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T h e U n o f f i c i a l
C i r q u e d u S o l e i l N e w s l e t t e r
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E X P A N D E D I S S U E
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Issue #39e "Les Sorciers du Chapiteau" November 2004
=======================================================================
We're off and running again!
Cirque du Soleil is certainly a sorcerer of the big top, and this
month they will show us again just how magnificent and magical they
can be with the debut of KÀ, Cirque's newest permanent spectacle at
the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. For many fellow Cirque fans this day has
been a long day coming, as KÀ has been plagued with construction
delays and production problems that have pushed its debut back from
Summer 2004 to what was once thought January 2005! The media and fans
alike will be treated to this new work of art on November 26, 2004, so
if you're in Las Vegas... check it out!
I wish to call your attention to a new book published about Cirque du
Soleil entitled DREAMS OF THE SOLO TRAPEZE: OFFSTAGE WITH THE CIRQUE
DU SOLEIL. "A chance encounter at a disco with Siberian trapeze artist
Olga Sidorova leads an American novelist [Mark Schreiber] into the
magical world of Cirque du Soleil. From Amsterdam to Barcelona to
London, from Montreal to Las Vegas, from late night dinners and all
night parties to backstage passes and practice lessons, she serves as
his Virgil, leading him through an inferno of creative passions, a
paradise of artistic expressing, introducing him to acrobats, gymnasts
and circus veterans from a dozen countries, even persuading the mime
to speak. But what surprises him most, more than their candor or
reticence, their comradeship or competitiveness, is his discovery that
these unmasked men, women and children are even more captivating and
remarkable offstage than on." Mr. Schreiber's book is due on stands
January 5, 2004, but a few copies have been available. I have been
fortunate to have one in my possession and it has been a wonderful
read. For any fan looking for what goes on behind the scenes, I
recommend DREAMS OF THE SOLO TRAPEZE: OFFSTAGE WITH THE CIRQUE DU
SOLEIL!
This month our very own Keith Johnson brings us all up to date on the
happenings with CirqueCon Montreal 2005 -- we have a hotel! With
plenty of rooms, a location near the big top, and all the "creature
comforts" of a large chain, we are pleased to announce CirqueCon
2005's official hotel is the Marriott SpringHill Suites Vieux-
Montreal. For more information see our feature this month or visit the
SpringHill website at: <http://www.springhillmontreal.com/ >. We are
very excited! Wayne Leung brings us a fascinating look at two "new"
circuses for the 21st Century -- Les 7 doigts de la main and Cirque
Éloize -- and what has been ending up on eBay lately? Read on!
We hope you enjoy this issue of Fascination!
/// EXPANDED ISSUE: For this issue, an entire section was elevated
and expanded to capture and republish two stories we only linked
to in the original issue. Here you can now read the full texts of
a Zumanity review from the Las Vegas Sun ("Zumanity remains a study
in kinetic energy") and an expose on Robert Lepage, the director
of KA at the MGM-Grand. You'll find these two in the section called
LA PRESSE: CIRQUE IN THE PRESS [EXPANDED] within! ///
- Ricky
===========
CONTENTS
===========
* Cirque Buzz -- News, Rumours & Sightings
* CRQ-TV -- Cirque on Television
* CRQ.NET -- This Month in CirqueClub
* LA PRESSE -- Cirque in the Press [EXPANDED]
* Itinéraire -- Tour/Show Information
* Didyaknow? -- Facts About Cirque
* Le Spectacle:
"CirqueCon Montreal 2005 Update"
By: Keith Johnson - Seattle, Washington (USA)
* Behind the Curtain:
"Cirque du eBay, Partie Trois?"
By: Ricky Russo - Orlando, Florida (USA)
* The Cirque Connection:
"A New Circus for a New Era"
By: Wayne Leung - Ottawa, Ontario (Canada)
* Parting Quote
* Subscription Information
* Copyright & Disclaimer
=======================================================================
CIRQUE BUZZ -- NEWS, RUMOURS & SIGHTINGS
=======================================================================
MGM/Mirage Third Quarter Profit Soars
-------------------------------------
On October 20, 2004, MGM/Mirage reported a $126.9 million
operating profit, which is a 169% increase from the same quarter
last year. "Profit at MGM Mirage jumped in the third quarter,"
Las Vegas Sun's Liz Benston reported, "[due to] customers
[spending] more at new amenities such as nightclubs and
restaurants and hitting the slot machines more often."
MGM/Mirage, which currently hosts three permanent Cirque du
Soleil Productions in Las Vegas (Mystère at Treasure Island, "O"
at Bellagio, Zumanity at NY-NY), one soon to open (KÀ at MGM
Grand), and a fifth (as yet named) at the Mirage, also has plans
to merge with Mandalay Resort Group. The $7.9 billion merger is
expected to close by the first quarter of 2005.
The Mandalay Resort Group currently owns or operates more than
15 casino properties throughout the United States, five of which
are premiere properties in Las Vegas: Mandalay Bay, Luxor,
Excalibur, Monte Carlo (50%) and Circus Circus.
MGM Mirage currently owns and operates 12 casino resorts located
in Nevada, Mississippi, Michigan and Australia. It's portfolio
of brands include the Bellagio, MGM Grand Las Vegas, The Mirage,
Treasure Island, New York-New York, Boardwalk Hotel and Casino,
and Monte Carlo (50%) all located on the famous Las Vegas Strip.
The Bellagio is currently MGM/Mirage's most profitable resort.
[Source: Las Vegas Sun; Ricky Russo]
New Cirque Book: Dreams of the Solo Trapeze
-------------------------------------------------
"Dreams of the Solo Trapeze: Offstage with the Cirque du Soleil"
By: Mark Schreiber -- ISBN: 0-9754664-0-2; $19.95 US
From the Book's Inside Jacket Cover:
Enter a world unlike any other, where a dozen languages are
spoken and scores of disciplines perfected -- or invented;
intimate and inscrutable, artistic and athletic, courageous and
committed: the private world of the performers in the Cirque du
Soleil. And of the hundreds of artists the Cirque employs, none
is more fascinating than Olga Sidorova, who ran away from
Siberia at age fourteen to follow her dreams to fly.
When Mark Schreiber met her in March 2002, she inspired his own
global odyssey, following the European Tour of Saltimbanco,
assisting her after knee surgery at the Cirque's training studio
in Montreal, even helping a pair of contortionists apartment
hunt in Las Vegas. Along the way she unraveled her life story,
and introduced him to many other cast members, who revealed
their histories and passions, including a juggling prodigy, twin
trapezists, a veteran acrobat whose family fled from Cambodia, a
clown from Harlem, and an Olympic gymnast.
Dreams of the Solo Trapeze: Offstage with the Cirque du Soleil
is not one book but many: non-fiction novel, biography, cultural
history, travel narrative, and love story. Its aim is to
discover and pay tribute to these magnificent artists in a
manner that reflects the Cirque's own spontaneousness,
originality and daring.
DREAMS OF THE SOLO TRAPEZE: OFFSTAGE WITH THE CIRQUE DU SOLEIL
by Mark Schreiber will be published in hardcover January 3, 2005
and is available for pre-order at a discount at AMAZON.COM,
BARNES&NOBLE.COM and BOOKSAMILLION.COM. For more information
about the book, including the first few chapters, a photo
gallery and more, visit Canal House Books at:
< http://www.canalhousebooks.com/ >.
