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Fascination Issue 015
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Fascination! Newsletter
Issue #15 - November 2002
"Live to Cirque; Cirque to Live"
=======================================================================
Bonjour et bienvenue! Within these pages we continue our coverage of
the Cirque du Soleil documentary series "Fire Within" with extensive
reviews of four episodes! Spoilers abound so beware to those who wish
to remain "in the dark" about the series. Also be sure to check out
"What's New at CirqueClub" as a new article is available featuring
Keith and LouAnna's Cirque wedding that occurred in August! We also
hear from the Techie Geek in her continued exploration "Behind the
Curtain" as well as explore some of the darkest creatures and
characters of Cirque du Soleil! All this and more await in our largest
issue to date!
============
Contents:
============
* Cirque Buzz: News, Rumours & Sightings
* Oyez, Oyez!: Cirque Online
* Itinéraire: Tour/Show Information
* Historie: This Month in Cirque History
* Anniversarie: Birthday Wishes to Cirque Alumni
* Télémagik:
"Fire in the Sky" -- Fire Within, Part 2 (By: Wayne Leung)
* Behind the Curtain:
"The Techie Geek: Lighting, Take Two" (By: Jen Waldman)
* Le Spectateur:
"Cirque du Eerie" (By: Paul Roberts)
* The Cirque Connection:
"Could Cirque have started like this?" (By: Keith Johnson)
* Special Engagement:
"Cirque's Royal Performance" (By: Wayne Leung)
* Beyond the Bigtop:
"The Friends of Cirque" -- Série Part 1" (By: Ricky Russo)
* Obstructed View
* Parting Quote
* Next Issue
* Subscription Information
* Copyright & Disclaimer
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CIRQUE BUZZ: NEWS, RUMOURS & SIGHTINGS
=======================================================================
Storm Topples Big Top
---------------------
San Francisco is known for many things: the Golden Gate Bridge,
the trolley-car, and intense storms. On Thursday, November 7,
2002, the premier of Varekai in the San Francisco Bay area was
cancelled due to the 70 mile-per-hour wind gusts there. The
gusts were five miles-per-hour lower than Hurricane force but
they were still strong enough to whip off the top of Cirque's
blue and yellow swirled big top set up near Pacific Bell Park.
"Concern for the safety of patrons and cast members because of
the high winds caused the cancellation, a Cirque representative
said. The winds buffeted the sides and top of the smaller
concession tents in which the opening night crowd of 2,600
waited for entry to the big top until the announcement was made,
30 minutes after the show had been scheduled to start. [...] Of
primary concern to the circus was the safety of its aerial
artists, the representative said. The aerial equipment is built
into the structure of the big top and could have been affected
by the high winds. This was the first cancellation of a Cirque
du Soleil show because of wind since a performance of "Alegria"
in New York City's Battery Park in 1995." (Quoted originally
written by: Kevin Fagan and Steve Rubenstein, Chronicle Staff
Writers.)
It is unknown whether the performance will be rescheduled. We
will keep you updated as this situation unfolds.
[Source: San Francisco Chronicle; Keith Johnson, Ricky Russo]
Varekai CD Released
-------------------
Fans have been patiently awaiting the release of the Varekai
music CD ever since the show's debut in April. At first, the
music was to be released on September 10th. It was later pushed
back to October 22nd and again to November 5th. Now, at press
time, eager fans have been getting their hands on the music and
the early verdict is mixed. "Fascination!" will have a in-depth
review of the CD and comparisons to the live performance in our
next issue. However, you can hear clips of the music from
various sources. The quintessential source is CirqueClub, which
has 30-40 second clips of the entire CD! Full track listing:
1. Rain One 8. Hèro Hiréyo
2. Le Rêveur 9. Lubia Dobarstan
3. Vocea 10. Emballa
4. Moon Licht 11. Oscillum
5. Patzivota 12. Funambul
6. El Péndulo 13. Resolution
7. Gitans
Hear these songs directly at CirqueClub:
< http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/CirqueDuSoleil/
en/special/varekaicd/default.htm >
[Source: Cirque du Soleil.com; Ricky Russo]
Catch a Glimpse of Varekai
--------------------------
CirqueClub has an exciting preview of Varekai, Cirque du
Soleil's newest production. In it, you can see what makes up
this wonderful show. The video clip itself is from the
documentary "The Making of an Angel", which is the Making of
Varekai (hopefully to be featured on the upcoming DVD
release). You can check out the video clip using this link:
< http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/CirqueDuSoleil/en/
clubcirque/atlanta > [Source: Cirque du Soleil; Ricky Russo]
NBC Buys BRAVO Network
----------------------
It was announced Tuesday 11/5 that NBC (owned by General
Electric) has purchased US cable channel BRAVO from owners
Cablevision Systems and MGM for $1.25 billion dollars. (BRAVO
is the American television affiliate for Cirque du Soleil,
playing many of their shows as well as the "Fire Within" series
in 2003.) How this might affect Bravo's offerings (and their
relationship with Cirque) is unclear. NBC executives suggest
there won't be many changes, though there might be some NBC
shows brought to the channel, especially new ones that are slow
to build an audience. But it won't become "NBC 2," according to
one source. Since the current audience for Bravo tends to be
more urban and upscale (meaning makes more money) than other
networks, it's doubtful NBC would sever a relationship with
Cirque, who also attracts that demographic.
[Source: Hollywood Reporter, Wall Street Journal; Keith Johnson]
Run Before You Fly
------------------
A new documentary about Cirque du Soleil will be premiering on
Bravo on Thanksgiving Day (U.S.) titled "Run Before You Fly: A
Portrait of Cirque du Soleil". "Combining the words, memories
and insiders' perspectives of the company's creators, this Bravo
original documentary [in partnership with Cirque du Soleil
Images] recounts the resounding success and powerful social and
artistic influence of the world-renowned performance troupe."
Catch this one-hour special on Thursday, November 28, 2002 at
4:00pm, during Bravo's special Cirque du Soleil day. [Source:
Bravo; Ricky Russo]
Wynn Resort IPO's
-----------------
Flamboyant. Famous. Forward. All of these words describe mega-
resort creator Steve Wynn. Many credit him with revitalizing the
Las Vegas strip. His first Strip establishment opened in 1989 to
great success and what followed were a chain of successes that
began with the Mirage (Mr. Wynn also built Treasure Island and
Bellagio). In 2000, Mr. Wynn stunned the gaming community by
selling his properties to Kirk Kekorkian, the holder of the
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film studio and the MGM Grand. By the end of
that year, Mr. Wynn purchased the Desert Inn property and
announced that he was back. In the past he has vowed never to
take another company of his public again, but reneged on that
promise earlier this year when he announced the $2.4 billion
dollar hotel/casino project known as "Le Reve". Under the
provisions of the IPO, Wynn Resorts offered 34.6 million shares
of stock priced at $13.00 a share. This offering is to support
the 2,700 room hotel/casino project with a projected completion
date of April 2005. Franco Dragone, of Cirque du Soleil fame,
has been consulted on creating two shows for Wynn's new casino
project. Details are still scarce, however, we will keep you
updated on the progress of "Le Reve" and Franco Dragone's
projects with Wynn. [Source: Associated Press; Ricky Russo]
Vegas' New Day
--------------
Celine Dion's new Las Vegas show finally has a name -- "A New
Day!" The name was released at a press event staged at Caesars
Palace featuring Celine live from La Louviere, Belgium via a
satellite feed. "It will be the beginning of a new adventure, of
something incredible," Dion said. "I'm having the best time of
my life right now, it is really amazing ... I'm so excited!" She
has been in La Louviere, director Franco Dragone's hometown, for
weeks rehearsing the show. Many of the details surrounding the
new show are still a secret. "The story will be Celine," Dragone
said at the press conference. "Our tableau will be built around
her," featuring dancing, music, theatrics and even clowns. "A
New Day" featuring a cast of 60 performers is set to debut on
March 25, 2003 at the new $95 million, 4,000 seat Colosseum
theater at Caesars Palace. Tickets are on sale now through
Ticketmaster and cost between $87.50 and $200.00.
