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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 #41e "Midway Between Art and Technology" February 2005
=======================================================================
We're off and running again! After a brief respite, the staff is hard
at work bringing you news, reviews and updates on Cirque du Soleil
projects around the world. This issue is chock full of great items to
feast your eyes on.
This month we begin our three-part review of KÀ, Cirque du Soleil's
newest permanent production at the MGM-Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Wayne attended a "preview performance" and shares his insights on all
aspects of this "finished" production. If you've yet to see KÀ and are
not bothered by spoilers, you'll want to read Wayne's Review!
CirqueCon Montreal 2005 has taken up quite a bit of time for us, as we
sponsor the event. Keith brings us another update on this group
experience that will take place in (checks calendar). . . two months!
This month's update showcases our planned Group Meal. If you've still
not made up your mind to join us... now is the time! As we get closer
to the event (and to Cirque 2005's premiere) we'll not only update you
on our happenings for the weekend but also the production itself. For
now, we have our hands full behind-the-scenes planning a wonderful,
exciting "cirquey" weekend!
Have you ever wondered what auditioning at Cirque du Soleil would be
like? Keith and his wife LouAnna received the opportunity to observe
the audition process some time back and have now been given the green
light to share their experience. Fascination! proudly presents this
four-part series on the Cirque du Soleil Audition process beginning
with this month's issue. You can read the full experience only in
Fascination!
Last, but not least, we have two product reviews; on the recently
released La Nouba DVD and a second on "The Bar at the End of the
Earth," the concept bar with Celebrity Cruise Lines.
We hope you enjoy this issue of Fascination!
/// EXPANDED ISSUE: This month the LA PRESSE section is bursting
with recaptured articles to read: A peek at Franco Dragone's then
new show Le Reve ("Countdown to Splashdown"), two "in-depth" pieces
about Cirque in Las Vegas ("Cirque City" and "Show by Show"), and
four reviews of KA ("Cirque Sets the Standard", "KA: A Tough Act
to Follow", "Cirque Tops Itself Again with KA", and "KA Succeeds
on Strength of its Production". Enjoy! ///
- Ricky
===========
CONTENTS
===========
* Cirque Buzz -- News, Rumours & Sightings
* CRQ-TV -- Cirque on Television
* CRQ.NET -- This Month in Cirque Club
* LA PRESSE -- Cirque in the Press [EXPANDED]
* Itinéraire -- Tour/Show Information
* Didyaknow? -- Facts About Cirque
* Le Spectacle:
"New Kid on the Block: KÀ, Cirque du Soleil's Fourth
Resident Show in Las Vegas (Part 1 of 3)"
By: Wayne Leung - Ottawa, Ontario (Canada)
* Special Engagement:
"CirqueCon Montreal 2005 Update: Group Meal"
By: Keith Johnson - Seattle, Washington (USA)
* Télémagik:
"Living it Up: A La Nouba DVD Review (Part 1 of 2)"
By: Ricky Russo - Orlando, Florida (USA)
* Behind the Curtain:
"Who Has What It Takes? (Part 1 of 4)"
By: Keith Johnson & LouAnna Valentine - Seattle, Wash (USA)
* The Cirque Connection:
"Early Reviews of 'The Bar at the End of the Earth'"
By: Keith Johnson - Seattle, Washington (USA)
* Parting Quote
* Subscription Information
* Copyright & Disclaimer
=======================================================================
CIRQUE BUZZ -- NEWS, RUMOURS & SIGHTINGS
=======================================================================
Mystère to be Filmed!
---------------------
According to Taylor Jeffs at Umbridge.com, Cirque du Soleil's
first permanent production -- Mystère -- will be filmed this
June for a December 2005 DVD/TV release!
This is exciting yet confusing news since in the past, Cirque du
Soleil has maintained a credo that as long as their shows were
still performing live we would never see them on VHS/DVD. This
promise, of course, was broken when Quidam was filmed in
Amsterdam in 1999 and a modified version of the stance to only
include permanent productions was broken when La Nouba was
filmed and released.
So why Mystère?
Taylor Jeffs has an assumption that the show's attendance is
down and that "someone somewhere is hoping to give the show a
boost." So let's keep our fingers crossed! The show hasn't been
filmed yet and anything can happen between now and then. Stay
tuned! [Source: Umbridge.com; Ricky Russo]
Cirque du Soleil on iTunes
--------------------------
Cirque fans rejoice - Cirque du Soleil music is now available
for download through Apple's iTunes Music Store! The first wave
of available music, released on February 15, 2005, features
music from Dralion, Quidam, "O", Alegría, La Nouba, Mystère and
Saltimbanco, as well as the selected remixes from Tapis Rouge
and the new Le Best Of Album. Tracks for Varekai, Zumanity and
the earlier Cirque productions (Le Cirque Reinvente and Nouvelle
Experience) are not available online at this time.
All tracks are priced at $.99 each or you can purchase the
entire album for $9.99. All titles mentioned are available to
purchase as full albums except Alegría, which must be purchased
as individual tracks. Three of these albums are introduced with
new cover art: Dralion, Quidam and Saltimbanco, and at least one
of these features new music (see the next news title).
It is not yet certain whether we will see this new cover art on
tangible copies of these albums in the future, but we are
encouraged to see Cirque du Soleil embrace the music download
world through iTunes in the United States.
iTunes is available for both the Macintosh and PC environments.
You can download the iTunes software now through Apple's website
- <http://www.apple.com/itunes/ >. [Source: iTunes; Ricky Russo]
New Saltimbanco Album Available
-------------------------------
We never would have thought it but it's true; there's new
Saltimbanco music available! The album first broke on Apple's
iTunes music store on February 15, 2005, but it is also
available through other online music stores, such as Napster and
Wal-Mart.