[Source: Canal House Books, Mark Schreiber]
Wanna Trade Up?
---------------
There's a new "trade-up" program available for Cirque Club
members for certain shows in certain cities. Cirque Club
members can now "trade up" their seats for seats previously
reserved (but unused) for families of our producers, directors
and artists.
For example, Cirque Club ticket holders for Varekai in Dallas
can now take advantage of these great seats by following a few
simple steps. (Houston and Austin ticket-holders will also
qualify for this privilege when the tour arrives in their city.)
* Print the e-mail and bring a copy with you to the Varekai Box
Office.
* Arrive early on the performance date indicated on your ticket
(no more than two hours before the show), as tickets are limited
and will be allotted on a first-come, first-served basis.
* A special Cirque Club sign posted at the Varekai Box Office
will direct you to the Cirque Club ticket agent.
* Present the e-mail with your ticket(s) and, depending on
ticket availability, they will exchange them for seats closer to
the stage.
* You can also trade up Category 2 or 3 seats to a better
category (in which case, you will be required to pay the
difference). [Source: Cirque Club, Keith Johnson]
Their Life In Pictures
----------------------
Varekai recently had its own "life on tour" photographic
retrospective that was on display at North Park Mall in Dallas
(Dillard's Fountain Court). It included a selection of VAREKAI
costumes that could be examined up close. The retrospective was
part of the celebrations for the 1000th performance of Varekai,
which took place on December 4 in Dallas.
All the photographs were taken by Paul Bannerman, a drummer, and
Lorant Voros, a rigging technician, who have been on the road
with VAREKAI for more than two years. Paul, originally from
Canada, has taken over 27,000 pictures including 7,000
backstage, and Lorant, from Hungary, has managed to take some
unique pictures from high up on the catwalk.
That sounds like a neat idea! We hope they continue that
exhibition in other cities. [Source: Cirque Club, Keith Johnson]
Want Some Mustard With That?
----------------------------
From the "what can you do with a billion dollars?" department,
an article on CBC news says Cirque CEO Guy Laliberté has
purchased what is said to be the last hotdog sold at a Montreal
Expo's game!
The hotdog was acquired by a local radio station who in a
previous promotion had awarded four tickets to the last Expo's
game, on the condition the winner had to come back with "the
last hotdog sold."
Said hotdog was taken and placed on a trophy stand. The weiner
itself was placed in a chemical bath to keep it preserved (a
replica appears on the now-shellacked bun). The styrofoam
package was also preserved, and the whole trophy was auctioned
off on EBAY to raise money for a charity dedicated to buying
Christmas gifts for underprivilidged children.
Laliberté placed the winning bid of $2,605 CDN for the dog. The
Expos left Montreal for the "greener" pastures of Washington,
DC, where they will be known as the Washington Nationals.
[Source: cbc.ca; Keith Johnson]
Special New Years Eve Performances!
-----------------------------------
La Nouba: Category 1: $111.83 (adult) / $84.14 (child),
Category 2: $99.05 (adult) / $73.49 (child), Category 3: $84.14
(adult) / $62.84 (child). Tax is included with prices. Showtimes
are 6:00pm and 9:00pm. A champagne toast, souvenir program, and
party favours are included!
Mystère: All category seats are $125.00. Showtimes are 6:30pm
and 9:30pm. Features a split of champagne, souvenir program and
party favours.
"O": 4:30pm show -- Regular Prices ; 7:30pm show -- Category 1:
$175.00, Category 2: $150.00, Category 3: $124.00. Both shows
feature a goodie bag, a hat and a souvenir program and CD.
Zumanity: Duo Sofas: $165.00, Lower Orchestra: $130.00,
Orchestra: $130.00, Cabaret Stools: $95.00, Theater Balcony:
$125.00. There are two showtimes: 6:30pm and 9:30pm. A souvenir
program and other party favours are provided.
=======================================================================
CRQ-TV -- CIRQUE ON TELEVISION!
=======================================================================
* CIRQUE DU SOLEIL: SOLSTROM
-----------------------------
Network: BRAVO (USA)
- Episode 1: "Romance" - Episode 7: "Disguises"
11/2/04 @ 6:00am 11/16/04 @ 6:00am
- Episode 2: "Twins" - Episode 8: "Traveling"
11/3/04 @ 6:00am 11/17/04 @ 6:00am
- Episode 3: "Gothic" - Episode 9: "Childhood"
11/4/04 @ 6:00am 11/18/04 @ 6:00am
- Episode 4: "Rock'n'Roll" - Episode 10: "Construction"
11/9/04 @ 6:00am 11/23/04 @ 6:00am
- Episode 5: "Adventure" - Episode 11: "Puppets"
11/10/04 @ 6:00am 11/24/04 @ 6:00am
- Episode 6: "Escape" - Episode 12: "The Games"
11/11/04 @ 6:00am 11/30/04 @ 6:00am
* CIRQUE DU SOLEIL PRESENTS
-------------------------
Network: BRAVO (USA)
- Cirque du Soleil: Midnight Sun
11/19/04 @ 8:00pm
11/20/04 @ 12:00am
- Cirque du Soleil: Alegria
11/19/04 @ 10:00pm
- Cirque du Soleil: Dralion
11/20/04 @ 12:00am
11/21/04 @ 3:00pm
- Cirque du Soleil: Nouvelle Experience
11/20/04 @ 2:00am
- Cirque du Soleil: Quidam
11/20/04 @ 10:00pm
- Cirque du Soleil: Saltimbanco
11/19/04 @ 12:00am
- Cirque du Soleil: Varekai
11/20/04 @ 8:00pm
11/21/04 @ 5:00pm
Cirque du Soleil is not scheduled to air on BRAVO or CTV in the
month of December.
* NOTE: Check your local listings for complete information. Schedule
is subject to change.
=======================================================================
CRQ.NET -- THIS MONTH IN CIRQUE CLUB
=======================================================================
(By: Keith Johnson)
Cirque has some great contests this month - if you're not in the U.S.
One that's now closed offered a trip to Las Vegas to see all four
Cirque shows including KÀ for you and *three* of your friends, but you
could only read the rules in French, German or Dutch! (Not being
fluent in those forgive us if we don't provide details.) Currently
under way until December 1st and open only to Quebec residents is a
contest whose prize is tickets to Cirque 2005 and invitations to the
gala premiere party afterward. And as if that wasn't enough, there's
a contest to see La Nouba on New Year's Eve, with a special backstage
tour/meet and greet and souvenir package. There are two prizes
awarded, 2 tickets to each of the special 6pm and 9pm shows; the
contest ends December 10th.
In articles, Cirque Club celebrates the Halloween season with a great
article on creating a Halloween character, with the emphasis on
character. They also provide another installment of their 20th
Anniversary "history" articles. And they just posted a fun teaser of
the "Bar at the Edge of the Earth" concept test (a section of which we
excerpt below).
