you see a show only once. Add that to the fact that Cirque
productions are always in flux. They always try new things to keep the
show fresh. This is especially true during the first six months or so
after a premiere, when the show is still in its "creation" stage.
So, what has changed in Varekai since Fascination! last checked in
with the show in the May 2002 issue?
Firstly, the order of the acts has been rearranged so that the
Triple Trapeze is performed in the first half of the show, in the slot
where Aerial Straps used to be performed. The spider goddess
characters perform the act immediately after they tear hand-balancer
Olga Pikhienko's character away from Icarus and ensnare her in their
cage. The Triple Trapeze is immediately followed by the finale of the
first half, the super-high energy Georgian Dance. The succession of
these acts develops the show's crisis theme and makes it all the more
potent, adding a degree of dramatic tension and energy that caries
through intermission. In the second half, the Aerial Straps now
immediately follows the Solo on Crutches. The juxtaposition of these
two symbolically significant numbers, makes the show much more of a
complete journey representing catharsis, healing and redemption for
Icarus.
The change gives the show much more dramatic weight and intensity.
The new order also does wonders for the fluidity of the show and
allows the acts to flow together even better than before. The energy
of the two halves is also more even, the second half originally being
very "heavy" compared to the first. Who would have thought making this
one change would have made such a difference?
Another notable change comes in the form of an absence;
Tatiana Gousarova and Oleg Ouchakov (veterans of Quidam's Banquine
act) did not perform the Acrobatic Pas de Deux the last few times I
saw the show. There is a rumour that Tatiana is injured; if this is
the case, then all of us at Fascination! wish her a speedy recovery.
Instead of the Pas de Deux, there is a replacement act. Characters
hidden in the darkened forest at the back of the set toss glowing orbs
into the air, a harbinger of the act to follow. A young man bursts
onto the stage to perform a unique, high-energy solo juggling/
manipulation number. The juggler is dressed in a "jester" costume
(the same costume worn by the porters in Icarian Games, but with a
blue and fluorescent green/yellow colour scheme). The music for the
act is up tempo with a South American/Brazilian influence. The
juggler begins with regular juggling pins, then switches to
manipulation and juggling of soccer balls. He then juggles ping-pong
balls with his mouth, spitting them and catching them in rapid
succession. As a finale he takes straw hats worn by the Water Meteor
boys (who act as characters/assistants during the act) and throws four
of them like Frisbees, but so that they return to him like boomerangs.
He continues to juggle the hats making, a dramatic dive to catch the
last one. This is definitely a high-calibre act and a real crowd
pleaser, he got some of the most enthusiastic applause.
The first time I saw Varekai I was blown away by its "wow" factor.
Upon each subsequent viewing the show retained that power to impress
but I was increasingly dazzled by the theatricality and drama at the
heart of the show. Another advantage to seeing a Cirque show multiple
times is being able to delve deeper into the art and symbolism of the
show and to search for the meaning behind each of the acts.
One thing I particularly enjoy about Varekai is that it has a
strong underlying narrative that threads through the numbers.
Each act then becomes an allegory advancing the storyline even more so
than in past Cirque shows which were more loosely themed. It's
similar to Quidam in that respect, but Varekai is more fantastic
rather than surreal like Quidam. Of course, there is still plenty of
room for artistic interpretation.
I'm always enraptured by my favourite acts; Flight of Icarus (Aerial
contortion in net), Icarian Games (foot juggling), Aerial Straps,
Hand-balancing and the Russian Swings, but I've also started to
appreciate acts that I overlooked the first time. For example, when I
first saw Varekai I thought the Solo on Crutches was lame (pun
intended). It isn't particularly acrobatic, it's more performance art
and interpretive dance, very avant-garde. However, when I saw it
again, it moved me deeply. Taken within the context of the show its
symbolism is so powerful. The performer urges Icarus to rise, to find
the power within himself to overcome the storms that bedevil him. At
one point the crutch dancer mimics Icarus' fall from the opening of
the show and, as he lies lifeless, is surrounded by masked demon-like
characters who close around ready to consume him. He then swipes them
away with his crutch and springs upright in a testament to the
strength of the human spirit.
The Triple Trapeze performed by four artists on a stationary trapeze
also was not one of my favourite acts upon first viewing. I was
expecting something more along the lines of Cirque's past trapeze
numbers, like Duo Trapeze from Saltimbanco or Synchro Trapeze from
Alegría. However, when I viewed it a second time, it really struck me
as something unique and breathtaking. The performers are like an
exquisitely beautiful, living, shape-shifting aerial sculpture.
With Varekai, Cirque du Soleil provides us with many achingly
beautiful moments and potent images. Every detail is meticulously
crafted to form the big picture; the set a striking mechanical
masterpiece, the unbelievable costumes stunningly exotic while also
sensually accentuating the performers' physique, the eclectic and
original music simply entrancing. This show ventures into the realm
of high art which can be admired again and again. Every time I see
it, there's more to discover, more to analyze and more to appreciate.
I loved it to begin with and it just keeps growing on me. So what
else am I to do but see it yet again! Temptation got the best of me
and I have already purchased tickets for the end of the Toronto run
this summer. I'm anxious to see what additional changes there will be
to explore and what new art there will be for me to discover in this
ever-changing magical world called Varekai.