[Source: Associated Press; Ricky Russo]
JOM Still Earning
-----------------
Like many of Cirque du Soleil's productions, "Journey of Man"
continues to have a life of its own. As of the first week of
October, the IMAX film has earned $14,070,391 over 885 days in
release. [Source: Variety; Ricky Russo]
Bazinet not in DC
-----------------
A couple of months ago "Fascination!" reported that Rene Bazinet
would be returning to the United States in a festival entitled
MotionFest East, a Physicality and Performing Arts festival. His
reason for coming was to take a instructor position during the
festival to teach. "Fascination!" has since learned that Rene
has canceled his appearance at MotionFest, which is currently in
full swing until November 13th. You can learn more about
MotionFest at: <http://www.motionfest.com>.
[Source: MotionFest; Jen Waldman]
Cirque TV
---------
Cirque du Soleil is once again scheduled to appear on Bravo,
their US Network affiliate. The schedule of performances is as
follows (All times are Eastern):
* November 26th:
08:00pm -- Alegría (120 Minutes)
11:00pm -- Alegría (120 Minutes)
* November 27th:
05:00pm -- Alegría (120 Minutes)
08:00pm -- Dralion (120 Minutes)
11:00pm -- Dralion (120 Minutes)
* November 28th:
01:00pm -- Le Cirque Réinventé (60 Minutes)
02:00pm -- Alegría (120 Minutes)
04:00pm -- Run Before You Fly:
A Portrait of Cirque du Soleil (60 Minutes)
05:00pm -- Dralion (120 Minutes)
07:00pm -- Nouvelle Experience (60 Minutes)
* November 29th:
08:00pm -- Quidam (120 Minutes)
10:00pm -- Nouvelle Experience (60 Minutes)
11:00pm -- Quidam (120 Minutes)
This schedule is directly from Bravo and is subject to
change at any time. Check your listings to confirm show times
and schedule.
=======================================================================
OYEZ, OYEZ(*)!: CIRQUE ONLINE
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This Month at Cirque Club
-------------------------
With Alegria moving to Mexico City, CirqueClub this month
features an article on the Chapiteau raising (with several
pictures) and one on 5-year old Myro Khetaguri, who performs in
the Russian Bar act. They also discuss new manufacturing
processes being used in their T-Shirts. Over in their Press
Release section, Cirque has an interesting article on their
showing at MIPCOM, the film/TV marketplace in Cannes. According
to the article, they performed a special one-shot performance at
the Opening Night Party!
In addition, they've added Varekai to their "Spectaculara"
section, which can be viewed by CirqueClub members only until
the beginning of December. It again blazes new trails in website
design, with witty animations and sounds. Instead of plain text
headlines on a page, each section page has 2-3 animations that
react and cleverly animate when your mouse moves over them.
Clicking on them takes you to the text and photo presentations
for that page. These run through automatically from beginning
to end, often having several sub-sections in them. The speed
can be a bit too quick for slow readers, but you can go to any
slide by using icons on the page. This is another triumph for
Cirque, bringing the emotions of Varekai to the Web, while
advancing their own presentation at the same time. Bravo!
One special article of note appeared Monday 11/4, discussing the
"Cirque du Soleil" wedding of our writer Keith Johnson to his
bride LouAnna Valentine. (Ricky wrote about it in his last "Le
Grand Tour" article). We plan on covering the wedding in more
detail in the future, but this is a well-written summation of
what happened, along with some pictures (of Keith/LouAnna, Ricky
in his "Quidam" costume, and our Grand Chapiteau wedding cake).
The article can be found at < http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/
CirqueDuSoleil/en/clubcirque/news/news53.htm >. Not to sound
biased (it is about us after all) but we have to compliment
CirqueClub. This is the first time they have covered fan-based
Cirque-inspired activity in their pages. We hope it isn't the
last.
On the Web
----------
This month's featured website is Pascal Sioui's -
www.psioui.com. Fans have come to revere Pascal's site as one of
the best places to see what goes on behind the scenes on tour
and at many of the troupe's company parties. Pascal is no
stranger to Cirque. He's been with the company for years and
actually toured with the Quidam troupe before joining Varekai.
In Varekai, he's Head of Automation (currently in the San
Francisco Bay area). His job is demanding and exacting, but he
loves it as many can attest by his smiling face popping up every
once and awhile on his site. For the most part Mr. Sioui is
behind the camera taking the many wonderful candid shots. Learn
more about Pascal at his site and stay for a while... there are
thousands of pictures from a variety of tours and more are added
all the time! Surf on over to Pascal Sioui's site at: <
www.psioui.com> for further information!
=======================================================================
ITINÉRAIRE: TOUR/SHOW INFORMATION
=======================================================================
[Touring Shows]
Alegría:
* Mexico City, Mexico: 10/10/02 - 12/22/02
Venue: Gran Carpa Santa Fe
* Dallas, Texas: 1/23/03 - 2/16/03
Venue: Fair Park
* Houston, Texas: Winter 2003
* Austin, Texas: Spring 2003
* Portland, Oregon: Spring-Summer 2003
* Seattle, Washington: Summer 2003
* San Francisco, California: Fall 2003
Dralion:
* Phoenix, Arizona: 11/13/02 - 12/8/02
Venue: Temple Diablo Stadium
* New Orleans, Louisiana: 2/6/03 - 2/23/03
Venue: Zephyr Field
* Raleigh, North Carolina: Winter-Spring 2003
* Baltimore, Maryland: Spring 2003
* Cincinnati, Ohio: Summer 2003
* Hartford, Connecticut: Summer 2003
* St. Louis, Missouri: Summer 2003
* Nashville, Tennessee: Fall 2003
* Tampa, Florida: Fall 2003
Quidam:
* Tampa/St. Petersburg, Florida: 11/7/02 - 12/8/02
Venue: Tropicana Field
* Tokyo, Japan: 2/7/03 - 5/5/03
* Nagoya, Japan: 5/31/03 - 7/6/03
* Osaka, Japan: 7/19/03 - 8/31/03
* Fukuoka, Japan: 10/22/03 - 12/7/03
Saltimbanco:
* Madrid, Spain: 10/31/02 - 12/26/02
Venue: Recinto ferial de Moratalaz
* London, England: 1/7/03 - 1/26/03
Venue: Royal Albert Hall
* Bilbao, Spain: 2/26/03 - 3/23/03
Venue: Zorrozaurre
* Oostenade, Belgium: 7/24/03 - 8/17/03
Varekai:
* San Francisco Bay, California: 11/7/02 - 12/22/02
Venue: Pacific Bell Parking Lot
* San Jose, California: 1/16/03 - 2/9/03
Venue: Water Company at Delmar Avenue
* Atlanta, Georgia: Winter-Spring 2003 (3/13/03 - 4/20/03)
* New York, New York: Spring 2003
* Chicago, Illinois: Summer 2003
* Los Angeles, California: Fall 2003
* Orange County, California: Fall 2003
[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.
- Note: Beginning January 3rd 2003, there will be no
performances on Sunday and Monday. Shows will be
presented twice a night from Tuesday through Saturday.
* 2002 Dark Dates:
- December 3rd through 11th
* 2003 Dark Dates are as follows:
- January 1st
- February 2nd through 5th
- March 23rd through 25th
- May 11th through 25th
- July 13th through 16th
- September 7th through 9th
- October 26th through 29th
- December 7th through 15th
Mystère:
* Two shows Nightly - Wednesday through Sunday.
* Times: 7:30pm and 10:30pm
* Location: Treasure Island, Las Vegas.
* No performances on Monday or Tuesday.
* 2002 Dark Dates:
- December 2nd through 17th
* 2003 Dark Dates:
- January 26th through 28th
- March 2nd through 5th
- April 13th through 15th
- June 2nd through 10th
- August 3rd through 6th
- October 5th through 8th
- December 1st through 16th
"O":
* Two shows Nightly - Friday through Tuesday.
* Times: 7:30pm and 10:30pm.
* Location: Bellagio, Las Vegas.
* No performances on Wednesday or Thursday.