Over in the Boutique they continue to expand their offerings. Several
new pieces of clothing and masks (many based on KÀ) are now on the
site, as are the DVD's for La Nouba and Fire Within. We'd again like
to plead for a pre-order feature, especially on what we understand to
be the forthcoming release of a DVD of "Midnight Sun." Since it looks
to be an "in-house" distributed DVD (like "Inside La Nouba") and not
handled through US distributor Columbia/Tri Star, the Boutique may be
the only way to get it for most U.S. residents. So being able to
place an order now (prior to its release in late November) would be
much appreciated.
In Cirque marketing messages:
La Nouba was once again part of the "Festival of Masters" which took
place November 12 to 14 at Downtown Disney West Side in Walt Disney
World. The message we got stated in part: "You won't want to miss out
on the exhibit of costumes, accessories and props used in La Nouba as
well as activities for children, including face-painting. La Nouba
characters will also make appearances to entertain and surprise
passers-by. In addition, if you purchased a copy of the new "La
Nouba" DVD directly at the Cirque du Soleil store on Saturday,
November 13 between noon and 4 p.m. you could have had it autographed
at an "up close and personal" autograph session with the cast and crew
of La Nouba." But what if you had already gotten a copy comewhere
else?)
Pascale, Public Relations and Marketing Agent for Saltimbanco, write
an article on visiting a new city while preparing for Saltimbanco's
arrival there. It's quite long and on a separate page of the Cirque
site so we won't quote it here. To see it go to <
http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/go.asp?p=3188&l=en >.
Anne-Joseé wrote a nice teaser for her article about a concept test of
the "Bar at the Edge of the Earth". "It all began one morning with an
invitation... Please join us for an evening of refreshments and
astonishing environments.
Be outside the main door at 5:30 p.m.
P.S. Do not share this information with anyone!
The sun had just set, leaving an eerie twilight, and the air was crisp
that autumn night in Montreal. There were already a few people waiting
by the entrance since I arrived a few minutes late. A young woman
approached and asked us to follow her on a short walk. I could see my
breath in the night air as she led us down a deserted and dimly lit
industrial street to a nondescript warehouse. We followed her through
a maze of hallways until the sounds of our footsteps and the buzz of
the neon lights slowly gave way to the muffled sound of music. The
music was coming from behind a door, slightly ajar, with a curtain on
the other side. Beyond the curtain there was another door. made of
water!" The rest of the article can be read at: <
http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/go.asp?p=3193&l=en >.
Karnia, Varekai crew member, wrote of the shows leaving the Washington
DC area: "Another tear-down is just around the corner as the clock
ticks down to our final performance this coming Sunday, October 24.
Our stay in Washington D.C. with Varekai has been a rockin' one! It's
sad to think that we only have four more nights left. I visited
Washington D.C. when I was about eight years old and I have strong
memories of the JFK Memorial, and of just how much water fell from the
sky when it rained. This time around I have a few more memories: the
White House, the architecture, the museums, the memorials and the
parks. What a city! I am delighted that we had the chance to visit
and mingle with such great folks. We'll miss you!"
Above text courtesy of Cirque Club.
=======================================================================
LA PRESSE -- CIRQUE IN THE PRESS [EXPANDED]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------
"Zumanity Remains a Study in Kinetic Energy"
From: The Las Vegas Sun
-----------------------------------------------
Erotic?
Not really.
Not in the sense that it arouses sexual desire in the heart of the
observer.
What "Zumanity" does is present a series of sexually-related,
sometimes titillating scenes that fail to live up to their potential.
Perhaps that is because this is a Cirque du Soleil production, and
Cirque's theory seems to be that you must cram as much activity onto
the stage as possible.
All of their Vegas shows are visually busy, full of action and
distractions, as in a three-ring circus.
But while this works quite well in "O" at the Mirage and "Mystere" at
Treasure Island, it is a detriment to "Zumanity," which celebrated its
first anniversary at New York-New York in August.
Producers don't subscribe to the idea that sometimes more is less, and
conversely less might be more. Fewer acts, with more focus on the more
sensual scenes, could potentially enhance their provocativeness.
That is, if the show's aim truly is to present "another side of
Cirque," as is claimed in the advertising. But I'm not sure that is
the real goal here.
There's a lot going on inspired by sex, but not much that could be
described as sexually inspiring.
The "Body2body" act, in which acrobatic contortionists Sara Joel and
Stephan Choiniere create a number of Kama Sutra-like poses, is one of
the best numbers in the show and comes closest to achieving what the
production set out to achieve.
But then that scene is offset by a contortionist who is gross. The
one-man act simply demonstrates how many ways it is possible to rotate
your limbs and throw your joints out of whack. It is painful to watch
and destroys whatever mood has been created by previous routines.
Two lithe, female contortionists who perform dives and underwater
ballet in a water bowl are another highlight of the show. Gyuinara
Karaeva and Bolormaa create some amazing stunts that interweave their
athletic ability with a sexual intensity that is exciting.
I didn't find two males kissing at the end of their duo dance scene
particularly exciting. For some, it is more shocking than anything
else.
While most of "Zumanity" involves dancers and contortionists, this is
a Cirque production, and therefore there are some acrobatics: an
aerial scene between a tall blond and a midget and another based
loosely upon a schoolgirl fetish.
There is no overt nudity in the show. A few bare breasts pop up now
and again. There are phallic devices worn by men in some scenes.
The show explores sex from many angles -- homosexuality, interracial
relations, orgies and S&M -- which might send some unsuspecting
visitors fleeing for the exit.
But after a year on the boards, "Zumanity" seems to be taking itself
less seriously, which makes the show more fun (refer to the less may
be more theory).
There is plenty of comic relief in the production, primarily from the
comedy team of Spymonkey. The ensemble opens the show as a band of
Puritans who wrestle with their natural sexual desires and the
restrictions placed on those desires by their religion.
The group then appears several times during the 90-minute production,
performing some hilarious comedic routines that border on the obscene.
Famed cross-dresser Joey Arias is still the host of the show. He seems
to have toned down his act from when the show opened. He is less
aggressive and more humorous than in the beginning.
And thankfully the Medeiros twins are still around.
Luciene and Licemar warm up the audience by squeezing through the
aisles as they pass out trays of strawberries and stick their broad
derrieres into the faces of seated fans.
These obese, Brazilian sisters wearing French maids' costumes are 2
tons of fun in this relatively lightweight sexual romp.
-----------------------------------------------
"Renaissance Man: Balancing Act"
From: The Las Vegas Review-Journal
-----------------------------------------------
Robert Lepage already was committed to Cirque du Soleil's "Ka," the
most expensive, high-tech production in modern theater history, when
he found three weeks to knock out a film version of a one-man play.
"It's really like a home movie," the Canadian director says of "La
Face Cachée de la lune (Far Side of the Moon)," which he wrote,
directed and performed in dual roles.
Initially swept aside by "The Barbarian Invasions," which won last
year's Academy Award for best foreign language film, Lepage's film
thrived on the festival circuit and was picked to represent Canada in
the same Oscar category this year.
It ties the story of competitive brothers to the larger backdrop of
the U.S.-Soviet space race. In the stage version, Lepage used a puppet
for an astronaut, with the glass door on a washing machine becoming a
portal to space.