=======================================================================
FROM THE BOUTIQUE:
"ALEGRIA COMES HOME!" (By: Paul Roberts and Ricky Russo)
=======================================================================
Since it's debut in November 2001 on Bravo, the Arts and Film network
in the United States, fans of Alegría have waited (some not so
patiently) for the eventual release on VHS and DVD. The first week of
June 2002, fans were rewarded with what we agree is a special release
indeed.
"The Alegría DVD: Extra Special Extras"
(By: Paul Roberts)
---------------------------------------
After seeing the Bravo broadcast of Alegría I looked forward to its
release on DVD. When CirqueClub sent a pre-sale offer email, I jumped
on it immediately. After a couple months of anticipation, the DVD
arrived in early June. What I looked forward most to seeing were the
advertised extras.
On the main menu screen-along with the main show are the standard
performance selections and subtitle language selections, but no audio
selection. There is also a Music Promo, a 58-second advertisement for
the Cirque du Soleil soundtracks. While the promo flashes lightning-
fast highlights from most of the shows with the album covers swimming
across the screen, a three partial-song collage is played that
consists of Dralion's "Bamboo", Alegría's "Irna", and ends with the
haunting "O" theme.
The Special Features part of the DVD consists of four extra sections:
A Look Behind the Scenes, A Different Perspective, Meet the Artists,
and Multi-Angle Performances.
In the "A Look Behind the Scenes" extra there are two videos, The
first is 13-minute video "Filming Alegría: A Featurette" which
includes interviews with the filming crew, such as Rocky Oldman
(Producer), Peter Wagg (Executive Producer), Nick Morris (Director),
Patrick Woodroffe (Lighting Designer), and old friend, Luc Lafortune,
who was brought back to help mesh the video lighting with his
originally-designed stage lighting. The interviews cover how
difficult it is to capture Cirque du Soleil's live magic on video.
Personally, I think they did a wonderful job. There are so many
people that never get to experience Alegría live, but the video
unveils an enchanting "next best thing" experience.
The second video is my favorite extra: the 45-minute "A Journey to
Alegría: A Special" produced by Nine Network Australia and hosted by
Australian gymnast, Jamie Durie. Jamie actually auditioned for Cirque
du Soleil in 1997, but never reveals how it went. His interviews with
several Alegría artists are an interesting blend of knowledge and
humor, especially when some of the artists "train" him on their
specialties.
Mr. Durie's interviews include Guy Laliberté (Founding President, of
course), who explains how Cirque du Soleil is more like theatre than a
circus; Ria Martens (Artistic Coordinator), who trains him on fast
track flips; Ana Shelper (Dual Trapeze), who shows him several trapeze
positions and discusses her early trapeze days; Chimed Ulziibayar
(Contortion), who lies on the floor with her feet next to her ears as
they talk about being flexible and what goes through her mind while
she is contorting (Jamie dares not to attempt the position she is in);
Kristina Ivanova (Nymph), who stretches with Jamie as she reveals what
it like being in a traveling circus family; Francesca Gagnon (White
Singer), who sings the Hoops Act song acappella that segues into the
live version of the song, and to the next interview: Elena Lev.
Elena Lev, who is one of Cirque du Soleil's most famous performers,
has even performed with Aerosmith on stage. She talks with Jamie
during her somewhat disturbing warm-up exercises that include bends
and swivels as her body makes crackling noises that rival the sound of
an army of crickets. Jamie ends the interview with a playful attempt
to get a date with the Russian star.
Some of the best interviews are in randomly interspersed scenes with
Ebon Grayman (Monsieur Fleur). These two guys hit it off remarkably.
With their senses of humor the banter is hysterical, especially when
Jamie watches Ebon transform from an everyday man to the circus fool.
Fleur's potbelly is perfect fodder for a beer joke. Ebon also
demonstrates a nice tissu act that he is developing (probably not for
Alegría, however) and allows Jamie to attempt the excruciating
exercise. I give Jamie a 9.5 for the effort. Another funny interview
is with Strongman, Ginaud Dupuis, who lifts up a heavy log before
Jamie challenges him to an arm wrestling match. Ginaud responds with
"Where's the money?"
Mr. Durie also covers the schooling for children of performers and the
child performer, Batmunkh Batjargal, who plays Little Tamir. Batmunkh
tells Jamie that his favorite part of the show is his role as an Old
Bird during Ginaud's Strongman act.
I hope that someday Jamie Durie's dream of joining Cirque du Soleil
comes true, as his endearing personality exhibits what could be a
great asset for an acrobatic character.
The extra titled "A Different Perspective" is a wonderful montage of
video and music. It is kind of a music video of Alegría highlights,
featuring live portions of the songs "Taruka", "Irna", and the title
track "Alegría." The five-minute video includes unused scenes from
the main event and would be a great promotional piece or even a music
video for a cable channel like VH-1.