* 2002 Dark Dates:
- December 4th through 19th
* 2003 Dark Dates:
- February 24th through 27th
- April 21st through 24th
- June 18th through 26th
- August 11th through 14th
- October 13th through 16th
- December 3rd through 18th
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HISTORIE: THIS MONTH IN CIRQUE HISTORY
=======================================================================
* November 01, 1996 -- Saltimbanco opened Frankfurt, Germany
* November 05, 2002 -- Varekai CD Released in Canada
* November 07, 2002 -- Dralion opened Phoenix, Arizona
* November 07, 2002 -- Quidam opened Tampa Bay, Florida
* November 08, 1994 -- Cirque Réinventé CD Released
* November 08, 1994 -- Mystère CD Released
* November 09, 1999 -- Dralion CD Released
* November 10, 1992 -- Nouvelle Expérience opened in Las Vegas
* November 10, 1995 -- Saltimbanco opened Vienna
* November 12, 1996 -- Mystère Live CD Released
* November 13, 2002 -- Varekai opened San Francisco Bay, California
* November 16, 1995 -- Alegría opened Atlanta, Georgia
* November 16, 2001 -- Dralion opened Dallas, Texas
* November 18, 1993 -- Saltimbanco opened Atlanta, Georgia
* November 19, 2001 -- Inside La Nouba released on DVD
* November 20, 1989 -- Le Cirque Réinventé opened San Diego, CA.
* November 21, 1993 -- Nouvelle Expérience closed in Las Vegas
* November 22, 2001 -- Quidam opened London, England
* November 25, 1999 -- Saltimbanco opened Singapore
* November 24, 1998 -- "O" CD Released
* November 19, 1991 -- Nouvelle Expérience opened Atlanta, Georgia
* November 19, 2001 -- Alegría premiered on Bravo at 8:00pm EST
* November xx, 1999 -- Alegría: Le Film Video/DVD Released
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ANNIVERSAIRE: BIRTHDAY WISHES TO CIRQUE ALUMNI!
=======================================================================
* November 06, 1984 -- Audrey Brisson-Jutras (Ex-Singer/Quidam)
* November 07, 1964 -- Mikhail Matorin (Ex-Cube/Mystère)
* November 08, 1984 -- Tseveendorj Nomin (Contortion/Alegría)
* November 14, 1970 -- Khvicha Tetvadze (Georgian Dance/Varekai)
* November 15, 1983 -- Polina Lymareva (Body Skating/Varekai)
* November 21, 1966 -- Richard Jecsmen (Statue/Quidam Euro)
* November 24, 1961 -- Yves Décoste (Statue/Quidam NAT)
* November 26, 1970 -- Stacey Bilodeau (German Wheel/La Nouba)
* November 26, 1970 -- Bruce Bilodeau (German Wheel/La Nouba)
* November 27, 1964 -- Temur Koridze (Georgian Dance/Varekai)
=======================================================================
TÉLÉMAGIK:
"Fire in the Sky" -- Fire Within, Part Two (By: Wayne Leung)
=======================================================================
Every Sunday evening I find myself in front of the television
waiting in anticipation for the first strains of "Icare" the Alegría
borrowed, opening theme to Cirque du Soleil Fire Within.
Fire Within is, of course, the compelling behind-the-scenes series
that tells the stories of several Cirque performers and crew members
as they work towards the creation of a new show. However, the series
is much more than just that glib description. Fire Within isn't one
of the typical Cirque behind-the-scenes documentaries that usually
present the creation process via the views of the creators, usually
featuring interviews with the Director, Director of Creation,
Choreographer, Composer, etc. Instead Fire Within opts to present the
point of view of the performers and staff members at Cirque du Soleil.
The creators are still there of course, but they are not the main
focus, they stay in the background of the series and are never
directly interviewed on camera.
The series has a candid and intimate style that brings viewers right
into the daily lives of the performers. This is a video diary;
the characters are frequently willing to honestly and openly share
their feelings allowing us to vicariously fulfill our dreams of
running away and joining the circus. It is humbling to watch the
struggles and challenges faced by these super athlete/artists, and I
find myself often affected by the honest and raw view of the Cirque du
Soleil creation process that the series presents. Each episode weaves
several storylines together around a central theme, and frames them
with creative editing and an eclectic and evocative soundtrack.
Let us continue our exploration of this exciting new series from
Cirque du Soleil.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
** SPOILER WARNING **
The reviews below reveal the episodes in detail. If you haven't seen
the show and would prefer to be surprised, skip ahead. there will be
an advisory ending this spoiler warning.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Episode 4: "Shooting Stars"
---------------------------
(New members of the troupe sign their contracts; the show's name is
chosen. - TV Guide)
Episode four opens about four and a half months prior to the show's
premiere. The recent evaluation by President Guy Laliberté has
initiated some significant changes to the show. The creative team is
now shifting into high gear. In a montage set to the song "Stella
Errans" we see make-up artist Nathalie Gagné creating several new
designs on the performers' faces and drafts people working on
computerized 3-D CAD models of various set elements.
We meet Louise Mercier of the Cirque du Soleil Marketing department.
Louise is the Brand Director for Touring Shows, which means she is
in charge of finding a name for the new production. "It's something
emotional, a name, a visual, it's something [Cirque] is really
protective of," she explains. At a meeting the marketing team comes
up with a list of dozens of potential names including Tsunami,
Bomboula, Gromm and Vigie. Director Dominic Champagne pushes for a
Russian name to reflect the cultural background of the majority of the
show's house troupe. He suggests "Praznik" (we celebrate) and
"Vstavaï" (awakening), neither of which the marketing department
likes.
Marketing is at odds with Dominic Champagne over the new name.
Louise and her team push forward to find a name that both they and the
director can agree on. The team creates a short list of four names
that they will essentially force Dominic to choose from; L'Envol,
Volte, Kesali and Varekai. Eventually, they whittle the short list
down to just the latter two. Andrew Watson, the show's Director of
Creation does not like "Kesali", "It's too weak for the show. It
lacks strength." Champagne agrees, he adores the name "Varekai". The
word "va" in French means "to go", and "kai", the director says,
sounds like an explosion. "It's exactly what we wanted; it takes off
and then explodes!" Though "Varekai" is not the marketing
department's favorite, they accept the director's choice. The show
has found a name.
Kevin and Andrew Atherton continue to work with choreographer Bill
Shannon to perfect their Aerial Straps number. Their progress
puts them at the head of the troupe. Guy Laliberté chooses them to be
the icon for the Cirque du Soleil corporate Christmas card. The
Athertons pose inside a German Wheel during a photo shoot. Kevin and
Andrew realize they are quickly becoming Cirque "stars" and want to
negotiate a better contract. "It is business for [the Cirque] and
they'll try to get us two as cheap as they possibly can," one of the
twins argues. We walk with them through the Cirque's massive
headquarters to the management offices, where windowed cubicles
overlook training rooms so workers can watch artists rehearse
while working at their desks. We leave the twins for their private
meeting with a Cirque business manager and catch up with them later
while they are training in the gym. The meeting didn't go as well as
they would have liked. "They really make you feel guilty for asking
for certain things and you actually start to feel guilty," one of the
twins tells us. The Athertons will try playing hard to get with
Cirque, "If there's no give and take then we're fully prepared for the
consequences. . . Things have got to change, they've got no choice, or
we will go." Weeks later, when they have not heard from management
about a new contract, they call their father at home and update him on
the situation. Ultimately, they talk and realize what course of
action they want to take. "We realized that if we [were] willing to
walk away from it . . . to do with our pride and things like that,
then we're gonna miss out on a massive opportunity. And, we realized
that we wanted to be on stage, and the act that we're doing here, this
is what we've always wanted to do. We both decided we couldn't really
give it up." So the twins stay on with their original contract.
As the cast members train feverously to be ready in time for the
premiere, Stella, Raquel and the rest of the trapeze team wait on the
sidelines. Their multiple-trapeze apparatus was cut from the show, a
casualty of Guy Laliberté's progress evaluation. Finally, their new
equipment arrives; the Triple Trapeze; a long steel bar suspended from
four ropes so it, in effect, looks like three trapezes fused together.
The girls are giddy and excited to be on the new trapeze . . . except
for Stella, who still harbours some bitterness and trepidation. "I
always have to try something to figure out if it's for me, but right
now, in my heart, I don't want to do it. I'm angry, I'm frustrated,
I'm sad, I'm just pouting. . ." Stella confesses. The other girls are
all seasoned trapeze artists, Stella is not, she has never been on a
trapeze before. "I have never wanted to do trapeze and I'm sort of
disgruntled that I'm being forced into doing trapeze. I'm not
qualified now for my job at all . . . I'm not interested." Stella is
also upset that she was not given the choice to perform in another act
in the show after the demise of the multiple-trapeze, "My choice was
either I do trapeze or I don't do the show." We watch as the other
girls joyfully swing and climb on the trapeze and then see Stella off
to the side watching with uncertainty and apprehension. Raquel has
confidence in Stella, "[Stella's] very strong, she's very courageous.