Puppets, so large it takes two contortionists to operate one, also
figure into "Ka," the $165 million epic due Nov. 29 at the MGM Grand.
The story of two Asian twins separated at birth features martial arts,
floating stages, a "forest" of giant trees and dramatic fire effects.
Lepage's knack for combining big ideas with personal ones, and for
telling small stories with visual flair, would seem to make him one of
the few people able to tackle the biggest show on the Strip.
"It dwarfs anything else that I'm working on," says the soft-spoken
Renaissance man. That includes "1984," a Royal Opera adaptation of the
George Orwell classic with music by Lorin Maazel that debuts in London
next May.
"I'm very relaxed when I go to rehearsals in Quebec City," Lepage, 46,
says with a mild chuckle. "They say, `My gosh, what a big production.'
I say, `Relax. You haven't seen anything.' "
But Lepage projects his even-handed calm as he says this. It's his
style as much as his resume that suggests why Cirque du Soleil would
go beyond its own substantial resources to recruit a name equally
well-known in the Canadian arts. (Like Cirque du Soleil, Lepage has a
studio, Ex Machina, that integrates several disciplines under one
roof.)
"That's one of the attractions for us, that he has done big stuff but
he's also done the intimate stuff," says Lyn Heward, who oversees
Cirque du Soleil's creative content. "We like the emotional twists and
turns, and Robert does bring that with him to the table."
"He will go from the huge Peter Gabriel-type tour thing down to
working on a piece that is totally touching and moving (and) really, I
would say, close to home for him."
Lepage's multithreat approach -- giving stage works a cinematic
language and incorporating video -- hails back to his late-teen days
at the Conservatoire d'Art Dramatique de Quebec.
He was studying to be an actor, but "always spending time with the
technical crew or trying to see how people make sound or how they do
lights," he recalls. "I've been hit on the fingers with a ruler by the
teachers saying `You should not do that.' But I feel that by doing
that, I became a better actor."
Eventually, "I became a bit of a nuisance to some great tours. The
show would be a success and go on tour, and I couldn't be in every
show. I started to not participate and become more of a one-man-show
performer."
Lepage's plays and screenplays follow historical characters through
not-so-random destinies. His first movie, 1995's "Le Confessionnal,"
was inspired by Alfred Hitchcock's visit to his hometown, Quebec City,
in 1952. "The Dragon's Trilogy" is an epic stage work that traces the
roots of his hometown back to ancient China.
The one-man show "Les Aiguilles et l'Opium (Needles and Opium)" ties a
1949 meeting between jazzman Miles Davis and filmmaker Jean Cocteau to
a troubled time in Lepage's own life.
"I don't believe in coincidence, I believe in, how do they say it?" --
the rare time that he struggles for an English phrase -- "that these
things were meant to be."
The predestination that led to "Ka" traces back to his adolescent
fascination with progressive rock bands, particularly the Peter
Gabriel era of Genesis.
"That's the source. That's what gave me my ambition in theater," he
says. "I was brought up in a city where theater was for the bourgeois.
It wasn't for the people. There was no way that somebody like me would
encounter theater. The only way people could do that was Genesis and
Pink Floyd and Jethro Tull and those theatrical rock people who put on
those amazing shows."
By his 33rd birthday on Dec. 12, 1990, he was an established actor and
playwright, performing his "Tectonic Plates" in London. Gabriel
attended the play upon the advice of friends and ended up hiring
Lepage to stage his "Secret World" tour.
"When I first met Peter it was my birthday. He was my idol. There's no
coincidence," he says of attending brainstorming sessions for an
"experience park," a still-unrealized theme park for adults.
"Secret World" and the more recent "Growing Up" tours (both available
on DVD) displayed bold ideas in almost every song, from Gabriel
performing inside a ball to taking an upside-down stroll for the song
"Downside Up."
In the meantime, "Cirque du Soleil and I had kind of this on and off
relationship forever," Lepage says. "We worked with the same people.
They keep stealing my technicians and emptying Quebec of anybody who
has talent," he says with a laugh.
When Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte offered him "Ka," Lepage
balked, took a week to think about it, then called back and declined.
"I'm not sure I can do this. It's such a huge thing. My process is too
organic for you guys," he told them.
But Laliberte -- also a friend of Gabriel's -- cited the two tours,
saying "it's obvious that you can control a chaotic environment, that
you can make sense of it. (The concerts were) more than just
razzamatazz. That's where we want to go." He asked Lepage to re-create
the same dreamlike feeling with a thread of a story line.
"I'd say even though it's a huge megashow, it is a very shy attempt at
that. It's a first step (for Cirque du Soleil) into trying to tell a
story and have some kind of logical order," Lepage says. "It is a
complete change of mentality for Cirque du Soleil. It looks like a
trivial thing, but it's actually radically different for them."
The spectacle quotient of "Ka" grew from its inception, while the
story shrunk.
"It's all based on numbers and pretexts to have acrobatics or martial
arts. It's the way you string these things together that forms a story
line," Lepage says. "The story was very ambitious in the beginning and
that is what simplified itself to where you get a thread more than a
story. And that thread becomes your emotional guide."
With Cirque du Soleil's track record on the Strip enabling the company
to essentially write its own ticket, "Ka" kept growing. "Guy said to
me one day, `We're the slaves of our own ambitions,' " Lepage recalls.
Brainstorming sessions would come with the directive: "Let's not
censor ourselves. What if we had the money to do this? What if we had
the time? What if we had the resources?"
"It's not just the money, it's the time," Lepage notes. "You have the
time to come up with a half-baked idea and bake it. You don't have
that in opera. Or in film."
Lepage has been balancing "Ka" with other projects since early 2002.
"Either you get crushed by all of that, or you can use that," he says.
"Sometimes you get a lot of pressure to deliver and bump into these
knots. The answer to that will not come by staying the rehearsal
process of that. You have to go to Cirque du Soleil or this rock show
or this small cabaret theater or whatever, and you find the solution
in that. To work on five things, they all make sense. One informs you
of the other.
"I don't panic when I hit a wall," he adds. "I'm not in front of a
wall, I'm in front of a notion."
But after "Ka," you might guess where he plans to go next. "I'm doing
a one-man show at the end of February and I'm trying to keep it
simple," he says.
=======================================================================
ITINÉRAIRE -- TOUR/SHOW INFORMATION
=======================================================================
Note that any information in brackets [] is UN-official information
and subject to change.