The "Meet the Artists" segment is a unique personal touch where each
and every performer introduces themselves while in street clothes then
morph into their stage outfit to explain their role and how long
they have been in the show. Some of the performers have limited use
of the English language which makes the interview even more
intriguing. The best interview is saved for last: Eve Montpetit, who
plays the Black Singer. She explains that she used to sometimes
play the White Singer, but she became innocent and naïve and happy.
"I prefer to haunt you," she says with a slight smirk.
The Multi-Angle Performances feature allows four different camera
angles from parts of two acts: the Fast Track and the Aerial High Bar.
On the left side of the screen the angles are shown in small
video boxes so that the person viewing can choose which angle is
preferred. The multi-angle selections are not attainable during the
main video as they are in the Dralion DVD.
Many of Cirque du Soleil's past DVD's only included a limited amount
of extras, which were usually just trailers for "Quidam" and
"Dralion." On the Alegría DVD, however, we are blessed with some extra
special extras that can be enjoyed over and over again!
"The Alegría DVD: Technical Notes"
(By: Ricky Russo)
----------------------------------
An uproar occurred when the Alegría DVD was released - it was reported
by a few fans that the DVD's sound was not mixed in Dolby Digital 5.1
Surround Sound, but 2.0 Stereo, which caused considerable loss in
sound and (to them) overall enjoyment. That, on top of another defect
relating to the capability of pausing the performance set off a fire
that has yet to be quenched. To review the DVD I used my home computer
with a standard (no model) DVD-ROM device, InterVideo's WinDVD (which
is a software based DVD controller), and Altec Lansing ADA-305
speakers.
First, let's tackle the problem with sound. For those who do not know,
Dolby Digital is a multi-channel digital audio format with a sample
rate of 48 kHz at up to 24bits (bitrates between 64kbps and 448kbps).
For a 5.1 mix, the bitrate is around 384kpbs, which means more of the
ambiance sounds can be heard and those with home theater systems can
be completely surrounded by the performance. Unfortunately I do not
have the equipment to answer whether the 5.1 mix is intact, as my
equipment downmixes the 5.1 channel audio (which in itself is a AC3
encoded soundtrack) to Dolby Surround Stereo. With my already limited
sound capabilities in mind, I found no problems with the sound.
However, fan contact with Toby Alington, the person in charge of Sound
for the DVD, has advised that any persons having trouble with the
sound should remove "any DRC (Dynamic Range Control) or compression-
type settings. [...] And, make sure any LFE synthesis is switched
off."
Second, I also examined the problem with pause/fast-forward and other
controls. I was puzzled by the suggestion that any disc would have
these features disabled. When I received my DVD I quickly put the disc
in to determine if this particular problem was true. Thankfully no, I
did not have any problems pausing the performance at any time,
switching to another chapter, fast-forwarding or rewinding. While
Cirque du Soleil has acknowledged that there seems to be a problem
with the video control features on the disc, I found that not to be
the case with my DVD. This may mean that this problem may only be
experienced on certain DVD systems. If you have a "defective" disc,
please contact Cirque du Soleil customer service
(contact@cirquedusoleil.com) for further information and/or
instructions on receiving a replacement.
Besides the nifty extras Paul reviews, there were two other items that
caught my interest. The first is the language feature of the disc
(accessible by selecting "Languages" from the main menu). "Languages",
a deceiving title, provides the viewer with seven different selections
for subtitling: Chinese, English, French, German, Japanese, Spanish
and None. While only the first minute of the DVD is actually
subtitled, a very interesting thing happens when you select another
language: some of the menu's actually change! I found this out by
changing the language from None to Japanese and lo-and-behold the "A
Look Behind the Scenes" menu under "Special Features" was in Japanese!
(nice touch guys!) And both Behind the Scenes featurettes are
subtitled in whatever language you choose!
The other noticeable oddity comes from the disc itself. Printed upon
the face of the disc is the phrase: "Requires DVD-ROM on your
PC with Windows 95 or higher to access DVD-ROM features. It will not
work on CD-ROM drive and it may not work on a Macintosh computer."
It's interesting to note that there are no features on the disc
that would warrant a DVD-ROM.
From moving chapter selections ("Performance Selections" from the main
menu) to the simple yet colorful packaging to the wonderful extras -
Cirque du Soleil along with Richmond Studios has put together a very
nice package indeed. The only complaint (and notable missing piece) is
the documentary: "The Truth of Illusion", about Alegría's original
creation. If you're thinking about purchasing a Cirque du Soleil show
on DVD - Alegría is definitely the one!
=======================================================================
THE CIRQUE CONNECTION:
"TEATRO ZINZANI" (By: Keith Johnson)
=======================================================================
Likely due to Cirque du Soleil's success in the United States, the
last few years have seen several new opportunities open up for circus
and "cirque" performers. Sea World's "Cirque de la Mer" and "Cheval
Theater" are just a few we've discussed here, both having a Cirque
connection. Now we have another to report on.