I'm sure she'll get it very fast." Stella gives the trapeze a try.
We see her smart as she gets burned by the rope. She falls while
attempting a figure and struggles with the basics. The other girls
teach her and Stella perseveres. She gives her all but the odds
are against her and the trapeze team as they work furiously to
catch up. They are three months behind the rest of the troupe.
Finally we catch up with Gareth, an Icarian Games performer who is
making great progress. He has gone from being "a worry" to his
coaches to being a model Cirque du Soleil performer. He and his
performing partner Ashley are training very hard to make up for time
lost during Gareth's sabbatical, when he returned home to be with his
ailing mother. In marked contrast to the difficult and argumentative
young man we met in earlier episodes, Gareth now seems happier and
more comfortable at Cirque du Soleil. He rehearses with newfound
determination and wants to "earn his place in the show". Gareth is
among the first to sign a contract for the new show and is the first
performer to get his measurements taken. We accompany Gareth as he is
measured and photographed. A total of 62 taken, a thrill for Gareth
as he has never even had measurements taken for a tailored suit. We
also watch as his head is covered in plaster to make a mould, a
process which all Cirque artists must undergo as all wigs, headpieces
and masks are custom-made to perfectly fit each performer's head and
face. Gareth gleefully relishes the image of his plaster cast head,
"That's weird seeing my own face like that!" Then, in a touching
personal moment, we listen in as he phones his still ailing mother
back home in London. They try to arrange plans to see each other at
Christmas.
The episode ends with Ashley in an impromptu performance in the alley
behind the Cirque du Soleil residences. In the original spirit of the
circus he juggles flaming clubs in the crisp, late-autumn air as light
snow flurries fall on Montreal.
Episode 5: "Christmas"
----------------------
(Cast members visit family and friends at Christmas. - TV Guide)
It is December 22, 2001. We pan across the frozen headquarters of
Cirque du Soleil covered by a white blanket of snow. The troupe is
preparing for their eagerly awaited Christmas holiday; they have not
had a break in four months. We will accompany them as they relax with
family and friends. This episode provides a temporary reprieve from
the hectic and stressful feel of the others and provides an
opportunity to get to know the performers in a more casual setting.
Before leaving for the holidays, Director Dominic Champagne sits down
with talent scout Michel Laprise and watches a video tape of an
audition for the new show's singer. Over 100 candidates have already
been rejected. This candidate is Adrian Berinde, a large, middle-aged
Romanian man, with a low, husky and guttural voice which particularly
stands out. The director describes him as "the Tom Waits of
Bucharest, the Leonard Cohen of Romania." Dominic Champagne is still
a little doubtful, "He's got no technique. He can't read music." But
Michel counters, "He plays guitar, he's in a band. He's launching his
fifth album this week and he's ready to drop everything for us." Not
wanting to prolong the start of his holiday, the director relents and
accepts the new singer.
Before everyone leaves for the break, Dominic Champagne calls a group
meeting where he will unveil the title of the new show. He explains
his inspiration. "These are people without countries, without roots
but they have [such a] strong culture inside themselves that they can
survive without a country, carrying their culture inside themselves.
So, I have the same respect and admiration for that culture [as I do]
for people like you; acrobats that have the key to open any door and
to enter the king's court. So that's why I suggest to call this show
'Varekai' which means, in the gypsy language, 'wherever'." The group
applauds their show's new name. Then, everybody splits off for their
respective celebrations.
We see the Atherton twins on Sainte-Catherine Street, Montreal's main
shopping district. They are waiting for an airport shuttle as they
will be spending their vacation in Las Vegas.
Ashley reunites with his girlfriend, Sarah, whom he has not seen in
four months. She comes to Montreal to live with him. Ashley shares
some of his concerns for their future, "It's all up in the air at the
moment with work and touring, 'cause I don't know what it's going to
be like and she's been asking me questions and I can't give her
answers 'cause I've not toured yet." He's been considering marriage
but is uncertain what the ramifications of life on the road will be,
"I don't even know what the show's going to be like and I've just
signed three years to do it. I just don't want [Sarah] to come here
and for it not to work." Ashley and Sarah share a joyous reunion at
the airport and some tender moments during the ride home.
None of the performers have relatives in Montreal, so show
choreographer Michael Montanaro throws a Christmas Eve party at his
home for those who have stayed in town. Acrobatic Pas de Deux dancer
Oleg regales his fellow artists with stories of his nomadic life. We
watch as the performers eat, drink and make merry.
Stella has gone home to Toronto for the holidays and has invited two
of her fellow trapeze artists, Zoe and Helen, to join her and her
family for a nice Christmas dinner. After dinner, the phone rings and
as Stella picks up, she eyes the camera and says, "I'm switching
phones." She facetiously rolls her eyes and says, "Ah, you think I'm
letting you guys come in on my conversation? You've got to be
joking." The camera playfully chases Stella to her bedroom where she
slams the door on it as she taunts, "Get out camera boy." We instead
join her mother, washing dishes in the kitchen, "Is that her boyfriend
Sam calling?" her mom asks. "Her most recent flavor . . . oh well,
poor Stella," she sighs.
We then join Gareth sleeping in his bed on Christmas morning. Or
should we say Christmas afternoon, he apparently had a very good time
at Michael Montanaro's party the previous night. He receives a call
from his mother in London. Gareth could not afford to fly home to see
her. He speaks briefly with his sister and baby nephew. His mother
is still not well, she must go back to the hospital for more cancer
tests. She informs Gareth as the melancholy song "Rideau" from
Saltimbanco plays in the background. Gareth wipes a tear from his eye
and we share his sorrow in a genuinely touching moment.
Meanwhile, we cut from snowy Montreal to rainy London, England,
Gareth's home town. We meet Russian hand-balancer/contortionist Olga
Pikhienko as she rides the bus to work. We pass Big Ben and posters
advertising the Cirque du Soleil show Quidam where Olga has performed
since she was 15 years old. She is now nearing the end of her five-
year run with Quidam and will soon move to Montreal to star in
Varekai. She arrives at the white Quidam Grand Chapiteau. Backstage,
Olga is wearing a new, two-piece costume and proceeds to apply her
make-up and paints temporary arm band and thigh band tattoos. The
soft-spoken and radiantly beautiful Olga shares her apprehension about
leaving Quidam, "I'm a little sad, I feel it more and more coming that
I have to leave this tour and leave my friends behind. There are new
people that I will have to hang out with and work with and I don't
know them yet, I don't know how they are inside and it makes me
nervous a bit." Christmas Eve is just another night for Olga and she
gives an absolutely electrifying performance for the London crowd.
From the few short clips of her performance it's evident that she has
gotten even better since Quidam was filmed in 1999. She gives her
heart and soul in a performance that's sexier and edgier than ever
before.
Olga says goodbye to the group of performers who have been her family
for the past five years. However, working in Montreal will allow her
to reunite with her actual family. Her father is an acrobatic coach
with Cirque and they will work together for the new show.
After the much needed rest and relaxation of the holidays the
performers go back to the Cirque grindstone and once again start
furiously rehearsing for the ever-encroaching premiere. In a montage
set to the music "Terre Aride" from "O" we watch the Russian Swings,
Triple Trapeze and several interstitial sequences in rehearsal. The
show's magnificently intricate set will be constructed in the studio
over New Year's and the performers will work to transfer their acts
into the new environment.
Finally, we attend a New Year's party with the performers at Stella's
boyfriend's stylish loft. They count down and jubilantly greet the
New Year with hugs and kisses all around. "Happy New Year Lewis,"
Gareth exclaims as he reaches toward the camera and shakes the hand of
Fire Within director Lewis Cohen.
Episode 6: "New Blood"
----------------------
(The cast assembles for rehearsals, seeking Guy Laliberté's approval.
- TV Guide)
January 7th, 2002; 107 days to the premiere. Several new artists join
the existing cast. The new artists can afford to join the show late
since they are already established performers. Director Dominic
Champagne introduces the newcomers at a cast meeting; the Georgian
Dancers, a team of Icarian Games specialists, hand-
balancer/contortionist Olga Pikhienko, and Adrian Berinde, the show's
singer.
We flash to the previous night; Adrian Berinde arrives in Montreal and
is picked up at the airport by Cirque talent scout Michel Laprise.