The 12-track album, priced at $9.99 (or $.99 per track) through
iTunes and similarly priced on other online music stores,
features totally new musical arrangements underneath Francine
Poitras' original vocals (where applicable), which brings the
13-year old music into line with the current production. The
catch is that the album is only available for download in the
United States!
The track listing is as follows:
( ) denotes current run-time (mm:ss)
[ ] denotes original run-time [mm:ss]
1. Kumbalawé (4:39) [5:34]
2. Saltimbanco (4:32) [5:19]
3. Cantus Melopee (6:43) [8:38*]
4. Norweg (4:30) [6:08]
5. Kazé (4:34) [5:07]
6. Barock (4:00) [4:20]
7. Adagio (5:07) [5:41* / 5:47*]
8. Amazonia (7:30) [7:58]
9. Pokinoï (4:45) [5:08]
10. Il Sogno di volare (5:13) [5:13]
11. Horéré Ukundé (5:28) [6:47]
12. Rideau (3:11) [3:07]
Note (*): "Cantus Melopee" was previously only available on the
Saltimbanco Live in Amsterdam employee CD. "Adagio" is also from
Saltimbanco Live in Amsterdam, however, this track was
previously released at 5:41 on a special Japanese extended
edition CD and later remixed slightly for the US/Europe extended
edition CD.
While we feel that Cirque has once again missed the boat on
releasing all relevant recordings on one CD (where is "Urgence"
and "Arlequin"?), we are never the less happy to see updated
music released to the fans at large. The album is currently only
available for download; no release date has been released for
when (or if) the CD will be available on CD.
[Source: iTunes, CirqueTribune; Ricky Russo]
Cirque du Concerts?
--------------------
Chief Executive Officer of Clear Channel Entertainment
Theatrical, Scott Zeiger and President and Chief Operating
Officer of Cirque du Soleil, Daniel Lamarre, announced today
that Clear Channel Entertainment and Cirque du Soleil have
formed a partnership to develop and produce a 100-date
nationwide North American arena tour, beginning in November
2005.
For the first time ever, Cirque du Soleil will perform
principally one-night concert engagements in major arenas across
North America. The new show will feature the music catalog of
Cirque du Soleil and will re-define the concert experience,
incorporating Cirque du Soleil's unique brand of innovative
staging and its imaginative use of video projections and music.
Cirque du Soleil Musique, the music division of Cirque du
Soleil, will manage the creative and artistic production of this
new venture. Production and promotional aspects will be managed
by Clear Channel Entertainment.
Scott Zeiger said, "We are very excited about presenting this
new joint venture, and are thrilled to collaborate with a
creative team of this caliber. We have always had great
admiration for Cirque du Soleil's artistic achievements, and are
looking forward to bringing their innovative vision to a much
larger audience across North America with this newly configured
tour presentation."
"This new collaboration clearly demonstrates what Cirque du
Soleil is looking for in building partnerships - leadership,
open-mindedness and the willingness to develop creative-driven
quality projects. Clear Channel Entertainment is most certainly
one of those partners", said Daniel Lamarre, President and COO
of Cirque du Soleil.
Overseeing the project for Clear Channel Entertainment will be
Executive Vice President, Creative Development, Jonathan
Hochwald, and for Cirque du Soleil, Senior Vice President, New
Ventures, Éric Fournier.
Hochwald said, "This is a dream project for us - an opportunity
to reinvent and reimagine the arena experience and to introduce
the genius of Cirque du Soleil's artistic vision to new
audiences who will discover the music of Cirque as they have
never seen it."
"This new creative platform is the first step to a long-term
relationship with Clear Channel Entertainment," added Fournier.
"Cirque du Soleil is truly expanding its creative force to other
types of ventures with the simple objective of redefining
existing entertainment formats with a Cirque du Soleil creative
perspective."
Creative details and tour dates will be announced soon.
[Source: Cirque du Soleil]
New Version of Ballare
----------------------
There's a new version of Violaine Corradi's Dralion song,
"Ballare," out, and it includes new lyrics! The new recording,
in two versions, comes from Persian (Iranian) singer Idin on his
album, "The Voice" (Avang 574, available through
eworldrecords.com, song samples can be heard at idinmusic.com).
Idin's version amps up the tempo and plasters a house beat on
the song, with Idin's vocals wavering over the top. The "album"
version features an extended ballad intro, while the album-
closer "Remix" sticks to the dance beats.
Idin first auditioned for Cirque when he was 15, with various
auditions and callbacks occurring for the next three years.
However, Cirque was looking for singers for current productions
and Idin's preference was for a new creation, so he did not sign
up. (He might want to watch "Fire Within" and take note of what
happened to Adrian Berende before he wishes too hard!).
The new lyrics, in the middle of the song, are taken from
ancient Iranian poetry of poet Jaluluddin Rumi (AKA Molana).
They roughly translate as: "If your heart is in love, let it
love, let it feel, and let it be open to every possibility."
Our take on the song? Not a hit in the same vein as Josh
Groban's take on "Let Me Fall," but a nice way to get Cirque
onto the international dance floor.
[Source: Idinmusic.com, eworldrecords.com, Keith Johnson]
Zumanity CD Now Available
-------------------------
Love it or hate it, a CD of the music "inspired by" Zumanity is
now available in the Cirque online boutique. "Drawing on an
eclectic mix of rock, classical, urban, tango and world music
influences," the listing boasts, "ZUMANITY tantalizes and
delights with lush, sensual rhythms, seductive melodies and
provocative lyrics. Its 18 tracks take listeners on a voyage
from tender naïveté to the sweet torment of unbridled desire."