"Teatro ZinZanni" (www.zinzanni.org) is a performance/dinner
theater/improv concept founded in Seattle in 1998. The idea was to
create an intimate evening of comedic entertainment revolving around
the service of a 5-course gourmet meal. Over the of 3-plus
hours the performance takes place in an intimate 300-seat Spiegeltent
(a circular, dark wood and mirror tent, one of many that toured Europe
in the early 1900's offering evenings of dance and cabaret). Debuting
with it's first production, "Love, Chaos & Dinner," it originally ran
in Seattle. for 14 sold-out months before moving to San Francisco
where it still plays (and where the wonderfully droll Eugeniy Voronin,
a veteran of the Seattle show, still holds court as the Maitre
d'Hotel). A new production, "Dinner & Dreams" has just debuted in
Seattle and it's another fabulously fun, if pricey ($100.00) evening
of food and frolic.
The most magical aspect of ZinZanni is the interaction between
performers and audience. The cast roams through the tent talking
with, playing pranks on, and involving the diners in the show. Since
the tent seats only 300 people, it's almost certain that at some point
during the evening you'll have interplay with a performer (bet you
can't say that about a Cirque show!). The show is loosely themed
around the remembrances of Mabel Dean, hilariously played by Kevin
Kent, a ZinZanni veteran. His gift for improvisation is marvelous,
and his antics kept us in stitches whenever he appeared. We haven't
laughed that hard in quite a while.
The performance segments feature various acrobatic and comic acts,
including two stationary trapeze acts - one contortion, the other
comic duo - a female hand-balancer, a tap-dancing duo, and a Mexican-
American singer who claims to be the love child of Charo and Elvis(!).
So where's the Cirque connection? In the form of Soizick Hebert and
Johnny Filion, the Canadian comic duo "Les Voila." Cirque fans will
recognize them as the musical clowns from the "Dralion" video. Having
separated from Cirque, they performed in the San Francisco production
of ZinZanni, and moved for this new production where they play the
bumbling cooks who "just don't spend enough time in the kitchen."
Some of the material they do here is familiar to Cirque fans - the
drum solo/silk juggling routine and the ukulele/bass tune (you could
tell the Cirque fans in the audience (us), we cheered first time out
<G>). But that's not the only Cirque connection; the show also
features Andrea Conway, who created the role of "Baroque" in
"Saltimbanco."
Our experience the night we attended was wonderfully pleasant. The
delicious food, good wine, and laugh-out-loud-funny show kept us
entertained the whole night. But as a loyal Cirque fan I had also
come prepared (or so I thought). I brought along our Dralion DVD and
after the show asked our waiter if Les Voila would sign it for us.
When he returned he proceeded to show us where the disk was signed.
"That's Johnny, that's Soizick, and Viktor from the show was here so
he signed it too." This had me totally flummoxed.
"Viktor, what Viktor? You mean VIKTOR KEE?! Viktor Kee is HERE?!?"
Sure enough, along with the signatures of Les Voila was "From Juggler
Viktor K." right on the DVD disk itself! Turns out Viktor was
traveling up from San Diego, where Dralion had just closed, visiting
his friends Les Voila before the show opened in Portland (Seattle is
only 4 hours drive from Portland).
Any Cirque or circus fan, or anyone looking for a delicious evening of
entertainment, and who happens to be in or headed toward Seattle or
the Bay Area should consider either of Teatro ZinZanni's productions.
They are unique, intimate, and special. But book ahead; as I type
this (early June) the Seattle show is sold out until September!
=======================================================================
BEHIND THE CURTAIN:
"ALEGRIA, OBSTRUCTED" (By: Ricky Russo)
=======================================================================
("Le Grand Tour: Alegría", Partie Une)
"I'm sorry, we only have obstructed view seats available..."
Words that haunt even the least devoted of Cirque fans - obstructed
view. And yet, that's what I was faced with during our first attempt
at seeing Alegría over the weekend in Denver, Colorado. The ticket
attendant, who had a nifty new Alegría shirt on, was patiently
awaiting our decision. It was Saturday, June 22nd, and I had just come
from the new Disney movie "Lilo & Stitch" with my two friends - Cedric
Pansky (who joined us in Montréal and is responsible for introducing
me to Cirque in 1999) and Maya Abrams (a mutual friend of ours, and
quite a surprise for the weekend). We rushed down to the Pepsi Center
parking lot (where Alegría was set up) with a desire to see the show.
It didn't matter that we already had tickets for the 8:00 evening show
on Sunday, we were that anxious to see the show. The only problem, we
didn't want our view of it obstructed. What to do?
"How much are the tickets again?" I asked the attendant at the box
office.
"Forty-five dollars," she patiently replied.
Fans have complained about obstructed view seats before. Saying
terrible things such as: "How dare Cirque sell such crappy seats" and
"I can't believe Cirque would stoop so low". But would it be worth it?
Would it be worth the experience to a fan?
"We'll take them," I said to Cedric, who whipped out his Credit Card
and graciously treated us to the show.
That decision set me off on an unplanned experience that I wish to
share with all Cirque fans who may have wondered what seeing a show
partially obstructed was like. To give you a feel for where I was
seated - the ticket I was sold was in Section 201, Row H, Seat 16,
which is on the left side of the Bigtop, on the aisle between the
lower and upper sections. My two friends sat directly behind me in
201-I-15 and 201-J-16. We were right in front of a pole. As I sat down
I began to wonder if the lower ticket price would make up for the fact
that a big pole was right in front of me, but I tried to make the most
of it. This was the aisle after all, and perhaps a few character
interactions to look forward to, right?