[Touring Shows]
Alegría:
* Tokyo, Japan:
Dates: Oct 29, 2004 to Jan 23, 2005
* Fukuoka, Japan:
Dates: Feb 9, 2005 to Apr 3, 2005
* Nagoya, Japan:
Dates: Apr 20, 2005 to Jun 12, 2005
* Osaka, Japan:
Dates: Jun 25, 2005 to Aug 10, 2005
Cirque 2005:
* Montreal, Quebec, Canada -- Jacques-Cartier Pier
Dates: Apr 21, 2005 to May 29, 2005
* Quebec City, Quebec, Canada -- Galeries de la Capitale
Dates: Jun 30, 2003 to Jul 10, 2005
* Toronto, Ontraio, Canada --
Dates: Aug 4, 2005 - Aug 14, 2005
Dralion:
* Madrid, Spain -- Recinto Ferial, Casa de Campo
Dates: Oct 15, 2004 to Dec 19, 2004
* London, England -- Royal Albert Hall
Dates: Jan 6, 2005 to Jan 30, 2005
* Barcelona, Spain -- TBA
Dates: Mar 17, 2005 to Apr 24, 2005
* Rotterdam, Netherlands -- TBA
Dates: Jun 3, 2005 to Jun 19, 2005
* Oostende, -- TBA
Dates: Jul 21, 2005 to Aug 7, 2005
* Bilbao, Spain -- TBA
* Seville, Spain -- TBA
* Valencia, Spain -- TBA
Quidam:
* Brisbane, Australia -- Kingsford Smith Drive
Dates: Nov 4, 2004 to Dec 12, 2004
* Auckland, New Zealand -- Auckland Showgrounds
Dates: Dec 31, 2004 to Jan 23, 2005
* Melbourne, Australia -- The Oval at Melbourne Park
Dates: Mar 4, 2005 to Apr 3, 2005
* Adelaide, Australia -- Bonython Park, Port Road
Dates: May 12, 2005 to May 29, 2005
* Perth, Australia -- Langley Park
Dates: Jun 30, 2005 to Jul 17, 2005
Saltimbanco:
* Lille, France -- Esplanade Champ de Mars
Dates: Nov 25, 2004 to Dec 26, 2004
* Manchester, UK -- Trafford Centre
Dates: Jan 6, 2005 to Jan 27, 2005
* Birmingham, UK -- StarCity Junction 6, M6
Dates: Feb 24, 2005 to Mar 13, 2005
Varekai:
* Dallas, Texas -- Fair Park
Dates: Nov 4, 2004 to Dec 12, 2004
[May Extend to Dec 19, 2004]
* Houston, Texas -- TBA
Dates: Jan 6, 2005 to Feb 6, 2005
* Austin, Texas -- Former Mueller Airport
Dates: Feb 24, 2005 to Mar 27, 2005
* Pittsburg, Pennsylvania -- TBA
Dates: Apr 9, 2005 to May 8, 2005
* Baltimore, Maryland -- TBA
* Hartford, Connecticut -- TBA
* Columbus, Ohio -- TBA
* Detroit, Michigan -- TBA
* St. Petersburg, Florida -- TBA
* Miami, Florida -- TBA
[Resident Shows]
La Nouba:
* Two shows Nightly - 6:00pm and 9:00pm
* Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark Sunday/Monday
* Location: Walt Disney World Resort, Orlando (USA)
* 2004 Dark Dates:
-- December 6th - 13th
* 2005 Dark Dates:
-- February 6th - 9th -- August 28th - 30th
-- April 3rd - 6th -- October 9th - 12th
-- June 5th - 20th -- November 13th - 15th
-- August 14th - 17th -- December 4th - 13th
Mystère:
* Two shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:30pm
Beginning June 13th: Except Sundays; 4:30pm and 7:30pm
* Performs: Friday through Tuesday, Dark Wednesday/Thursday
Beginning June 9th: Wednesday - Sunday, Dark Monday/Tuesday
* Location: Treasure Island, Las Vegas (USA)
* 2004 Dark Dates:
-- November 28th
* 2005 Dark Dates:
-- January 3rd - 18th -- July 10th - 12th
-- February 6th - 8th -- September 12th - 20th
-- March 13th - 15th -- November 13th - 15th
-- May 16th - 24th
"O":
* Two shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:30pm
* Performs: Wednesday through Sunday, Dark Monday/Tuesday
* Location: Bellagio, Las Vegas (USA)
* 2004 Dark Dates:
-- December 6th - 21st
* 2005 Dark Dates:
-- February 20th - 22nd -- October 16th - 18th
-- April 18th - 26th -- December 5th - 20th
-- August 22 - 30th
Zumanity:
* Two Shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:30pm
* Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday
* Location: New York-New York, Las Vegas (USA)
* 2004 Dark Dates:
-- November 28th - 30th
-- December 1st - 20th
* 2005 Dark Dates:
-- February 7th - 10th -- August 15th - 18th
-- April 18th - 21st -- October 10th - 13th
-- June 8th - Jun 16th -- December 7th - 22nd
KÀ:
* Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 10:30pm
* Performs: Friday through Tuesday, Dark Wednesday/Thursday
* Location: MGM Grand: City of Entertainment, Las Vegas (USA)
* Note: One show nightly at 8:00pm from Nov 26 to Dec 7.
* 2005 Dark Dates:
-- January 24th - 27th -- June 6th - 7th
-- February 1st - 4th -- August 1st - 2nd
-- March 23rd - 31st -- September 9th - 13th
-- April 1st - 14th -- November 14th - 15th
=======================================================================
DIDYAKNOW? -- FACTS ABOUT CIRQUE
=======================================================================
In the last three years we've had the honor of meeting and talking
with many current and former Cirque artists about a variety of
subjects. While we can't reveal identities, since several of them
still work for Cirque, we think some of the things they have to say
would be interesting to fans and aspiring artists and musicians. So,
over the next several months, we'll feature some questions we posed to
Cirque performers and their answers -- "In Their Own Words".
We asked a Cirque musician which gets more jobs - niceness, attitude
(or self-confidence, some might call it arrogance), or talent?
"To be really successful you have to have the total package. If you're
a nice person but have no real talent or skills, you can only go so
far. People hire people that can deliver "the goods" more or less.
Likewise, if you're amazingly great at what you do but have lousy
people skills, are dishonest, mean, or are bad in handling business,
then as great as you may be talent-wise you will only go so far as
well. I think you can be confident and very able without being a jerk
or dysfunctional. But unfortunately I've found that most of the bad
rap that musicians get is well deserved. A lot of musicians are one
way or the other - either amazingly talented but impossible to count
on and/or work with, or are really easy to work with but cannot do the
job correctly and have very little talent. Then you have the nightmare
person - the person who is a jerk, is mean and/or dishonest, and also
cannot play or perform. And amazingly enough these people are working
a lot. It's a strange brew. Personally I have learned from many over
the years how not to be or act. I'm not perfect by any stretch of the
imagination, but my goal has been and is to be the best person I can
be, deliver the best possible product, and help as many as possible
whenever possible. I think with this philosophy success will follow
you!"
=======================================================================
LE SPECTACLE:
"CirqueCon Montreal 2005 Update"
By: Keith Johnson - Seattle, Washington (USA)
=======================================================================
There's a lot happening on the CirqueCon Montreal 2005 front this
month!
OUR NUMBERS - We're up just a tad, with just under 50 people who have
requested tickets through our special offer and 20 that have purchased
tickets on their own. That's a total of almost 70 people who have
purchased tickets. We now have a grand total of 95 people who are in
some way interested in CirqueCon, and 30 who have upgraded to paid
Standard members!
TICKET DEADLINE EXTENTION - There are just days left on our special
ticket offer. If you would like a ticket for our 8pm Saturday, April
23 "group" show, we'll need your money in hand by 9am Tuesday,
November 30, 2004! See the bottom of this article for a handy web
page link.