Zumanity CD: Another Side of Cirque du Soleil
1. Mio Bello Bello Amore (2:58)
2. Entrée (0:31)
3. En Zum (1:30)
4. Wind (3:24)
5. Another Man (4:39)
6. First Taste (0:31)
7. Do It Again (4:42)
8. Water Bowl-Awakening (5:24)
9. The Good Thing (4:37)
10. Tickle Tango (2:29)
11. Into Me (4:34)
12. Fugare (1:44)
13. Meditation (1:20)
14. Piece of Heaven (4:52)
15. Zum Astra (4:12)
16. Mangora En Zum (4:51)
17. Per Sempre (6:21)
18. Bello Amore (4:52)
The CD retails for $19.00 US and is currently only available
through Cirque du Soleil's online boutique -
< http://www.cirquestore.com/ >.
Is Cirque in a Blue Ocean?
--------------------------
It's common knowledge among fans that Cirque du Soleil is an
innovator. Now that opinion is again being acknowledged in the
business press world. In a newly released book, "Blue Ocean
Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make the
Competition Irrelevant" (Harvard Business School Press), authors
W. Chan Kim and Reneé Mauborgne, professors at Insead, the
French business school, say the way to do business is to escape
existing business boundaries and find areas where you can have a
clear competitive advantage - "blue oceans" where there is no
other competition.
In their book, in addition to discussing Starbucks and Apple
Computer, the duo also cites Cirque du Soleil. In a recent
interview with the New York Times William J. Holstein, the duo
talked about how Cirque created their unique niche. Here's an
excerpt from the article, printed January 30th.
"Q. You seem to think that Cirque du Soleil successfully escaped
existing boundaries. What was its secret?
Kim: Yes, they challenged the conventional way of thinking. The
conventional wisdom was that in the traditional circus industry,
everybody was competing with each other on the basis of bringing
in more exotic animals and more acrobatics. They tried to
improve the thrill of the circus. But Cirque du Soleil totally
redefined the problem. They wanted more artistic
sophistication. They asked, "How can you produce an
intellectually sophisticated show?"
Q. Does that mean that Cirque du Soleil started reaching a
different audience?
Mauborgne: Yes, they saw that people go to the theater or ballet
more than the circus because those venues provide intellectual
sophistication. And they decided not to focus only on children,
whom the traditional players were trying to please. Cirque du
Soleil targeted non-customers who had refused to go to the
circus. They escaped the no-win red ocean."
[Source: New York Times, Keith Johnson]
Where is Delerium anyway?
-------------------------
Though originally scheduled for last fall, the companion disk to
"Tapis Rouge: Solarium" hasn't seen fit to appear on Cirque's
release list. But several of the tracks have been put out on
vinyl 12" in the UK, with pretty custom sleeves. We finally
have an updated listing to give you. We suspect that most of
the A-sides will wind up on Delerium when (or if) it's released.
The first two Volumes featured "chillout" tracks from Solarium:
Volume 1:
A1 - Africa (Cottonbelly Remix)
A2 - A Tale (Chilluminati Mix)
B1 - Le Reveur (Thievery Corporation Remix)
B2 - Emballa (Llorca Remix) (*)
(*) This didn't appear on "Solarium", but was included as
a "bonus" track on the Varekai 3-CD Limited Edition
Soundtrack.
Volume 2:
A1 - Ombra (Afterlife Mix)
A2 - Gamelan (Contoma Remix)
B1 - Africa (Banzai Republic Mix)
B2 - El Pendulo (Northern Comfort Mix)
Now we get into the "Delerium" dance remixes:
Volume 3:
A - Aborigenes Jam Vocal Mix
(Francois K and Eric Kupper)
B - Aborigines Jam Dub Mix (same)
Volume 4:
A - Emballa - bum Mix (Louie Vega feat. Jaffe)
B1 - Emballa - Ritual Mix (same)
B2 - Emballa - Sun Dub (same)
Volume 5:
A - Kumbalawe - Release Mix (Roger Sanchez)
B - Kumbalawe - Release the Dub (same)
Volume 6:
A - Mer Noire (DJ Tiesto)
B - Africa (Quicksound)
The Roger Sanchez "Release Mix" of "Kumbalawe" has turned into a
hit, peaking at #4 on Billboard's "Hot Dance Music/Club Play"
chart! [Source: billboard.com, CirqueTribune.com, Keith Johnson]
Solstrom Finally On It's Way?
-----------------------------
No, we don't mean out of view and into the distance, we mean
onto DVD store shelves. It looks like the complete 13-episode,
5-disk set will be release in the US by Columbia/Tri-Star Home
Video on April 26th, retailing for $50.00. Though it is being
mastered in the higher-quality "Superbit" encoding process,
there will be room for a few extras: a "making of" segment, a
photo gallery, and the expected "promos." In an interesting
development, the set is listed to have a DTS digital soundtrack
in addition to the standard Dolby. And Cirque is nothing if not
universal, with subtitles in English, French, Portuguese,
Chinese, Korean, and Thai. Now, if releasing this is a good or
bad thing - discuss amongst yourselves.
[Source: cthv.com, dvdanswers.com, Keith Johnson]
=======================================================================
CRQ-TV -- CIRQUE ON TELEVISION!
=======================================================================
Cirque du Soleil is not scheduled to air on BRAVO or CTV in the
months of February and March at press time.
* NOTE: Check your local listings for complete information. Schedule
is subject to change.
=======================================================================
CRQ.NET -- THIS MONTH IN CIRQUE CLUB
=======================================================================
(By: Keith Johnson)
The "Cirque du Soleil And Me" contest entries have been coming in
droves, so we hear. 10 selected stories are appearing each Monday (as
we outlined last issue). Some stories are touching, some are funny
slices of life, and some are so full of superlative adjectives we roll
our eyes. The webpage layout puts each story on a separate page
though, so you have to do a bit of clicking to see them all.
The history of Cirque continues, with Part Six covering Quidam and O.
There's also a feature on Anton Chelnokov from Varekai (finally!).