The lights dimmed, the music came up and "Alegría!" was proclaimed
from all points. The musicians trampled by, led by the white faced,
red dressed Fleur and the show began... and I forgot all about the
pole (Well... almost).
Believe it or not, taking an obstructed view seat was an excellent
idea - for two reasons. First, having seen the show before (in
Biloxi), it provided a unique perspective I had yet to experience. And
if there's one thing about this Grand Tour, it's to experience
everything possible. Secondly, I really wanted to see the show! And if
there's one thing I learned from Varekai in Montréal it's that
"standby" is a wonderful thing. Something to be exploited, er, I mean
explored.
Only a few times did I find myself really hating the pole. Most of the
time, the action was out front where everyone could see no matter
where they sat. There were times, however, that I wished the pole was
gone.
The FastTrack performance was blocked by half. I could only see one
Bronx group performing their twists, flips and turns, but not the
other because the landing pad was directly in front of the pole! The
Russian Bar and High Bar numbers were also hindered for the same
reason. Even the Syncro Trapeze had some of its maneuvers hidden.
Probably the worst effect of the pole came in the first clown act,
that I aptly name "Bird on a Wire." I couldn't even see what they were
doing!
For the most part, choosing the obstructed seats was a great idea: it
gave me a new perspective and a new experience. And even though the
pole was a big thorn in the side, the ambiance and energy of the show
was the same - and that's all we wanted to experience anyway. First-
time viewers of Cirque du Soleil shows should NOT take any kind of
obstructed seats, but if you're a veteran fan who wants to see the
show again, and only has the option of choosing obstructed seats, ask
yourself this: You can sit outside, or be inside where the music, the
energy, and the fun are. The answer will come to you!
=======================================================================
LE SPECTATEUR:
"CLOWNIN' AROUND" (By: Ricky Russo)
=======================================================================
("Le Grand Tour: Alegría", Partie Deux)
One thing I tell people about a Cirque show is that you never know
what to expect. Anything can happen under the bigtop - anything - and
sometimes it takes a keen eye and quick mind to recognize even the
smallest "out of place" occurrence. My friends and I had such an
experience at our second viewing of Alegría in Denver, the following
Sunday evening.
The evening was turning out quite well for us. Cedric, Maya and I had
just come from a café called Paris, sipping on a couple of cold drinks
(non-alcoholic, of course), when we arrived at the big top. With only
15 minutes to spare before showtime, we were cutting it close! People
were rushing about trying to find their seats and here were three fans
lazily walking to the white Grand Chapiteau who knew exactly where
they were going (and seated). Quite frankly, we were excited about
this performance due to our choice seats - Section 200, Row H, seats
14, 16 and 17. It was dead center, unobstructed, and right in front of
the sound booth.
You'll notice I said 14, 16 and 17. Unfortunately, one of the problems
with Maya's ticket was that it was not purchased with Cedric's and
mine, which I had done weeks ago when they went on sale. Maya was
somewhat of a surprise and since I did not know she'd be with us, I
never got her a ticket. Hers was purchased at the big top the previous
night, which caused us to be separated. As luck would have it, we were
able to procure a seat for her in the same section and row we were
located (200-H-16,17), only two seats to our left.
Eventually, Cedric and I got our first peek inside the tent and we
noticed the tufty haired clown (Yuri Medvedev) sitting in our seats!
(Actually, mine: 201-H-16). We wondered, "What is he doing there?"
But, neither of us could see very well. "C'mon people!" I yelped,
trying to move the masses along. We knew if we could get past this
shuffling crowd, we could interact with the clown - show him our seat
tickets and "throw him out" as it were. Unfortunately, just as there
was a break in the line, Yuri left... and our hearts sank: What a
missed opportunity!
With that disappointment, Cedric and I wandered down to our row, took
the seats formerly occupied by the clown and waited for the show to
begin. I took my seat next to the guy the clown was bugging without
saying a word to him, or interacting in anyway. We'd be asking him to
switch seats in a moment and I'd rather not say something wrong. Soon
thereafter Maya joined us (she was looking through the store real
quick) and we were whole again.
"Do you mind switching seats with me?" Maya asked the strange man. At
first he looked confused (and there was an usher nearby shaking her
head "no"), but when Maya told him she was with us (who were sitting
right beside him), he agreed.
"Great! A better view of the show!"
It was then this stranger became less strange, and more familiar. I
hadn't paid much attention to him up until that time. Sure the clowns
were giving him the once over (apparently) before we got there, but
there wasn't anything overly special about him. When he spoke,
however, his Russian accent caught my attention. That, and the fact
that the ushers seemed to be swarming around him like they were
protecting some lost puppy.
When he sat back down next to my friend Maya, I began to see this
stranger in a new light indeed. I recognized his face and his
disheveled blond hair. I turned to Cedric then and whispered to him:
"That's Valery; Valery Kleft!" and pointed with my thumb.
I had to explain to him who Valery Kleft was - previously a clown for
Alegría at Beau Rivage and currently a clown for "O" at Bellagio, Las
Vegas. When he understood that his face lit up with glee. Yes, we were
sitting next to a Cirque clown!