HOUSTON, WE HAVE A HOTEL - We're pleased to announce our Headquarters
Hotel! Offering plenty of rooms, all the creature comforts of a large
international chain, a very central location, and a specially
negotiated rate.
Marriott SpringHill Suites Vieux-Montreal
445, rue St-Jean-Baptiste
Montreal (Quebec) Canada H2Y 2Z7
www.springhillmontreal.com
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION - When we asked what our members
considered most important in a hotel they were very clear: Location!
They wanted to be as close to Cirque as possible. How about this for
close: less than one-quarter mile! No, we're not kidding!
Consider this: After exiting the main lobby entrance, you take a left
and head south one block. Then take another left and head east one
block. Take a right, cross the boulevard and - voila! - you're there
at Jacque Cartier pier (where the Cirque 2005 tent will be set up).
The hotel is also .6 km (.4 mile) from the Place d'Armes Metro
station, offering convenient access to their fabulous subway system.
WHAT'S IN OLD MONTREAL? - Well, Cirque of course! But there's also:
* Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal
* Chapelle Bonsecour
* Centre des Sciences de Montreal & Cinema IMAX
* Bonsecour MarketPlace
* Pointe-a-Calliere, museum of archeology and history
* Montreal Old-Port
* Cruises on the St. Laurence river
But being part of a group tour doesn't mean you have to do everything
the group does. We've found that small groups tend to form and
scatter in various directions during the day (one to a museum, another
to shopping for example), coming together as a group for major events
(like the "official" group show).
COME STAY WITH US!
Check out these hotel Amenities and Features. Every Room has:
* Either two double beds or one king-size bed
* A mini-refrigerator, microwave, coffee maker and kitchen
counter with sink
* A sofa sleeper bed in addition to the regular bed(s)
* *Free* high-speed Internet access
* A reclining chair, ergonomic desk chair, desk, and two phone
lines
The Hotel has:
* Free hot breakfast each morning (6:30-9:30am M-F, 7:00-10:00am
Sa-Su) which includes: hot scrambled eggs, hot sausage patties,
hot waffles, cereal, yogurt, fresh fruit, croissants and
danishes, bagels and English muffins, white and wheat bread,
orange juice, milk, coffee and tea.
* Underground parking garage ($17.25 USD ($20.70 CDN) per day
with taxes)
* Indoor pool, whirlpool, and exercise room
* Gibson Spa on-site offering massage and treatments
The hotel is connected by underground tunnel to the Auberge Le Saint
Gabriel (www.auberge1754.com), a fine dining restaurant located in a
building housing one of the oldest inns in North America.
Want to see? Check out < http://www.springhillmontreal.com/en/
suites/suites.php > for pictures and descriptions of the rooms.
Please note you cannot book rooms directly through the hotel to get
our special rate; you must book directly through us.
There's even a short video tour on the site! Go to
< http://www.springhillmontreal.com/en/index.php# > and select
"Virtual Tour" in the upper-right corner. It's available for Windows
Media Player 9, Real Player 1, and QuickTime 5 (file size between 2
and 3.6 Meg).
*NOW* HOW MUCH WOULD YOU PAY? - While the hotel has plenty of things
going for it already, we were able to negotiate a *special low rate*
just for CirqueCon Montreal 2005 attendees (note that only paid
Standard Members may book hotel rooms). The hotel has 124 rooms,
including 93 Regular Suites and 31 slightly larger Deluxe Suites.
We know these are more than the typical "Motel 6" type rates. But one
needs to remember this is the oldest part of downtown Montreal, a
high-rent part of town. Indeed, for what you get (a clean room in a
business-class hotel, with a microwave, fridge, and sleeper sofa in
every room and a free hot continental breakfast) these specially
negotiated rates are very reasonable.
All US Dollar and "with all taxes" amounts quoted below are
approximate.
Studio Suites:
--------------
* 1-2 people: $112.00 USD/night ($135.00 CDN)
(approx. $131.00 USD ($157.50 CDN) with taxes)
* 3 people: $125.00 USD/night ($150.00 CDN)
(approx. $145.50 USD ($175.00 CDN) with taxes)
* 4 people: $137.40 USD/night ($165.00 CDN)
(approx. $160.00 USD ($192.00 CDN) with taxes)
Deluxe Suites:
--------------
* 1-2 people: $129.00 USD/night ($155.00 CDN)
(approx. $150.25 USD ($180.50 CDN) with taxes)
* 3 people: $141.50 USD/night ($170.00 CDN)
(approx. $164.75 USD ($197.75 CDN) with taxes)
* 4 people: $154.00 USD/night ($185.00 CDN)
(approx. $179.00 USD ($215.00 CDN) with taxes)
I must say, when we were looking for hotels close to the Cirque show
tent, there were no other facilities that were so willing to work with
us, with enough rooms to house us all at a rate even approaching what
the SpringHill Suites offered.
We have a limited number of rooms available at these special rates.
Other Hotel Notes
-----------------
Parking in the underground lot is $15.00 USD/night ($18.00 CDN)
(approx. $17.25 USD ($20.70 CDN) with taxes) for compacts through
mini-vans.
Extra-large vehicles will be charged $22.50 USD/night ($27.00 CDN)
(approx. $26.00 USD ($31.00 CDN) with taxes).
Some rooms have terraces available for an additional $8.25 USD/night
($10.00 CDN) (approx. $9.50 USD ($11.50 CDN) with taxes).
Check-in time is 3pm, check-out time is Noon. Late checkout is
available but it's expensive: one-half the cost of a room-night to
stay until 3pm, full price if you want to stay later.
HOW TO GET ROOMS
================
* DO YOU HAVE YOUR "CIRQUE 2005" SHOW TICKETS YET (for Saturday, April
23, 2005 at 8pm)? If not, check out this link <
http://reedycreek.azlance.com/~richasi/Cirque/CirqueCon/tickets.htm >
on our "Exclusive Ticket Offer." Please note this offer expires at
the end of November - time is running out!
* DO YOU HAVE YOUR STANDARD MEMBERSHIP YET? (It's only $10.00.) If
not, check out this link < http://reedycreek.azlance.com/~richasi/
Cirque/CirqueCon/member.htm > for how to "Get A Membership." Note you
need to be a paid Standard Member to book at our special rate.
* DECIDE WHAT TYPE OF ROOM YOU WANT AND FOR HOW LONG.
* CONTACT KEITH FOR AVAILABILITY:
Contact Keith at: tourdemondo@yahoo.com or call 206-284-8516 (Mon-Fri,
8am-4pm, Pacific time, answering machine other times). We will need
the following information:
- Your Name
- Check-in Date
- Check-out Date
- Number of Rooms
- Suite category: Regular OR Deluxe
- Beds: 1 King OR 2 double beds
- Smoking OR non-smoking preference
- Any accessibility or special needs issues
* DEADLINE: Monday, March 14, 2005 is the last day we will be able to
take reservations. Room supply at these rates is limited.
* KEITH WILL KEEP TRACK OF HOTEL RESERVATIONS AND ADVISE THE HOTEL.
Keith will confirm room availability and advise you.
* YOU CALL THE HOTEL AND PUT THE ROOM ON YOUR CREDIT CARD. This will
need to be done before Midnight Eastern Time Thursday, March 17, 2005
or IT WILL BE CANCELLED!