This boy's so popular on the Cirque Club forum ("He's so hot!") that
we're surprised this hasn't found a listing on the news pages yet.
Reference: < http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/go.asp?p=3434&l=
en&m=5FC943AD2B014D5CA81968C0CD9EBA6D&v=0 >.
Press Releases has been busy! In addition to several releases
regarding KA, they announce the 100-city musical tour and the hiring
of Aldo Giampaolo, who will oversee production of it. And the
Boutique boasts several new items.
In Cirque marketing messages:
Anne-Josée teases us about Cirque 2005: "Our creative headquarters
remain shrouded in mystery, with the world premiere of Cirque 2005 in
Montreal just around the corner on April 21. Like all of you, I'm
still in the dark about what the title of the show will be or even
what the show will be about!
What I do know is that in about a month our blue-and-yellow Grand
Chapiteau will be raised on the Jacques-Cartier Pier in The Old Port
of Montreal. Once the stage has been set and equipment secured into
place, rehearsals will move from our studios to the pier. At least a
month of rehearsals will take place under the big top so that our
artists can get familiar with their new surroundings, and our
technical crew can carefully test lighting and rigging techniques.
With only three months to go, tickets are disappearing fast!"
* * *
Marie-Ève Villeneuve, a Dralion crew member wrote of their return to
London: "Dralion is back in London, one year later. Allow me to
explain what this means for a tour employee!
The concept of the tour is to take the show, and its "village" of
staff and artists, from one city to the next, which means we get to
visit amazing places all over the world. We're accustomed to arriving
in a new city and creating a little routine, discovering the spots
that will become familiar hangouts in the city during our stay. How
does public transportation work? What's the exchange rate? What's
the city's vibe like? What are the "must-sees"? How do you say
"toothpaste" in Spanish? We're constantly adapting!
So you can surely understand how pleasant it is to come back to a city
we've already visited. It's like coming home! We get the chance to
rediscover our favourite haunts; this little neighbourhood pub, that
great Vietnamese restaurant, the park we jogged through in the
morning. And we get to visit all the museums we missed the first time
around.
Really, what it means is that we don't have to adapt, we can just
enjoy! Since nomads like us can't always be with family and close
friends, it's a precious feeling when we're in familiar territory.
On the menu for my 2005 visit: Tate London, the National History
Museum, a slew of new pubs, fish and chips, and a few musicals. Hmmm!
I'd better sign off, I've got places to go!"
* * *
And MADAME is back - Not once but twice this month! She's hawking her
Zumanity wares, but the messages are well written.
"Hello, lovely one.
I know it's been a while since my last communiqué. I have missed you
so much! But now is the perfect time to be getting back in touch...
it's that extra-sexy time of the year again! Oh, how I wish they
would make Valentine's Day a national holiday.
I'm so excited! This year I finally found something to offer on top
of myself. Um, I mean, besides myself. Thanks to the wonderfully
salacious minds of ZUMANITY, I'm going to look, listen, taste, touch
and smell my way through this Valentine's Day! Well, even more than
usual.
ZUMANITY Clothes and Accessories: There is nothing sexier than how
you hide what you want to be sought. What can I say; these clothes
and accessories < http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/go.asp?p=3426&l=
en&m=%5BGUID%5D&v=0 > look great on, and look even better on the
floor!
ZUMANITY Products for the Body: Intimacy: a sweet caress, a bit of
imagination. And a little body oil and chocolate
<http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/go.asp?p=3426&l=en&m=%5BGUID%5D&v=0>
never hurt. Bon appétit!
I promise that I will be in touch again soon! Have a delightfully
sensual Valentine's Day. I know I will."
"Hello lovely,
I just got my hot little hands on something... well, hot! A truly
inspired collection of music that has become the official soundtrack
of my love life! I finally understand why they call them jewel cases
and so will you when you uncover this little gem.
This delectable feast for the ears has seduced me right from the
"First Taste" through to the "Entrée" with a little "Piece of Heaven"
for desert. It gets "Into Me" and when it stops I don't know what to
do. So I "Do It Again" and again.
I've never heard the international language of desire translated in
such a tantalizing and seductive way. This CD has just blown into my
life and blown me away... like a warm "Wind" that teasingly caresses
my skin. "The Good Thing" is that the ZUMANITY CD is available
exclusively for you in our online Boutique... until March."
* * *
While we've heard some tantilizing theories about who Madame is, we'll
never tell!
Also, in an interesting twist, Cirque club members * between 18 to 29
years old only * can purchase Category 3 tickets online for $29.00 -
but only for Varekai in Austin, Texas, and from now until Midnight Feb
24th. (Wonder how they'll inforce the age restrictions?)
Above text courtesy of Cirque Club.
=======================================================================
LA PRESSE -- CIRQUE IN THE PRESS [EXPANDED]
=======================================================================
-----------------------------------------------
"Countdown to Splashdown: 'Le Reve'
From: The Las Vegas Review-Journal
-----------------------------------------------
It's said the first person Steve Wynn called when the casino developer
started conceptualizing his newest resort complex was not a financial
adviser, architect, or builder. It was renowned show producer and
director Franco Dragone.
Together, Wynn and Dragone are responsible for two of the most popular
productions on the Strip -- "Mystere" at Treasure Island and "O" at
Bellagio. Dragone is also the creative force behind Celine Dion's
show, "A New Day," at Caesars Palace.
Now, Wynn and Dragone have spent the past four years planning a
production that will help open Wynn's latest creation in late April,
the $2.5 billion Wynn Las Vegas.
"Steve Wynn and Franco Dragone are two people who have defined
entertainment in this town," said Rick Gray, general manager of
entertainment operations for Wynn Las Vegas, who is working hand in
hand with staff from Dragone's Belgium-based company. "They are both
extremely creative individuals who demand perfection. They will
present a show that goes beyond what people think."