Before we could really say anything to him the show started with the
parade of musicians that so personifies Alegría. From then through the
first act I was trying to think of a way to diplomatically approach
Valery. It occurred to me he was there with family (perhaps his
parents?) and so I didn't want to bother him. My mind was reeling so
quickly that before I knew it, the FastTrack performance was in full
swing. It was then I came up with an interesting and playful solution.
"As soon as we break for intermission, I'm going to buy one of those
Cirque clown noses," I said to Cedric. "No, two of them - one for me
and one to present to Valery!"
"Ooooh, yeah!" he agreed, just as Tamir marched past us.
As he did so, Valery reached out and kicked him in the rear! I was so
shocked I couldn't even laugh. Tamir turned quickly, a scowl present
upon his face. I've never seen a performer kicked like that and I
wasn't sure what he was going to do. But, Tamir recognized him
immediately, squinted his eyes and pointed. In turn, Valery pointed at
us as the culprits (with Maya getting the full brunt of the
accusation). And Maya, as quick as she is, pointed right back. By then
Tamir gave up, turned around, and walked off. Now I could laugh!
Before I knew it I was covered in "snow" and the first act had ended
with Yuri's version of Slava's SnowShow (Slava was the original clown
in Alegría who performed a unique and heartwrenching clown act). When
the lights came up, Cedric and I immediately turned our attention to
Valery, who had already gotten up. It appeared he was being led
backstage. With him gone, the only thing left for us to do was browse
the store, buy our noses and hope for the best.
You know, one of the things I said when I got really involved with
Cirque du Soleil was that I'd never buy one of those cheap red clown
noses, and there I was walking around the merchandise tent with one
firmly planted on my nose... making a complete fool of myself. But
boy was it fun! Everyone was looking at me - some of them pointing,
some laughing, some embarrassed for me ("Why?!"), but all seemed to
enjoy the antics. The best thing about it was that I had an Alegría
shirt on, I was silent, and milling about the crowd - I was just part
of the show!
Cedric even got into the performance before the start of the second
act, with his own red clown nose. What a sight we must have been
making our way back into the big top with red clown noses on! In any
case, we returned to our seats with Maya in tow, and plunked ourselves
down in hopes Valery would come by before the lights dimmed. If we
could get his attention for any period of time, I'd point to the clown
nose on my face, point to him, and extend my hand out with the second
clown nose in it - for him!
Sure enough, Valery returned with his guests, sitting down next to us
just as the lights dimmed (rats, another missed opportunity). The
singer in white strutted her way around the audience, stood right next
to us (with our clown noses on), looked down in a surprised fashion at
Valery, and extended her hand to dance. As she did so, Valery quickly
fumbled with something around his neck (no doubt a special VIP ID) and
tried to stuff it underneath his shirt before...
"Oh my god, she's taking him up on stage!" I whispered to myself.
Valery Kleft looked like a giant amongst the smaller company of
performers, but he took to the dance well. In true Cirque clown
fashion, he put on a pair of dark sunglasses, wrapped his arms around
the singer, and the two danced the number away. Even the strong man
didn't seem inclined to take him away.
When Valery returned to his seat next to us, Maya reached over and
whispered in his ear: "I think you know her," she said. To which he
answered: "Oh yeah!"
By the time the show ended (with a few more character interactions -
one of which was an "Old Bird" who'd come to dust off his head), we
still had not gained Valery's attention. Do you know what? By that
time we didn't care. The show was excellent, our fun had been had, and
we had such a great time "clowning around" with the patrons leaving
the show we didn't give it a second thought. One of the leaving VIP
members even asked us if we were in the show! (how's that for
recognition - Cirque here I come!)
In a way, we were part of the show. And we came away from Alegría with
another unique memory that will endure, even if we didn't get a chance
to say hi to our clown neighbor!
Viva L'Alegria!
=======================================================================
SPECIAL ENGAGEMENT:
"LE GRAND TOUR: ALEGRIA" (By: Ricky Russo)
=======================================================================
("Le Grand Tour: Alegría", Partie Trois)
I decided to take a different approach with the Grand Tour's
publication this month. Each of the items you've read thus far is part
of a greater whole that I now wish to sum up. I can't convey enough
how much of a success the Denver leg of the Grand Tour was. I can't
say enough how excited I was to be in Denver watching Alegría, how
much fun I really had, or how much I hated coming home. And, there's
still far, far more to divulge. So, sit back, relax and enjoy a few
observations about the show, the Grand Chapiteau, the merchandise
therein and Denver itself.
The Grand Tour is many things. It is a fulfillment of a dream, sure,
but it is also a creature of sequence, cycle and mood. As each trip
comes and goes, a little notch is placed on the score card of life -
another cycle complete in the "Grand" scheme. Sometimes the grandness
overshadows even the littlest, and most interesting coincidences and
events about this undertaking.
For instance, this trip took me to Denver, Colorado from June 21st
(Friday) through June 24th (Monday). But what you may not realize is
that this trip began on the Summer Solstice, one of the longest days
of the year. That got me thinking... that morning sunrays were shining
down upon Stonehenge, creeping up on a stone called "the Heel Stone",
creating the illusion that the sun (the Soleil!) is balancing on that
stone. It's amazing that whomever created Stonehenge knew of such
things and made such an observation. As I flew above the skies Orlando
to Dallas/Ft. Worth, I couldn't help but reflect upon that. While the
21st of June was the beginning of a new adventure, another one was
just ending for me.