Adrian is already a bit apprehensive, concerned that his position is
still being advertised on the Cirque website. Michel reassures him it
is there erroneously. The next day Adrian is introduced to Varekai
composer Violaine Corradi and proceeds to rehearse the demanding vocal
score with a team of voice coaches. As he sings the song which
accompanies the show's Acrobatic Pas de Deux his voice is very harsh,
wild and tense. It is obvious he has had no formal vocal training.
He also complains that the score forces him to sing in a range that is
too high for his voice, forcing him to strain. The coach explains the
composer's reasoning, "She doesn't want you to be in a comfortable
range, we can feel it when you strain. If we modulate we'll lose that
urgency." Obviously, Adrian must work hard to adapt his singing style
to meet the requirements of the Cirque. He must also cope with
adapting to a new culture and new surroundings. In his native
Romania, Adrian is a well-established artist. In Montreal he is just
another performer in residence. It will take time for him to adjust.
Olga Pikhienko comes to Varekai directly from Quidam. She has been
cast as the female lead. Olga began her career at the age of six in
her native Russia, her father Sasha has been her coach ever since. He
now works with her to refine and adapt her Hand-balancing on Canes act
for Varekai. Olga is already well-known and highly regarded in circus
circles, head coach Boris Verkhovsky comments, "I don't think there
are any women equilibrists anywhere in the market that can compete
with her." However, with reputation comes pressure; the creators' and
coaches' expectations for Olga are very high. She attends a one-on-
one characterization and improvisation workshop with Director Dominic
Champagne. Olga's challenge is to develop a character that can convey
emotion in the show. She writhes inside a cocoon-like body sock and
is coaxed by the director to improvise movement, "This is a skin that
you don't like so you'd like to get out of it but you're not able to,
it's a conflict between you and your skin. So, in the story, suddenly
there will be a liberation when you will be able to be yourself in
another state," the director explains. Olga works with choreographer
Michael Montanaro to create movement for the show's interstitial
sequences. Her remarkable flexibility is astounding to watch as she
bends her body into various figures.
Carrying the double load of training to perform a solo number and act
as a main character weighs heavily on Olga. Her days are long and
draining. Her fatigue is betrayed during a choreography session where
she seems spaced-out and inattentive. The choreographer explains a
procedure but she stares off, he notices and brings her back to Earth.
"Hello!? Do you want to take a break? If you're too tired we should
just take it easy." Her performance worries the creators to the point
where a meeting is held between a Cirque administrator and head coach,
Boris Verkhovsky. Olga is constantly complaining that she is too
tired. The staff thinks that her daily habits may be the cause of her
fatigue; massive coffee consumption and a taste for chocolate snacks
which cause her to go from major highs to major lows. Boris is
unforgiving, "She cannot have [that] problem, it's not an option.
She's in the show from beginning to the end, she's a principal
character so that problem cannot exist and she knows that to start
with. I don't think there's any un-clarity in the assignment." The
coaching staff will tell Olga that she must change her attitude and
her habits. This segment really gives a strong sense of the
sacrifices Cirque artists are required to make for their careers. As
someone who absolutely relies on caffeine to function every morning, I
can really empathize with Olga's struggle.
Meanwhile, the expanded Icarian Games team rehearses together for the
first time, Gareth and Ashley watch as the new team, the Santos-Leal
brothers; identical twins Pedro and Ramon along with their older
brother Javier, execute brilliant and complicated maneuvers. Gareth
and Ashley have improved greatly at Icarian Games but are nowhere near
the level that the Spanish "Rampin Bros." are at. They must hurry to
catch up since there is a pending progress evaluation performance for
Guy Laliberté. The two teams exchange ideas and there is a lot of
good will on both sides. In a private moment Gareth and Ashley admit
that they are very humbled by the Rampin Bros. "You learn from the
best, lets put it that way, and these guys are the best," Gareth
admits. Ashley is a little more apprehensive about sharing the act
with a team that is much more advanced, "Because they've been doing it
like 15, 16 years and compared to our five piddly months, they're the
Dons!"
After an exhausting day of trying to keep up with the Rampin Bros.
Ashley goes home to his girlfriend Sarah. They've settled in their
home life. We watch as Ashley is tricked into preparing dinner as
Sarah goes off to rent a movie which Ashley is sure he will dislike.
In a private moment with Sarah she confesses that she is sometimes
envious of Ashley since she too is from a gymnastics/performing arts
background. She is happy for Ashley but almost resentful that he is
at Cirque and she is not.
The world premiere of Varekai is fast approaching, we visit the ticket
distributor's office on the first day of sales and watch as a room
full of operators is swamped with calls. The show is already
beginning to sell out performances. There is no turning back for the
performers and the creative team. The immediate hurdle they face is
Guy Laliberté's progress review. "It's like a professional, really
well-performed rehearsal," Choreographer Michael Montanaro explains.
Being the President of the company, Guy can make or break any act in
the show. Stella and Raquel's multiple-trapeze number was a casualty
of the previous progress review and they have only now begun to catch
up with their new Triple Trapeze act. Understandably, all the
performers are very nervous. Olga shares her anxiety, "I feel very
stressed. I don't know why, like I've been doing this for seven
years, but I just feel like this is the premiere."
Guy arrives in the studio and the artists stage their numbers on
Varekai's elaborate set. We watch as Guy views Oleg's Acrobatic Pas
de Deux, Olga's Hand-balancing on Canes, the Atherton twins' Aerial
Straps, the Georgian Dance and Stella and Raquel's new Triple Trapeze.
During the Icarian Games presentation the Rampin Bros.' spectacular
performance is juxtaposed with Ashley and Gareth's fumbles. Their
coach looks down disappointedly and Guy Laliberté sits back with an
exasperated scowl on his face. The episode ends with a bleak,
exterior, night-time shot of the Cirque du Soleil in the snow.
The narration informs, "Guy's verdict is delivered to the coaches.
It's gonna be a long winter."
Episode 7: "Pushing Acrobatics"
-------------------------------
(Cast members deal with limitations and insecurities as the world
premiere approaches. - TV Guide)
This is the most hectic and stressful installment yet. It is
February, 68 days before the premiere. Following his review of the
troupe's progress, Cirque CEO Guy Laliberté's impression can be summed
up in two words, "Not enough." Everybody has been working hard but
the show is nowhere near the level it needs to be at this time, two
months before the April premiere. Oleg, a veteran performer with
Cirque, is aware that the troupe is desperately behind schedule as he
compares his current situation to his past experiences during the
creation of Quidam. "Six years ago it was a little more strong. Not
even two months before the show, like five months, I remember my
number [Banquine]; we started to run through it in September compared
with right now, where all the big numbers don't even do run-throughs
yet."
Cirque's make-up, costume, and props shops are working well into
the night. The cast and creative team accelerate their work in order
to be ready in time for the premiere. They work 15 hour days, six to
seven days per week. Everybody is stressed and the strain is starting
to show. Director Dominic Champagne is becoming increasingly agitated
with the troupe's slow progress. At a group meeting he berates the
cast and asks them to start working with a more focused attitude.
During a late rehearsal of the group dance number that opens the show
the entire troupe seems tired and dispassionate. Choreographer
Michael Montanaro vents his frustration to the cast, "Listen! Listen!
Look, do you know what I want? I want to go home. I can't stand to
think that you're gonna be there opening night doing this [mocks
the cast by dancing around flimsily] Please, I beg you."
Accelerating their work is not easy for the already weary cast
members. Oleg is starting to show his age. As he rehearses his
Acrobatic Pas de Deux number with his partner Tatiana he has a
surprisingly hard time with many lifts and figures. During Oleg's
struggles, Tatiana must endure his frustration. However, Oleg's
experience tells him to take a break. He is burnt out from all of the
work so he takes a day off and goes to a spa. We watch as he gets
pampered with a massage and a haircut. He comes back to work relaxed
and rejuvenated, immensely improving his performance.
Two other veteran Cirque performers, Olga (Quidam) and Anton
(Saltimbanco) work with Dominic Champagne to develop one of the show's
interstitial sequences. Anton, a 16-year old Russian contortionist
will perform an aerial contortion act in the new show as well as the
lead character, the mythical Greek Icarus who flew too close to the
sun on wings of wax and feathers and fell to his death in the sea.