The show -- titled "Le Reve: A small collection of Imperfect Dreams" -
- will open to audiences April 29. Like "O," it will have a recognized
water element. Taking a cue from "Mystere," aerial acrobatics will be
part of the performance. One of the most anticipated aspects of the
production is the showroom itself.
With 2,100 seats and designed as a theater in the round, the
showroom's most remote seat is just 14 rows from the stage -- a mere
40-feet from the action, creating a uniquely intimate theater-going
experience.
Because it is styled without a backstage, nothing is hidden from the
audience. All changes to the setting must come from underneath, thus,
the challenges for the designers were multiplied.
Like "O," water will be a primary element with the stage being
transformed simultaneously from solid ground to a water-filled
environment, all with the audience being able to look across stage at
each other.
"This is easily the most difficult theater I've been associated with,"
said Gray, who worked with Wynn on the construction of the theater for
"O." "Because of the unique nature of this theater it's just much more
challenging. No one has done theater in the round in Las Vegas in a
permanent setting. We are putting higher level of technology into this
theater but an equal amount, if not more, than what was in 'O.' Trying
to fit all of that away from the audience and still find space for
everything involved with this show was incredibly challenging."
Technology will play an important role in the performance, as will the
use of 17 divers who will assist the performers underwater.
The pool itself must be kept at 86 degrees. The air above the pool
must be at least 2 degrees warmer to reduce humidity. For the audience
areas, some just three feet from the stage, the air should hover
around 72 degrees.
"We had to look at this and design a system that allows all of those
things to happen and hide the technology, which you can't hide the way
you can with traditional theaters," Gray said. "You never see what's
happening in the wings but in this particular case, it's right there
in front of you."
Cost estimates for the showroom vary. The Review-Journal reported in
April that the showroom and production together would top the $100
million range. Officials from Wynn and Dragone are not divulging any
figures.
"It's almost a common theme in Las Vegas to say we spent this much and
it's bigger and better," said Peter Wagg, vice president of commercial
for Dragone. "It's almost like the size is the selling point.
That's not the way we think. We believe it's the experience of the
show and connecting with an audience. We want to give them a fantastic
show at a great value and have them leave the show feeling enriched
and moved by what they've seen."
Gray, who said the theater has a vastly different look from the
European Opera House feel used for "O," said the setting is hard to
put into cost terminology.
"Honestly, the idea of putting numbers to it is difficult," Gray said.
"Not because I couldn't tell you almost to the penny what this thing
cost, but I think we have a very different kind of theater. It's a
different look and it's a different scale. The way it is configured,
the dynamics are so totally different that it's hard to grasp."
Wynn and Dragone officials would not allow a Review-Journal reporter
to view the theater; only photos and a televised feed on a video
monitor backstage.
The story line for Le Reve is also being kept heavily under wraps,
although concepts for the show was under development long before the
cast of 70 was chosen.
The performers have been rehearsing since last summer in Belgium under
the direction of Dragone.
On his company's Web site, Dragone says his aim for the show "Is to
create an entirely new universe, to transport the spectators into a
unique world where the theater, performance and audience become one
and the same reality. To take them on a magical, sacred journey that
touches their emotions in a way that is different to anything I have
done before."
In January, the troupe moved into its permanent home, tentatively
titled the "Aqua Theater," tucked inside Wynn Las Vegas.
"When you physically sit in the theater to watch rehearsals, it's very
intimate and very personal," Wagg said. "You're so close to the
performance, that the you become part and parcel of what's happening
on the stage."
Cast members -- primarily Americans and Canadians -- were hired for
their physical skills and acrobatic capabilities. Several synchronized
swimmers are part of the cast. But, unlike previous Dragone shows, the
ability to act will also play a heavy role.
"When we did the auditions, casting was of course based on physical
performance," said Louis Parenteau, president of Dragone. "But, since
Franco's vision is to have a show that is more theatrical because of
the proximity and the intimacy of this theater, that meant the people
we cast not only had to be physically skilled, but we also evaluated
their capacity to act, to dance, and to interact with the public."
The cast and crew -- which combined totals almost 200 -- are employees
of Wynn Las Vegas, rather than Dragone's company. It was a decision
made jointly by both parties.
"We create and produce shows, and we hire the artists," Parenteau
said. "But Steve Wynn is renowned for the quality of programs he puts
in place for his employees and it made sense to have our artists feel
part of that family. We have a good relationship and we're confident
our people will be treated well."
While construction crews work 20-hour days to prepare the 2,700-room
resort for its opening, the cast and crew is settling into a rehearsal
schedule that will soon lead to twice-a-night performances of the 90-
minute show, five nights a week. Tickets are expected to cost $121
each.
If anyone understands the importance of having entertainment play a
role in a successful casino opening it's Wynn, who opened The Mirage
in 1989 with Siegfried & Roy headlining the main showroom. Three years
later, Wynn introduced Las Vegas audiences to Cirque du Soleil.
In 1993, Cirque du Soleil's "Mystère" helped open Treasure Island,
followed in 1998 by "O" at Bellagio.
"This town is based on big casinos with a solid big infrastructure and
they play it safe," Parenteau said. "What Steve Wynn did here was take
a big gamble on an organization with a lot of ideas that was new in
the game with no brand identity and no infrastructure. We take it as
an honor and a big responsibility to put together a show that enhances
this property."
-----------------------------------------------
"In Depth: Cirque City"
From: The Las Vegas Review Journal
-----------------------------------------------
They may call it "Circus of the Sun," but it was sunshine that finally
shut down the Cirque du Soleil party on the roof of New York-New
York's parking garage in 2003.
The bash celebrating the official debut of "Zumanity" at the hotel
started at 9 p.m. By sunrise, most revelers had had their fill.
Not Guy Laliberté, founder and head of the Canadian-based company.