June 21st was also the end of another set of days that I honor. June
11th through 21st is a "week" that I honor each year, and have since
1991. See, one of my first dreams (and I've had many) was to be an
astronaut. While that dream has yet to come true, I had a chance to
live it out 1989 and again in 1991 at a place called Space Camp in
Huntsville, Alabama. It is a place where kids learn how to fly the
Space Shuttle, to live in Space, and how to (for all intensive
purposes) be an astronaut. From June 11-16, 1989 and June 16-21, 1991,
I lived out my dream... just like I'm doing now only, instead of
becoming an Astronaut, I'm fulfilling a desire to see the world (one
step at a time) and every Cirque show out there. So it is with an
interesting notion that I should be flying about the country on this
special day.
What can I tell you about Denver? Contrary to popular belief (and mine
as well) the place is not currently burning down, has burnt down, or
is in any danger of burning down. The fires did, however, place a
shroud over the Rocky Mountains so I never really got to see them in
their splendor. But, that's okay, there was another "snow" covered
mountain I wanted to see: the white Grand Chapiteau of Cirque du
Soleil, perched within the parking lot of the Pepsi Center - Downtown
Denver.
Ever since I saw a picture of this amazing big top on a Saltimbanco
programme some time ago, I wanted to see it. Who wouldn't? It's the
granddaddy of all Cirque bigtops. It seats (quite comfortably, I might
add) 2500 people, is climate controlled, and really cool! (No pun
intended) Probably one of the first things that caught my attention
was the merchandise tent. Unlike the Blue and Yellow bigtops I have
experienced thus far, with their dual and separate merchandise tents,
the Alegría bigtop surprised me with their set up. Did you know they
are actually joined? The concession stands are set up where the normal
merchandise shelves would be and in the middle (which in the normal
Blue and Yellow big tops would be unused, and courted off space)
exists the merchandise! This whole setup covers Doors #1 and #2. So
when you exit at Intermission you step right into the gift shop!
At either end of the gift shop are two concession stands, a set of
chairs and round tables, and video screens previewing all the
creations of Cirque du Soleil. Over these concessions is a unique
structure I had never seen before - flying birds. Fashioned out of
what appears to be steel, and painted white to match the tent, is a
metal wheel that spins with birds depicted in various modes of flight.
It was an interesting item to find in the middle of popcorn, cotton
candy, M&Ms and Coca-Cola.
The merchandise they had was also top notch. A brand new Alegría logo
shirt was available (in all sizes) for $25.00. The "raised" logo
magnet was also available for $5.00. A new North American Tour
Programme (which is the same as the last printed Asia-Pacific Tour
Programme) was available for $11.19. Even the Alegría DVD was
available for $29.00. Interesting items abounded: like a beautiful
lantern fashioned out of metal (quite heavy in fact) that is a "tea
light candle". It looks exactly like the round lanterns hung
throughout the bigtop. Each is hand-made and not available on their
website. The price, however, was not noted.
Many agree that Alegría is Cirque du Soleil's signature show. Once
can't help but think that Cirque "admits" to it themselves as a show
they hold quite dear. It comes as no surprise that the performance is
top notch, a cut above the best. While I was immersed in the power
struggle that is Alegría, I made a few observations:
* Francesca Gagnon sings! That's right, she's still in the show. I
couldn't believe it myself. We reported a rumor back in our second
issue (October 2001) that Francesca Gagnon left the show and was
replaced by Nathalie Noelle, but that rumor was never substantiated.
So, when I heard her wonderful voice fill the inside of the bigtop, I
was completely overjoyed! She sang for our first Alegría outing (the
obstructed one) and hearing her voice made me forget all about that
pole. Of course, getting a wink from her as she strutted by didn't
hurt either. Let me tell you, that gown she wears is huge. No matter
how big the isle is between the 100 and 200 sections, she still had a
time of it getting through there - I got a lap full of dress!
* Batmunkh Batjargal (Bachka) has grown! He plays the Little Tamir
character... and he's not so little anymore! While I knew this from
watching him perform on the DVD, seeing him in the flesh made quite an
impression on just how much he's grown since I last saw him, a year
and a half ago at the Beau Rivage in Biloxi. He's playing an Old Bird
now as well during the Strong Man number and is quite good at it.
Consequently, he didn't perform in the Russian Bar act like he
normally does (with the single flip with another performer). I'm not
sure why, but both shows I attended did not have this performance by
Bachka.
* The Flying Man! (Alexandr Dobrynin) - What can be said about this
amazing act that wouldn't be an understatement? This guy is simply
amazing! While the pole severely hurt my perception of his act,
hearing Francesca sing the wonderful song that accompanies this
performance made up for it. By the second night (when we were dead
center), watching him jump out at us was simply amazing. Which is why
the Flying Man is one of my most favorite acts in Alegría (an oddity,
considering I don't like many "aerial" acts).