One of Anton's biggest challenges is to create an emotionally engaging
character who will thread through the show's narrative. Particularly,
he must develop a good on-stage relationship with Olga who plays his
love interest. "In the show I have to fall in love with [Olga] but in
real life she's six years older than me and . . . I don't know, we'll
see," Anton says bashfully. Later in the episode Dominic Champagne
directs the two leads in an underwater photo shoot where they film
images to be projected onto the set during the show. The underwater
filming produces some beautiful and evocative images.
Evocative imagery is just what Marketing Director Louise Mercier must
find. She is in charge of producing a poster and main icon for the
unfinished show. She works with a Montreal marketing agency which
creates several designs based on the show's Icarus theme. She is
under pressure to finalize the graphic since Guy Laliberté is leaving
for a month and wants the show's poster to be completed before his
departure. Louise meets with a group of the show's designers to
review the candidate posters. Louise's favourite design features a
sky of dark clouds pierced with a man-shaped hole set against the
moon, "This one would sell more tickets," she says. However, Guy
Laliberté prefers an eye-catching design with a yellow background.
Stella and Raquel's trapeze team works day in and day out to improve
the Triple Trapeze act. Guy Laliberté still has not approved the act
for the show. The team members have exhausted themselves trying
to catch up to the rest of the troupe and must now push even harder.
"It's painful because we do too much," admits aerial acrobatics coach
André Simard. Stella is frustrated and visibly fatigued. She
expresses her dismay during dinner with her boyfriend. "We have a lot
of work to do and we're not even close to doing any of it so that's a
little frustrating cause it's all going to come in one huge
explosion." On top of having to improve the acrobatics, the trapeze
team needs to work on their on-stage chemistry, the artistic and
dramatic elements of the act are not as strong as they need to be.
Director of Creation Andrew Watson encourages the team to be more
expressive, to make the act more sensual. Dominic Champagne motivates,
"I think your characters are sexually mature. This is a key, also.
It's quite important to assume that presence. Trust yourselves and go
make decisions, do your own homework and try to come here with more
decision. If you really want to stand up, now you have the
opportunity but you have to push yourselves a little more." The
artists come to a realization; to save their act they must take
matters into their own hands and give it absolutely everything they've
got. Stella explains, "We took control of our act, we took control of
our destinies and said 'y'know we're kinda being placated but we're
gonna show you that we're stronger than that, we're bigger than that
and we're gonna come up with stuff ASAP.'" Their coaches are
impressed by the progress due to their newfound determination.
At the end of the episode we see that the troupe's hard work is
beginning to pay off, the disparate elements that make up a complete
show are finally starting to come together, and slowly but surely
the show is starting to take off.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
END SPOILER WARNING
----------------------------------------------------------------------
After viewing the first half of the series I can honestly say that I'm
absolutely hooked on Fire Within. The deeply affecting human stories
that the series weaves actually make me care about the characters.
With the degree of intimacy achieved I feel as if I'm getting to know
these people personally. Fire Within is really more about the human
condition than Cirque du Soleil so, far from being a show strictly for
hard-core Cirque fans, the series is simply good television that is
open to anyone, and successfully avoids the "promotional video" feel
that some of Cirque's other documentaries have. Now, at 22 minutes
each, the episodes are short and the series focuses on only a very
small group of Cirque performers. Of course, as a fan I wish I could
hear about more performers and that each episode could be longer, but
that doesn't mean the series is lacking, especially considering that
the producers had to work within the constraints of producing a show
for network television.
Besides, isn't that what good television is supposed to do, leave you
wanting more? And, "Fascination!" will give you much more of Fire
Within in upcoming issues so be sure to tune in next month, same
Cirque time, same Cirque channel.
Upcoming Episodes
-----------------
Episode 8: "Moving On"
(Costume-fittings and mounting sets coincide with plans for dress
rehearsals. - TV Guide)
Episode 9: "The Grand Chapiteau"
(The circus stage, the Grand Chapiteau, is finally ready for a press
performance. - TV Guide)
* A reminder to our Francophone readers in Canada that Cirque du
Soleil: "Sans Filet" (literally translated "without a net", the French
language version of "Fire Within") will begin airing November 30 on
ArTV, check your local cable listings.
=======================================================================
BEHIND THE CURTAIN:
"The Techie Geek: Lighting, Take Two" (By: Jen Waldman)
=======================================================================
The Techie Geek needs to make a clarification.
Last month's Technical Cirque investigation was about Lighting
Operation. I later received two questions about points that hadn't
been made clear, so here are some clarifications (I hope).
1. Though much had been mentioned about the computer consoles used to
run lights, what about lights that are not operated by the push of a
"Go" button?
For an organization such as Cirque du Soleil, whose designers and
technicians work in tandem with companies specializing in the
production of theatrical equipment, the most effective choice would be
to run as many lights as possible through a computer console. This
significantly simplifies the process of making sure that the right
lights are on at the right time, at the right intensity. However,
there are instances in which a human operator is necessary as well.
One example is a lighting unit, on stage, that is treated as a prop.
For example, an actor might be called to turn on a desk lamp. In such
a case, the lighting unit (the desk lamp) would be plugged into a
dimmer box. However, the actor would turn the lamp on and off.
Another example is the use of a spotlight. Spotlights are usually
controlled by an Operator who makes sure the light is drawing
attention to the proper place or performer on the stage. The Operator
also makes sure that, no matter where the performer moves, he or she
is always "in the light" (i.e., the lighting instrument is positioned
so that the performer is in the brightest part of the light).
Even though there are times that lighting operations need more than
just a "Go" button, lighting units are plugged into the dimmer boxes
anyway. A dimmer box is to a theatrical lighting unit what an
electrical outlet is to a home lighting unit, with the added security
that if the lighting console is off, the lighting units cannot be
turned on.
2. Are there lighting consoles that are not computers?
Yes. Older lighting boards that contained cranks and knobs to
control the lights do exist. They are about twenty years old and out
of date, and this Techie Geek does not even know of any lighting
equipment companies that produce them any more. Most theatres that can
afford it have upgraded to more modern consoles. Cirque du Soleil is
certainly able to afford top-of-the-line consoles, so there would be
no logical reason to use an old lighting board that is more difficult
to operate.
The Techie Geek is currently exploring the Sound Design of Cirque du
Soleil. Her findings should appear in our next issue.
=======================================================================
LE SPECTATEUR:
"Cirque du Eerie" (By: Paul Roberts)
=======================================================================
'Tis the frightening season of goblins, witches, and Brittany
wannabes. Once Halloween ends, in my part of the world the
darkness of winter approaches. Even with its overall pageantry,
Cirque du Soleil productions can exhibit a dark side; there are
freakish characters, creepy costumes, and bizarre props. We humans
crave to be frightened and each show provides some tasty frights.
In "Saltimbanco" one word is appropriate: Death. A character
originally portrayed by René Bazinet, Death appears during the
Boleadoras act and looks like a hunchbacked Addams Family's Uncle
Fester wearing a glowing hoop around his neck. René and his
successors playing Le Baron, whose hisses, groans, and screams must
give The Sleeper nightmares. And their character, Eddy, duels an
audience member that ends with a death scene.
"Mystère" is full of outrageous characters and costumes. The double-
faced Asticots slink up and down their poles with frightening grace.
The Mephisto Stilt Demon (that also appeared in the "Journey of Man"
film) rises up from the fiery depths, usually appearing just prior to
Brian le Petit's caging of an unsuspecting man. The man spins around
the stage in his box, stopping only to helplessly observe his lady
friend enjoying a picnic with another man. The finale of "Mystère"
introduces the Escargot, an enormous human-faced snail, whose baggy
eyes indicate nights of sleeplessness.
Although "Alegria" is majestic and festive, the one-legged stilt
walker during the contortion act has a creepy element. He circles
the stage as the girl(s) bend in incomprehensible poses and the
painful expression on his face is matched by many audience members.
"Quidam" is a headless passerby - enough said - but he is hardly the
darkest entity of the show. A death theme arises during the Cloud
Swing act where five faceless girls wearing sheer nightgowns perform a
macabre dance with nooses tied around their necks. What was going
through Franco Dragone's mind while creating these characters? Boum
Boum looks scary with his evil-clown makeup, and every time he pounds
his boxing gloves thunder and lightning fill the air. The Vis Versa
act includes three suspended characters that shimmer like ghosts.
They seem to represent man, woman, and future family as the center
ghost appears to be pregnant. Zoe's dream world includes many
nightmares.