"We thought the party would be over by 7:30 a.m. or so," recalls Felix
Rappaport, president ofNew York-New York. "Then Guy wanted to keep it
open until 9 a.m. Finally he and his friends got in their limos at 10
or 10:30 in the morning because it got hot up there."
None would fault the man who once breathed fire as a street performer
for savoring the moment. Taking risks and expanding boundaries make
him the most influential force in Las Vegas entertainment.
MADE FOR EACH OTHER
Cirque du Soleil was already a thriving, acclaimed touring company by
the time it came to Las Vegas in November 1992.
But when the yellow-and-blue-striped big top went up in back of The
Mirage for the touring hit "Nouvelle Experience," few could have
predicted how the growth of the troupe would be so entwined with the
rapid reinvention of the Strip. After all, none of the hotels now
hosting Cirque shows had been built.
On Thursday, Cirque celebrates the MGM Grand gala premiere of "Ka,"
its fourth Las Vegas production. Cirque now has 66,470 tickets to sell
each week on the Strip. The shows usually run at or near capacity and
sell most tickets directly to customers at face value, unlike many
shows that depend on wholesaling or room-and-show discounts to fill
seats.
The four Las Vegas shows have a combined gross of about $7 million
weekly, or about $333 million per year, based on average ticket prices
and the seating capacity of the venues. That is close to half of a
reported $650 million annually in companywide ticket sales (the
company is privately held and doesn't release financial data).
About 1,050 of Cirque's 3,000 artists, technicians and support staff
are based in Las Vegas.
And at the heart of it all is Guy (rhymes with "key") Laliberté, 45,
who learned to play accordion as a teen so he could travel the world.
Cirque's corporate structure is rooted in the 1960s notions of
communes and collectives. Its top officers sometimes have unusual
titles, such as "head of creation." Laliberté's is simply Guide. He
bought out his longest-enduring partner in 2001 and is the one
constant in a company that has seen its other key players come and go,
often more than once.
Though Forbes estimates his worth at $1.1 billion, Laliberté is
usually seen in a black T-shirt and sneakers. Most people filing out
of the "Zumanity" debut walked right past him at the lobby door, where
he could fire up a cigarette and eavesdrop on reactions.
"Every time we do a new show here, we are risking our reputation in
this city," Laliberté says. "Because every new show we're adding
raises always the same questions: Is it too much? Will they outdo
themselves? Will it be different enough to not cannibalize what
they've done before?
"So we're risking, like we were risking doing the first one. The risk
is just different."
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
Laliberté has always been a risk-taker, an entrepreneur who offers
that rare right- and left-brain balance of, as he calls them, "my
artist skill and my organizer skill."
"Guy is an extraordinary businessman who knows where he's going. He
has amazing intuition for business, but he also has a lot of taste,"
says Robert Lepage, a fellow Canadian recruited from outside Cirque's
usual creative team to direct "Ka."
"I think my greatest (talent) is that perfect balance between the
business and the artistic thing," says Laliberté, who speaks English
with a heavy French accent. "I can think business with respect to the
artistic reality, and that's what I've been promoting inside my
company since the first step of Cirque du Soleil."
Or even earlier, if you go back to a defining moment when he was about
10 years old in St-Bruno, Quebec.
"I will always remember that moment when I was eating at the table
with my parents watching a National Geographic special about the
cultures of the world. I got struck and fascinated by seeing that
there was so much to this planet. At that moment, I guess I planted a
seed, a desire of traveling and wanting to know more about those
people around the planet."
A parallel interest in folk music became a practical means to satisfy
his wanderlust. "It's really at 14 when I said, 'OK, either I'll
become a real bum or I'll try to do something that's more creative.'
The easiest way to travel was to find something that would permit me
maybe to survive on the road. That's why I decided to pick up the
accordion."
By 1979, Laliberté had traveled to Europe and taken up fire-breathing
after meeting street performers who traveled the same paths as folk
musicians. Returning to Canada, he investigated an artist's colony he
heard about in Baie-Saint-Paul, near Quebec City. The manager of the
youth hostel where he stayed was a stilt-walker named Gilles Ste-
Croix, an older disciple of the '60s counterculture movement who had
lived in communes and performed with an experimental German troupe
called The Bread and Puppet Theater.
In 1982, Laliberté saw through a long-percolating idea to stage a
festival of street performers in Baie-Saint-Paul. "It was just talk,
talk, talk, for many years. I guess I'm just the one who made things
happen and took the lead in organizing," he recalls.
"By organizing the festival, it permitted me to gain respect among my
peers as an organizer. I was the one who made the dream happen." Some
of those peers would become key figures in Cirque: Daniel Gauthier, a
schoolmate who would be Cirque's president through 2001; Guy Caron,
founder of Canada's National Circus School and Cirque's first artistic
director; and Rene Dupere, a traveling street musician who would go on
to score Cirque productions including "Mystere" and "Ka."
The first Cirque du Soleil by name was financed by the Quebec
government for $1.6 million in 1984. An 11-city tour led to a second
year that would see the troupe evolve from street performers to a
legitimate circus.
But not just any circus. With the input of Caron and Franco Dragone --
a Belgian whom Caron had brought to the National Circus School to
teach mime and comedy -- Cirque began to define its signature blend of
animal-free acrobatics and theatrics.
The big break for the now-private company came at the Los Angeles
Festival in 1987. The troupe was so stretched financially, it had only
enough money for a one-way trip.
The festival put Cirque on the map in the United States and clarified
its future. "In the beginning, it was about achieving an artistic
dream. It was hard for (my colleagues) to understand that I was always
thinking four or five or 10 years in advance," Laliberté says.