With our special ticket and hotel offers, it's all starting to come
together. And in less than six months!
=======================================================================
BEHIND THE CURTAIN:
"Cirque du Ebay, Partie Trois?"
By: Ricky Russo - Orlando, Florida (USA)
=======================================================================
From the "things that make you go Hmmm..." file...
One of our goals throughout our newsletters existence has been to
search for, uncover and present some of the most peculiar, unique and
fascinating things that can be found lurking around the World Wide Web
with a mysterious connection to our favorite circus -- Cirque du
Soleil. And over the past three years we have detailed some of items
to be seen on eBay, the worlds most popular online auction site, such
as: a seller auctioning off a hyperlink for 30% off Alegría tickets,
and someone selling a "once in a lifetime" chance to perform on-stage
with Cirque du Soleil's "O".
This month we have another peculiar item to come across eBay and
again... let the buyer beware. But before I go any further, let me ask
you a question... What would you do if you saw an authentic piece of
Cirque du Soleil costuming for sale? Imagine for a moment... ask
yourself that question.
Would you immediately make a grab for your purse or wallet, ready to
shell out whatever price was asked so you could be the lucky owner of
an authentic piece of Cirque du Soleil? Or would you scrutinize it,
wondering if you could afford it or whether it was really a genuine
piece of Soleil?
As a quick side note, there were official costume pieces from Quidam
available (framed) in the Tapis Rouge at Quidam in Vancouver. What
this means is that Cirque has gotten into the business of selling
authentic costume pieces, at least in a VIP setting (portions of the
proceeds went to charity); however, Cirque du Soleil has not gotten
into the business of selling its merchandise (costuming or not) via
eBay.
On September 10, 2004 at 7:41am Pacific Daylight Time, Item
#2269270655 was posted for auction on eBay and fans of the Cirque were
forced to ponder such questions. The item, an "Authentic Cirque du
Soleil Mask", had a starting bid of $50.00 and under further scrutiny
appeared to be one of the famed Old Bird masks from Alegría, Cirque du
Soleil's quintessential production celebrating their 10th Anniversary
in 1994.
The appearance of the mask certainly grabbed the attention of slews of
Cirque du Soleil fans, even this one. How could it not with a
description of, "NEW!!! Authentic original Cirque Du Soleil Mask,
genuine leather, hand-sewn colorful rhinestones on neck & hat, movable
mouth. A must-have collector's item! Excellent condition!!!"
If this were true, and it were really an authentic piece, the $50.00
starting bid certainly would not last. I wondered exactly how high the
item would go. But a more pressing question to me was, how on earth
did such a unique piece of authentic and original costuming from
Cirque du Soleil's Alegría wind up on eBay in the first place?
Certainly a unique "Garage Sale" find, as the seller stated, no?
Actually, no.
It was stolen.
A story run on CBS affiliate KYW-TV (Channel 3) in Philadelphia on
October 21, 2004 reporting the mask, as seen on eBay, was not garnered
at a Garage Sale as the seller explained, but was in fact stolen from
Cirque shortly before visiting Philly that summer! [Alegría visited
Philadelphia from July 8, 2004 to August 8, 2004] Not only had the
masks ended up in Philly but the would-be cyber sellers had stolen not
one, but two of the masks worth $11,000 US each.
CBS 3's Walt Hunter reported, "[T]he masks were listed by alleged
suspects Amy Bargerhuff and Dan Perez. Within hours, the item's
location was tracked and a house on North 8th Street was raided where
the major crimes unit recovered one of [them]. Police believe the
second mask may have in fact been sold before they arrived. In the
meantime, Hunter has learned that eBay is working very closely with
investigators to possibly locate the [second] mask. In addition,
authorities have since seized the suspect's computer and urge anyone
with information as to the whereabouts of the second mask to come
forward immediately."
Information regarding the second mask has yet to make light of day,
but I bet you're wondering what happened with the auction, right?
The auction received a total of 27 bids from its initial listing
September 10, 2004 to its ending on September 17, 2004. And some very
high-profile Cirque fans bid on it too. The winning bid of $799.00
(well below the $11,000 cost to make the mask) was made by Taylor
Jeffs of California. As it turned out, the seller never sent the item
and it was only later we all found out the mask was actually stolen
property!
It just goes to show that the buyer must beware and that you never
know what will show up on eBay. Most of the transactions are
legitimate (99.9%) but you will find, on occasions, something like
this that will just make you sit back, raise your eyebrow and go
"Hmmm..."
=======================================================================
THE CIRQUE CONNECTION:
"A New Circus for a New Era"
By: Wayne Leung - Ottawa, Ontario (Canada)
=======================================================================
When Cirque du Soleil burst on the scene twenty years ago, boldly
claiming to re-invent the circus by bringing the intimate single-ring
setting of European circuses, removing the animals, and incorporating
theatre, dance and high art elements to their shows, it paved the way
for a revolution in the circus world. The company's meteoric rise in
popularity in the years since its inception has meant that many of
Cirque du Soleil's more traditional competitors have had to shift the
focus of their shows to make them more artistic and more theatrical;
in a sense, more Cirque-like. Cirque du Soleil has been so
revolutionary that it has become a genre that can more generally be
described as "New Circus".
Meanwhile, new companies have sprung onto the scene to partake in the
circus' newfound popularity. While some are merely cheap imitation
Cirque du Soleil, some companies bring forth their own creative
visions and forge unique paths in the world of new circus. I've
recently had the opportunity to attend performances by two such
companies; Les 7 doigts de la main and Cirque Éloize.
Les 7 doigts de la main
-----------------------
To inaugurate the brand new Chapiteau des Arts, Canada's first
circular performance hall dedicated to showcasing circus arts, and the
heart of Montreal's TOHU Circus Arts Complex, the troupe formed by
Cirque du Soleil alumni known as Les 7 doigts de la main (The 7
Fingers of the Hand) staged what could be described as a super-sized
version of their unique show. I first had the opportunity to be
dazzled by this incredible group of artists just over a year ago
during their previous Montreal engagement (reviewed in Issue #28,
December 2003).
Since then the 7 doigts; Shana Carroll, Isabelle Chassé, Patrick
Léonard, Faon Shane, Gypsy Snider, Sébastien Soldevila, Samuel
Tétreault and their musical companion D.J. Pocket, have moved into
some posh new digs at TOHU. In comparison to the small audience that
attended last year's show, this year the 7 doigts sold out the 850-
seat Chapiteau des Arts. Last year's edition of their show was
spectacular and this year the show is bigger and better than ever,
thanks to the additional talent of several guest artists.
The group has made the acquaintance of a next-door neighbor; Québec
recording artist Yann Perreau has taken up residence in an adjacent
flat (a balcony space in the theatre) and can be spotted throughout
the show, lying on a hammock, doing yoga or just hanging out. He
serenades the audience on the piano during intermission and
accentuates the music during the show, occasionally lending his vocals
(including a smashing rendition of Tom Waits' "Temptation" to
accompany Isabelle's sexy Aerial Contortion in Silk act).