For me, the scariest part of "O" is the wedding theme. Cirque du
Soleil's darkest show includes some of the most unusual characters and
costumes imaginable, starting with sulking host Eugen. The hobo
character that Ray Wold portrays catches on fire as he reads a
newspaper. He then calmly walks away. Le Travesti, played by Thamar
Christian Maarten Vijent, appears harmless wearing his corset and
flapping his fan, but when he takes center stage his primal screams
sound like a demon scorned. The star of "O" is actually the liquid
stage that mysteriously changes from a pool of water to solid ground
in a blink of the eye.
It is difficult to find anything scary in the whimsical "La Nouba"
show. Krystian Sawicki's scowling Titan character, however, could
intimidate even the strongest strongman. And what is that abomination
that glides across the background during the diablo act? This prop
creature looks like a cross between a whale and a camel and absolutely
gives me the willies.
"Dralion" is another show without many dark sides, except for an act
with the supernatural title: Spirits. The ghostly acrobats float and
soar to the chilling song "Miracula Æternitatis" sung in an ancient
Latin tongue. Of course, who isn't afraid of spiders? A mutant
arachnid creeps onstage then stops while smoke fills the air. A hatch
on its body opens and juggling master, Viktor Kee, leaps out. And the
main "animal" is a cross between a dragon and a lion and should be as
scary as anything imaginable. They actually are just cuddly, fun-
loving critters.
Cirque du Soleil's latest creation "Varekai" includes several dark
elements. During the Georgian Dance a creature wearing what appears
to be a space suit shoots fire from its wrists. Occasionally a herd
of ghoulish-masked characters slide around the stage on rubber tipped
sticks. They dominate the stage during the Solo on Crutches act. One
of the eeriest creations ever to come from Cirque du Soleil is a ten
foot tall, purple-robed beast that, in my imagination, resembles a
Harry Potter Dementor. This imposing monster, known as The Monk,
lurks in the background and just watches over the spectacle. Most of
Eiko Ishioka's costumes are bright and vivid, but when darkness was
necessary, she came through with flying colors.
Audiences just may not be frightened by the freakish characters,
creepy costumes, or bizarre props. My friend, Carl, recently
experienced "Quidam" (his first Cirque du Soleil show) and said that
he constantly craved to see John, Fritz, and the clowns. They allowed
him to relax from the contorted, upright fetal position he experienced
while witnessing the death-defying acts performed by the acrobats.
The scariest aspects of Cirque du Soleil are actually the super humans
in motion.
=======================================================================
THE CIRQUE CONNECTION:
"Could Cirque have started like this?" (By: Keith Johnson)
=======================================================================
Many months ago we first discussed Cheval Theatre in these pages.
Cheval, created by former Cirque Director of Creation Gilles Ste-
Croix, aims to create an evening of dramatic entertainment featuring
horses and horsemanship. The show is currently touring North America,
and reviews have been good.
Thanks to a loyal reader, we were sent a Web page (in French) that
discussed Chevals' initial drive for financing. Since such financial
information isn't that easy to find, we thought our readers might be
interested. The article has been translated and heavily edited below.
For the original French-language page: < http://mesfinances.branchez-
vous.com/communiques/fr/ENT/2001/06/c3800.html >.
So what's the Cirque connection? In addition to Mr. Ste-Croix, Daniel
Gauthier (former Cirque president) and Franco Dragone (former
director) are also listed as investors - as well as Cirque itself!
And it's fun to speculate if this form of financing (utilizing private
partners, venture capital, and government subsidies and loans) was how
Cirque du Soleil started.
*************
Cheval-Theatre - Financing imagination!
Cheval-Theatre
Imagination at Full Gallop
www.chevaltheatre.com
MONTREAL, June 13, 2001
Gilles Ste-Croix and his team won their bet! In just a few short
months they succeeded in setting up a new company, creating a
spectacle of international scope, finding a mobile theater and, most
extraordinarily, adding a new aspect to Quebec culture. All that
thanks to enthusiastic partners who contributed to the birth of an
innovative cultural product.
Cheval-Theatre is destined to become the next great cultural
ambassador of Quebec and Canada. The show will generate more than 80
million dollars CDN in sales during its first 3 years. Several Quebec
companies were also contracted to construct various scenic elements as
well as costumes, stage equipment and a mobile stable.
The creators surrounded themselves with people who share their
philosophy. Ginette Bergeron, Vice-President of Management and
Finances, had the challenge of selling a new, unknown cultural product
to investors in North America.
Investment in the form of shares of stock and venture capital is the
major component of the financing. The private investors are: Gilles
Ste-Croix, (former Director of Creation for Cirque du Soleil, majority
shareholder), Daniel Gauthier (former President of Cirque), Franco
Dragone (former Director of Cirque shows), Norman Robert, Ginette
Bergeron, Jean-François Brousseau, Constance Raymond and Guy St-Amour.
Also financing the venture are: Fondaction, investment fund of the
workers of CSN, Fidec, whose fund provides venture capitol to
international-scale cultural projects, and Cirque du Soleil[!].
The Desjardins company plays a role in starting Cheval-Theatre
supporting the project with a loan, with one part guaranteed by
Investissement Quebec and SODEC. Interest-free loans came from
Tourisme Quebec, the Economic Development Agency of Canada (for help
with Quebec expenses), and Equipe Canada (providing a contribution to
the expenses of marketing the event abroad). Employment-Quebec, The
Ministry for the Cultural Communities Immigrant Program, and
Immigration Quebec also contributed.
We are proud to introduce our financial partners and we thank the
public and all the people who trusted us. Today, we can really say
that the adventure has just begun!
FINANCIAL STRUCTURE
1. FINANCING
INVESTMENT AND VENTURE CAPITAL (59%) $6,200,000
Fidec, Cirque du Soleil and 7 private investors $3,700,000
Fondaction $2,500,000
PRIVATE LOANS (21%) $2,200,000
Desjardins $2,200,000
(Guaranteed to 77% by Investissement Quebec and SODEC)
GOVERNMENT CONTRIBUTIONS (15%) $1,574,000
Economic Development Agency of Canada $1,000,000
Tourisme Quebec $574,000
(In the form of interest-free loans)
GOVERNMENT CONTRIB. (5%) $559,000
Employment Quebec $309,000
(In the form of subsidies)
Ministry for the Cultural Communities Immigrant Program $250,000
(In the form of investment)
-------------
TOTAL OF ALL FINANCING $10,533,000
2. PROJECTED SALES OF TICKETS AND PRODUCTS
(Over 3 years of touring)
In Canada (12%) $10,000,000
In The United States (88%) $70,700,000
TOTAL PROJECTED SALES (over 3 years) $80,700,000
3. WAGES (over 3 years)
Canadian workers (68%) $16,600,000
Non-Canadian Workers (32%) $7,800,000
-------------
TOTAL WAGES $24,300,000
4.POTENTIAL ATTENDANCE (over 3 years)
Shows Capacity At 65% Capacity
----- ---------- ---------------
In Canada 195 390,000 253,300
In The United States 800 1,600,000 1,040,000
Total attendance 995 1,990,000 1,293,300
{end}
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SPECIAL ENGAGEMENT:
"Cirque's Royal Performance" (By: Wayne Leung)
=======================================================================
Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II recently visited Canada as part of the
year-long celebration of her 50 years on the throne. While visiting
Toronto on October 10, 2002, Queen Elizabeth was treated to a royal
performance, "The Golden Jubilee Gala", showcasing artists who are
considered some of Canada's foremost cultural ambassadors. Among
them were ballet dancers, opera singers, Quebec pop-stars, Jazz
pianist Oscar Peterson, rock band The Tragically Hip and of course,
Cirque du Soleil. The Gala was held at Toronto's Roy Thompson Hall,
home to the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, and featuring a large, multi-
tiered, in-the-round seating auditorium which provided a perfect
setting for a Cirque performance. The hall was filled with
dignitaries, politicians, and other elite dressed to the nines for
this invitation-only black tie soirée. Fortunately, for those of us
not lucky enough to have been invited, the gala was broadcast live on
the CBC. The Queen, dressed in full evening wear and tiara, was
seated in the first balcony with Prince Phillip and Prime Minister
Jean Chrétien.
After a duet sung by two opera singers the stage lights dim, ominous
music starts to play and a swath of red silk falls from the rafters to
the stage. A figure climbs up the silk as actor Colm Feore, the
emcee, walks across the stage, "We've all been seduced by the magic of
Cirque du Soleil and no one has taken the banner of Canada higher or
farther in the world. Indeed Cirque has been so bold and so
revolutionary that they have turned the circus into a new art form.