* Those feisty Old Birds! I knew the Old Birds were supposed to be
mean- spirited, but were they supposed to fight with the ushers too?
The first performance we attended, one of the Old Birds actually was
pushing ushers out of the way - and got into a heated "discussion"
with one. I guess the poor usher didn't get out of the way fast
enough. That'll teach him, eh?
* Manipulation! Ever since Elena Lev left Alegría, I had wondered
whether or not the new Manipulation act would be as good. And you know
what? It really is just as exciting! Taking cues from Elena Lev's
corner, this new young woman bends and contorts while using a hoola
hoop just like Elena Lev did. And, she even does it while fluttering a
yellow ribbon! How's that for talent? She even uses Elena's old
costume described as: "that sexy skin-tight gold bodysuit Elena wore
on her first tour and in Alegría Le Film..."
Unfortunately, the time must come when the lights brighten, the show
ends and you must go home. From the squeaking of the Russian Bar
performer's shoes as they ran out on stage to the way the Fire Dance
guy lit his torches (by tongue!), Alegría was an amazing show.
Whatever bad karma that shrouded my previous perception of the show
(thanks largely to my not-so-great Biloxi experience) has been totally
washed away now. Alegría, for me, is so powerful, so full of
greatness, I'm not sure how to express the feeling. All I could do was
stand up and clap and clap and clap - through four curtain calls (both
shows!). And now? All I can do is listen to the music and relive one
of the best experiences I've had.
Believe it or not but next month I get a small reprieve from the
demands of the Grand Tour. The month of July I spend home in Orlando
recuperating from all the money spent thus far. From Airfare, hotel,
travel and tickets: $2600.00 in US currency. That is more money I have
spent for anything thus far and the Tour is not even half over, oh,
but what I have gained! New friends and new experiences to lifetime -
with the promise of more to come!
"Journey of Man" continues to delight audiences at the Orlando Science
Center, so I think I will take in another viewing of that wonderful
performance while it can still be seen on the big screen. In August, I
continue my journey in Seattle, Washington where fellow Fascination!
Writer (and very good friend) Keith Johnson and I will be seeing
Dralion. What excites me more about that upcoming trip is the wedding
I will be partaking in - a Cirquish extravaganza. Stay Tuned!
There is a Love in me Raging.
Alegría!
A Joyous Magical Feeling.
=======================================================================
BEYOND THE BIGTOP:
"VAREKAI PROGRAMME REVISITED" (By: Keith Johnson)
=======================================================================
Two issues ago, in our review of the Varekai "Creator's Notebook" CD-
ROM interview statements, we wondered whether the interviewees said
the same things in their separately recorded French and English
segments. Thanks to our new writer, Wayne Leung, we've found out! He
reports that the answers are essentially the same, except for the
Dominic Champagne segment, in which he talks about the show's theme.
Thanks to Wayne's bi-lingual skills, we can relate this translation of
Dominic's more eloquent French explanation. Firstly a transcription
of what Dominic says in the English section:
"We decided to give to this fall that was the reading of the Icarus
myth, escaping the labyrinths, going too close to the sun and then
falling. So we decided to start more or less our story at the end of
the Greek myth and try to find the right context or the right
environment of this fall. So little by little we came to the idea
that he might be falling inside a family of survivors like circus
artists are. So, then with the set designer instead of say, instead
of proposing to the audience lets say, a circus context we decided to
propose a dramatic context which is kind of a magical forest."
And here is Dominic's explanation in French, as "loosely translated"
by Wayne:
"We secured ourselves around the idea of somebody's fall; fleeing a
labyrinth, a civilization, in a sort of chase to the light that burns
his wings. And shocked by this light he falls, dies, and is taken in
by this group of people who have developed an art of living, who know
how to live, who have learned to live. And [we have] our departure
point: even if you think you are dead after your fall, anything is
possible. We'll prove it to you and we'll take you on the voyage of
your rebirth. So we open the show [with] this shock, and after that
we take this vulnerable, fragile Icarus, this sort of fallen angel
with broken wings, we take him by the hand and lead him on a voyage
that we hope will be solid enough to allow him to take-off again and
be reborn, like the butterfly is reborn from the caterpillar."
Many thanks to Wayne for the translation!
=======================================================================
PARTING QUOTE
=======================================================================
"The potential of Las Vegas is still vast. We believe there
is room for continued growth."
- Guy Laliberte
=======================================================================
NEXT ISSUE...
=======================================================================
Our next issue is our final... for our first year (had you going there
for a split second, didn't I?). We celebrate this small milestone by
taking a glimpse back at our first year (September 2001 - September
2002), reviewing what we have covered thus far, and looking ahead at
what you can expect from "Fascination!" in the future. That, and
plenty more in our celebratory twelfth issue!
Thank you for reading!
Have a comment, question or concern? Simply email the Fascination!
Newsletter staff at either richasi@azlance.com or through the
Yahoo Groups email address: CirqueFasincation-owner@yahoogroups.com.
We are anxious to hear any and all comments!
=======================================================================
SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
=======================================================================
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=======================================================================
COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER
=======================================================================
"Fascination! Newsletter" Copyright (c) 2002 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.