The 7 doigts performed all the creative acrobatic, dance and musical
numbers featured in the previous years' shows including trapeze,
juggling, diabolos, contortion, aerial chains, hand-to-hand, dance,
and handbalancing on canes incorporated with smart, modern
choreography, comedy, multimedia and music. Appropriately, for the
inauguration of the Chapiteau at TOHU, the troupe also chose to create
a bridge from the past, through the present and into the future of new
circus.
Re-visiting Cirque du Soleil's glorious past, the troupe invited famed
clown Denis Lacombe to perform his signature mad conductor act
(Featured in Cirque du Soleil's La Magie Continue and Cirque
Reinvente) Denis, now sporting a beard, is a little older but every
bit as energetic and hilarious as he straps himself into the
conductor's stand by ski-boots and wildly conducts his orchestra. His
routine was definitely an audience favourite.
A highlight of the show came during the "Blackout" number when Cirque
du Soleil's famous contortion quartet; Isabelle Chassé, Jinny Jacinto,
Laurence Racine and Nadine Louis re-united for the first time in
almost 10 years, emerging with flashlights strapped to their bodies to
perform a brand new version of their group contortion act. The girls
we watched in Nouvelle Expérience, Fascination and Saltimbanco have
all blossomed into gorgeous women and performed a sensual and edgy
routine with modern choreography, set to a pulsating electronic score
by D.J. Pocket.
At one point in the show when Shana Carroll took to the air to perform
her static trapeze number, she was promptly joined by Aimée Hancock
and (Saltimbanco alumna) Anna Ward. Sometimes in synchronicity and
sometimes alone, the women performed a slow and beautiful routine on
three trapezes and then broke into fast and furious choreography as
D.J. Pocket scratched up a storm.
Upon returning from intermission we were treated to a glimpse at the
future of new circus. Stéphane Beauregard and Jérémie Robert, two
recent graduates of l'École nationale de cirque (ENC, the National
Circus School) opened the second half of the show with a breathtaking
Korean Plank number. The young men presented heart-stopping flips and
landings while concurrently delivering a dramatic dialogue creating a
unique and creative performance by integrating circus arts with speech
and drama.
Also featured throughout the show were 18 ENC students dispersed
throughout the audience providing "interactive animation" during the
show. It heightened the surrealism of the show when all of the sudden
several members of the audience would get up and perform a dance,
mimicking the performers on stage.
In the end, the 7 doigts delivered a spectacular tour-de-force. Their
acts are sharper, better honed and beautifully performed then when I
saw them last. Their style is as irreverent, quirky and cool as ever.
The integration of the guest artists was done smoothly and gave the
show some great new energy. We will undoubtedly be seeing great new
things from this troupe in years to come.
Les 7 doigts de la main is playing a limited engagement in Hamburg,
Germany in December.
To learn more about les 7 doigts de la main please visit their
website: < http://www.les7doigtsdelamain.com >
Cirque Éloize
-------------
Two weeks after attending the special engagement of 7 doightsfingers
in Montreal, I had the great fortune of seeing two of the show's guest
artists, Aimée Hancock and Nadine Louis starring in their own show;
Cirque Éloize's production Rain: Comme une pluie dans tes yeux,
directed by Daniele Finzi Pasca (who is also slated to direct the next
Cirque du Soleil touring production set to debut in Montreal in April
2005).
Éloize is a troupe founded in 1993 by seven artists from the Magdalen
Islands, all graduates of Montreal's École Nationale de Cirque
(National Circus School) two of whom former Cirque du Soleil artists
(Jean Painchaud and Daniel Cyr, alumni of Fascination and Saltimbanco
respectively). This small but growing company is already making waves
and has a repertoire of shows including Excentricus, Orchestra and
Nomade, which they have performed in over 200 cities in 20 countries
around the world.
Éloize is a small troupe of intimate dimensions. Rain is a subtle
show that includes many somber moments. The show is based on Director
Pasca's childhood memories of playing in the rain and as such the
overwhelming emotion evoked throughout the show is nostalgia. The
show reminds the viewer of his/her childhood days in a melancholy
tone. Rain is a highly theatrical yet understated show that is meant
to be savoured. Being so subtle the show takes a while to register,
seems a bit slow to start and feels distant at times. It certainly
isn't the in-your-face tour-de-force that 7 Doigts is. It is darker
and more dramatic. The lead actor/narrator opened the show with a
monologue about memory and experiences. He returned to provide
additional reflections on this theme throughout the show. In one
clever piece of meta-humour the narrator admitted to one of the
artists, "I don't understand this show. What's with all this weird
imagery? I don't get it." To which the artist replied, "This is New
Circus, it's supposed to be metaphorical and have a theme!"
There are no "clown" acts per se but humour is interspersed throughout
the show in the characters' interactions, which I thought worked much
better than trying to incorporate clowns into a dramatic circus show.
Rain consists of a number of resourcefully staged acts including Duo
Trapeze, Juggling, Acro-sport/Russian Bar, Contortion, Hand to Hand,
Teeterboard, Aerial Silks and Aerial Hoop performed by 10 immensely
talented, multi-disciplinary artists who, in addition to each
performing several acts in the show also sing, dance and act. The
show's music is original and is a mix of pre-recorded tracks, live
piano and the artists, who also provide vocals and play musical
instruments. The caliber of the acrobatic elements is equal to or
exceeds that of Cirque du Soleil's, however the staging of the acts is
often sparse. The presentation, choreography and overall staging of
most of the acts aren't as fully developed and the show seems rough at
times. But when the show got it right, the result was spectacular;
the group Teeterboard act that ended the first half, Nadine Louis'
breathtaking contortion act, the group Aerial Silks number and the
Aerial Hoop number were all beautiful works of art. The final scene
of the show was also particularly effective as it actually did rain on
stage and the artists spent time frolicking in the water, invoking
images of children at play.
The presentation of the acts in Rain is very theatrical in the
traditional sense. It's not as modern or avant-garde looking as shows
by Cirque du Soleil and 7 doigts. The costume treatment is
reminiscent of early 20th century circus. The set is minimal; most of
the scenes use a "black box" stage while backdrops are occasionally
flown in. However, the lighting design is superb, effectively
sculpting images and conveying the mood of the show very well.
Overall Rain is an intimate, nostalgic and highly enjoyable show by a
theatrical circus troupe with a style that is vastly different from
Cirque du Soleil. Daniele Finizi Pasca seems to rely a lot on mood
and sentimentality in this show. I am anxious to see what this
director has in store for us given the larger budget and ample
resources of Cirque du Soleil.
Luckily, since Éloize is a smaller company they have a smaller ticket
price, I would highly recommend this show to fans of Cirque du Soleil
who are interested in seeing another approach in new circus. It's
certainly worth the price of the ticket.
Rain is currently on tour in the UK and will tour the US in early
2005. For a detailed tour schedule visit the company's website: <
http://www.cirque-eloize.com >
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PARTING QUOTE
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"We're the slaves of our own ambitions."
- Guy Laliberte, as quoted by Robert Lepage.
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COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER
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"Fascination!" is Ricky Russo, Keith Johnson, and Wayne Leung.
"Fascination! Newsletter" is a concept by Ricky Russo. Copyright (c)
2001-2004 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
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infringement intended.
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