When the money started pouring in, "I was always saying, 'OK, that
could just be there for the moment. If you want to capitalize on that,
you have to reinvest that money in a new show.' ... I was trying to
explain to them, we should create an autonomous feeding circle, where
the success of one show will generate money to create another show."
TOUGH SELL
Laliberté first visited Las Vegas in 1985, as part of a self-
educational "journey around the world to see as much show business as
possible," from European circus to Broadway. "I remember my mom
telling me about the 'Jubilee' show. She always came away amazed."
But that was largely a stagnant era for the Strip. Laliberté returned
five years later to negotiate a deal with Caesars Palace. Cirque
invested more than $150,000 in a presentation to the Caesars board,
which rejected the troupe as "too avant-garde, too esoteric, too
sophisticated for the Las Vegas crowd."
"I was raging," Laliberté recalls of the rejection, "and there was
nothing we could do."
But he cites a business adage: "Sometimes the deals that don't happen
are the best deals that could happen."
After meeting a similar response from the Las Vegas Hilton, Laliberté
was approached by Mirage Chairman Steve Wynn: "Have you made any deal
with my competitors? Why have you not contacted me?" Laliberté
remembers Wynn asking. He answered, "I never thought you'd have a
place for two shows there (after Siegfried & Roy)."
Still smarting from the Caesars experience, Laliberté wanted to know:
"Have you ever seen our show? After all I went through there, I would
just like you to know where we are standing artistically."
Wynn traveled to Los Angeles for a Cirque show and saw all he needed
to see by intermission, when he went backstage to shake hands. "Then
we were in business," Laliberté says.
REAPING REWARDS
Laliberté calls Las Vegas "a gold mine in the desert, in the literal
sense. And I'm privileged enough to have access to part of the gold."
Such a large part, in fact, that much of the competition is left
sifting through the dust. Las Vegas became "Cirque city," says Dick
Foster, whose "Spellbound" revue opened at Harrah's Las Vegas in 1992,
the same year Cirque arrived. "Variety producers have to sit back and
applaud them."
With only a couple of successful threats from the outside -- Blue Man
Group, "Mamma Mia!" -- Cirque is its own worst enemy at this point.
"Their brand is so big, people expect the unimaginable," says New
York-New York's Rappaport.
"Yes I know and understand my power in this city," Laliberté says. But
he also believes "the notion of a sense of humility for me is very,
very important. ... I have learned one thing in life: You never know
what tomorrow could bring."
As Cirque tackled the challenge of expanding its brand without
damaging it, the second two Las Vegas shows -- "Zumanity" and "Ka" --
proved more challenging than the first two hits, "Mystere" and "O."
With the erotic, adult-themed "Zumanity" in particular, "I had to
prove we could do something different creatively, even if we were
deviating from our core business," Laliberté says. Of chief concern
was the reaction of corporate sponsors such as Disney to tinkering
with the family-friendly brand. "We were taking a great risk, not only
doing that show but potentially affecting the rest of the company."
The next Las Vegas show takes the company back where it began, The
Mirage, and a rare licensing agreement with the Beatles. The congenial
Ste-Croix, who left for a time to stage the touring horse show
"Cheval" with Laliberté's backing, is overseeing the production.
Laliberté is bullish on Las Vegas. "This city will become a sky city,"
he says of the new wave of condominiums and vertical growth, "and
there will be more and more people. The next step of growing will
definitely be based on food and entertainment."
At one point, MGM Mirage considered a Cirque-themed hotel-casino for
what has since been announced as Project CityCenter, replacing the
Boardwalk and adjacent land. Laliberté says, "We're in the business of
intellectual property, not real estate property."
He also sees no need for his company to go public and face
stockholders who might object to reinvesting a reported 40 percent of
company profits back into research and development.
"We have everything we want now," he says. "The more we grow, it turns
up people wanting to do business with us. It permits us to be more and
more what we really want to be, which is content providers, instead of
building or assets owners."
Laliberté says the energy of Las Vegas fits the "high-intensity" side
of him, but he also is "a beach bum." The Cirque du Soleil name came
to him on a beach in Hawaii. He enjoys his fun but manages for the
most part to evade the interest of tabloids, despite public sightings
with Naomi Campbell, Jim Carrey and Orlando Bloom. He has three
children by one longtime girlfriend and now is involved in another
serious relationship.
"Yes, I'm at a point in my life where money is not the issue.
Management of my time is the issue. Quality of my time is the issue,"
he says. "A long time ago, I had enough money to know that I don't
need more to have a good life for the rest of my life. So it's not
about getting more money. It's about having the creative challenge to
do something new, and it's also about having the fun and the pleasure
of doing what you do."
And there's a thin line between business and pleasure. The Beatles
partnership came about through his friendship with the late George
Harrison. The two met as mutual fans of Formula One racing, followed
by campfire camaraderie at one of Laliberté's famed all-night bashes.
"It was supposed to be a polite visit, but he ended up staying all
night," Laliberté recalls of Harrison.
There will be another party Thursday to celebrate the official launch
of "Ka."
It will be in the MGM Grand Garden arena.
And this time, it is scheduled to go until noon the next day.
-----------------------------------------------
"In Depth: Show by Show"
From: The Las Vegas Review Journal
-----------------------------------------------
1. "Nouvelle Experience" - The Mirage, November 1992 -- After
negotiations for an original show at Caesars Palace fell through, the
first Cirque du Soleil troupe to visit Las Vegas was an established
touring hit. The big top behind The Mirage introduced the Cirque
aesthetic to the Strip and paved the way for a sit-down production
next door at Treasure Island. "A lot of people are going to be very
surprised that Cirque is going to do so well here," Mirage spokesman
Alan Feldman predicted at the time.