So prepare to be enchanted once again. . ." The lights come up to
reveal Quidam's aerial contortionist, Isabelle Vaudelle suspended high
over the stage wrapped in the band of silk. Cirque singer Richard
Price starts singing the first strains of the live version of "Let Me
Fall". Throughout the evocative performance, the camera zooms in to
provide beautiful close-ups of both Isabelle and Richard as they
perform passionately. Isabelle writhes and contorts during the
performance which, for those who have never seen the original version,
is entirely different than Isabelle Chassé's version presented in the
Quidam Live in Amsterdam television special. At the end of this
emotionally-charged performance, Isabelle looks tentatively at a noose
she fashioned from the silk and hangs herself forming a powerful
image. She then struggles back to life and slides down the length of
the crimson fabric ending a starkly beautiful performance to the
enthusiastic applause of the audience including the Queen and Prince
Phillip.
For the show's final curtain call, Isabelle and Richard returned to
the stage with the rest of the gala performers and bowed to a standing
ovation from Canada's upper crust. Isabelle wore a red silk dress
evoking the act she performed earlier that evening. The performers
were then instructed to remain on stage, the Toronto Symphony
Orchestra struck up a flourish and the Queen arrived on stage to meet
and shake the hand of every performer. She greeted and spoke briefly
with both Isabelle and Richard apparently having enjoyed their
performance.
Cirque du Soleil is truly a performance fit for a Queen.
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BEYOND THE BIGTOP:
"The Friends of Cirque" -- Série Part 1 (By: Ricky Russo)
=======================================================================
Are you a friend of Cirque du Soleil? As a fan you'd probably answer
"yes" without any hesitation. But would you be surprised if I told you
the answer was most likely "no"? Before you wrinkle your forehead in
confusion or yell out in protest let me ask you another question: Have
you ever come across a page dotted with star-like shapes accompanying
names within your Cirque du Soleil programmes and wondered what that
page was all about?
If you've seen such a page then you've stumbled upon the recognition
for "The Friends of Cirque du Soleil" and the reason for this line of
questioning. The page described can be found in many of Cirque's
earliest printed programmes, from its first organized tour through
Quidam's original North American Tour (1996-1998). Yet, the
purpose of the page is rarely described.
In the same vain as the "Classic Cirque" series that we ran earlier in
the year (Issues #5/6 - January/February 2002), we are going to take a
look at some of the treasures that lurk within some of the earlier
Cirque's programmes, beginning with "The Friends of Cirque du Soleil"
program.
So, what is "The Friends of Cirque du Soleil"?
"The Friends..." was a special club created by Cirque du Soleil to
recognize its greatest sponsors and most generous contributors in its
earliest days. Cirque du Soleil wasn't always the multi-million dollar
company it is today, and Cirque initially relied on 3rd-party funding
to put on its shows. In the beginning the majority of the troupes
operational budget came from the Canadian Government, but that just
wasn't enough. For example, the table below is a cross reference of
Cirque's operational budget, the percentage subsidized by the Quebec
Government, number of shows that year and the number of people
employed:
Operational Budget % Gvt # Shows # Empl.
------------------ ------- ------- -------
1984 $1,328,655 CDN 97% 50 45
1985 $2,332,867 CDN 50% 160 72
1986 $4,000,000 CDN 27%-32% 208 77
1987 $5,400,000 CDN 15%-17% 276 120
1988 $6,000,000 CDN 10% 312 150
[Source: Cirque du Soleil]
In order to keep up with their needs, another percentage of their
budget was donated from companies and citizens within Canada. It's
those donations that are honored on "The Friends of Cirque du Soleil"
page.
And how did you become an honored "Friend" of Cirque du Soleil?
Simple, by "purchasing" a seat under the big top for $500.00 CDN or
more, placing you in one of three categories: Silver, Gold or
Platinum. Each one had a different price bracket: Silver at $500 CDN,
Gold at $1000 CDN and Platinum at $5000 CDN. And depending on the
amount you donated you received a plethora of unique gifts.
For a donation between $500.00 CDN and $999.99 CDN, you were
considered Silver Status and received a permanently affixed nameplate
on a ringside seat under the big top with the donators name on it.
For a donation between $1000.00 CDN and $4999.99 CDN, you were
considered Gold Status and received the same rights and privileges as
a Silver Status member and two other perks: the donator's name printed
every year in the Cirque du Soleil souvenir program, and the donator's
name posted on the "Friends of the Cirque du Soleil billboard affixed
within the confines of the big top.
And for a $5000.00 CDN donation or more, you were considered Platinum
Status and received the same rights and privileges as a Gold Status
member and two additional perks: an honorary certificate attesting to
your support of the Cirque, and two complimentary tickets for a show in
every city on the tour. Wow!
Through the years many individuals and companies donated outright to
Cirque or contributed to their "chair buying program". Chair buying
programs are nothing new and are put into place to help raise money
for a cause - such as keeping a museum running or in this case, a
new circus. Some of Cirque's givers include:
Platinum:
- Groupe La Laurentienne (1985)
- Air Canada (1986)
- René Lévesque (1986)
- LOCAM (1986)
- UltraMar (1987)
- Dominion Textile (1988)
- Bombardier, Inc. (1988)
- Lowes Hotels (1989)
- Lavery O'Brien (1990)
- Leon Constantiner (1993)
Gold:
- Alban Asselin, Les Coopérants (1986)
- Gabriel Groulx C.A. (1986)
- Alan B. Slifka (1987)
- MicroFlex (1987)
- Mount'n Seal (1988)
- Mary Calder Rower (1988)
- Zurich Canada (1992)
But with Cirque du Soleil emerging as a major player on not only the
circus scene but the performing arts scene, the company no longer
needed to rely on government funding or patron donations to keep
afloat and "The Friends of Cirque du Soleil" all but disappeared.
Today, Cirque du Soleil is self-sufficient and blossoming, no longer
needing donations to keep itself operating. In fact, the last mention
of this program came in the Quidam 1998 programme and with it
"The Friends of Cirque du Soleil" became nothing more than a memory.
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OBSTRUCTED VIEW
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We opened up "Obstructed View" to be a venue where fans could talk
back to us, to have their opinion heard on a specific and timely
topic. Unfortunately our inaugural question was met with an under
whelming response. Don't lose this opportunity to voice your opinion
-- Email today!
Last Month
----------
As we reported last issue, signs advertising the new "music-
hall"-type show at the New York-New York Casino/Hotel in Las
Vegas are saying it will be "a more intimate expression of
Cirque du Soleil." What do you think they mean by the word
"intimate", and do you think this is a good direction for
Cirque?
-- Response(s):
"I definitely will love to see Cirque go to an "intimate" show.
I love "Vegas" style and show-girl type shows, so as long as
Cirque advertises it this way to keep people who don't care for
stuff like that, I say go for it. You know it will be tasteful
and probably wonderful!! " -- Matt Santogrossi
"The director, René-Richard Cyr, was interviewed in one of
Québec's talk-shows. He said that that show will have a touch of
eroticism. I think that eroticism doesn't have to be vulgar, so
if CDS turns it the good way, it's going to be interesting. I
only wonder how the soundtrack will be..." -- "Hurricane Clan"
This Month
----------
At press time, shipments of "Varekai" CDs have been making their
way to fan's mail boxes all across the world. It has drawn mixed
reviews from fans. What do YOU think of the music and the
direction Cirque has taken with it?
Email your responses to: CirqueFasincation-owner@yahoogroups.com
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PARTING QUOTE
=======================================================================
"I want people to be intimidated"
- Franco Dragone, on how he wants people to feel when they see
Cirque du Soleil performers on the street.
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NEXT ISSUE...
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Our next issue will continue our coverage of "Fire Within", review
the Varekai CD, hear about Sound from the Techie Geek and much, much
more! So, come on back next month!
Have a comment, question or concern? Email the Fascination!
Newsletter staff at: < CirqueFasincation-owner@yahoogroups.com >.
We are anxious to hear any and all comments!
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SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
=======================================================================
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COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER
=======================================================================
"Fascination!" is Ricky Russo, Keith Johnson, Paul Roberts, Jen
Waldman and Wayne Leung.
"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.