2. "Mystere" - Treasure Island, December 1993 -- "I believed you could
grow a flower in the desert," Guy Laliberté says of Cirque's first
stationary production on the Strip. Laliberté was blown away by the
first 20 minutes of Siegfried & Roy at The Mirage. "That's when we
knew we could build on something that was probably a little more
emotional. We knew we could count on the human-body aspect of the
performers," he recalls. "At that time in Vegas, there were some guest
acts between (production numbers), but there was no show that was
really presenting any human performance or execution like we were
capable of doing. That's what we focused on."
3. "O" - Bellagio, October 1998 -- "Mystere" recouped its investment
in six months, so Bellagio developer Steve Wynn had big ideas for an
aquatic Cirque at his new resort. Really big ideas: "An Olympic
stadium-sized water thing (with) lasers, fountains, dry ice and ski-
jumpers," Laliberté recalls. "Thank God there was a cost factor
related to the craziness of his thinking that forced (Wynn) to focus a
little bit, and we brought him back to the theatrical environment
again," he adds. "We had one reference that we didn't want to achieve:
The 'Waterworld' movie," Hollywood's notoriously over-budgeted 1995
dud. Instead, the $92 million "O" became a Las Vegas must-see.
4. "Zumanity" - New York-New York, August 2003 -- Faced with the
challenge of expanding its brand without cannibalizing the other two
shows, Cirque hit a bump in the road. Hotel officials passed on a
clown-themed show, steering the company to an adult-themed update on
European cabaret. But the creative baton kept changing hands: Longtime
Cirque choreographer Debra Brown was pulled just two weeks before the
show's soft opening. "I would say we have a little more tougher
experience with 'Zumanity.' It was a little more conflict," Laliberté
says. The backstage turmoil "took me by surprise because I would
believe they would appreciate the fact that there was a great creative
environment at their disposal." In time, "Zumanity" took flight as
another success, and "we can develop an entire series of product under
that brand," Laliberté says. "Eventually, 'Zumanity' will be its own
brand, just as Cirque du Soleil is its own brand."
5. "KA" - MGM Grand, November 2004 -- Returning to the "O"-inspiring
blockbuster budget -- $30 million in production costs on top of a $135
million theater -- "Ka" combines new advancements in stagecraft with
Cirque's first attempt at linear storytelling. "This one is about
having a partner totally backing you up," Laliberté says of MGM
Mirage. "That's why we have access again to such a tremendous budget."
To pull it off, Cirque recruited Canadian director Robert Lepage, best
known in the United States for staging two Peter Gabriel concert
tours. Gabriel always had "people in the background saying: 'Don't
listen. He's a dreamer,' " Lepage says. "I think that Guy is more
down-to-earth. He's very streetwise. He knows that every attempt to do
something different or achieve something like that has a price tag.
-----------------------------------------------
"Cirque Sets Standard"
From: The Las Vegas Review Journal
-----------------------------------------------
To paraphrase "Seinfeld": Love the Cirque. Hate the Cirque.
As collective audiences, we apparently can't get enough of Cirque du
Soleil. But those involved in any rival production can't help but
resent Cirque's amazing takeover of local show business, as chronicled
in today's In Depth section.
People may wonder why Cirque is so successful.
Beyond the obvious answer -- The shows are good -- lies the uglier
truth of Las Vegas' historic creative bankruptcy. If you can remember
the days before the Strip became cool again, Vegas used to be a punch
line for out-of-phase headliners and revues that were about little
more than their own stagecraft and costumes.
To explain Cirque's success is to reel off the list of tomato cans
that rival casinos have trotted out like so many old Julio Cesar
Chavez opponents on a Mexican holiday weekend.
There was the longtime struggle of "EFX," which preceded "Ka" at the
MGM Grand. Or the slow deaths of "Notre Dame de Paris" or "Storm." Or
the Cirque-like "Imagine."
At this level of investment, casinos want the safe bet of Cirque's
brand and creative infrastructure. But the herd mentality has caught
up to Cirque founder Guy Laliberté, who is waiting, like the rest of
us, to see what former Cirque director Franco Dragone will do with a
new show at Wynn Las Vegas. The spectacle unfolds on water, kind of
like another show Dragone directed at the Bellagio.
"We keep doing the things people are not doing in Las Vegas. I don't
understand why (Steve) Wynn is doing a water show," Laliberté says of
the developer who opened the door for Cirque in 1992.
"I don't know why, from a risk-taker, they went that direction,"
Laliberté says. "I hope they'll be original enough to sustain
themselves."
Cirque's most successful rivals -- "Mamma Mia!" and the Blue Man Group
-- were established hits before they came to town, but at least took a
creative risk at some point.
In fairness to Las Vegas, it's difficult to finance any new story
these days. Movies are adapted from comic books, and Broadway shows
are adapted from movies. It's all about brand recognition.
The difficulty audiences have in following "Ka," the new Cirque
officially debuting Thursday, demonstrates how tough it is to tell a
story with no previous exposure in novel or film.
But if you think Cirque has stifled the Strip, where would we be
without it?
Laliberté has "caused the competitors to come to the plate as well,"
says Bobby Baldwin, Mirage Resorts president, who honors his friend in
a Feb. 12 benefit at the Bellagio for the Keep Memory Alive
Foundation.
Baldwin cites the Celine Dion and Elton John deals: "I'm not sure they
would have ever done that if they hadn't been looking down the gun
barrel of Cirque du Soleil."
-----------------------------------------------
"KA: A Tough Act to Follow"
From: The Las Vegas Review Journal
-----------------------------------------------
More? They give us a $165 million spectacle and we want more?
Well, yes.
The Catch-22 of Cirque du Soleil's epic "Ka" is that it accomplishes
so much, we want it to go the distance and bring home the dramatic
potential of the story it invests so much stagecraft in telling.
It's a pitfall Cirque might not have seen coming: Getting us just
interested enough in its first real attempt at storytelling that we
want to know more, not less, about the characters performing the
acrobatic derring-do synonymous with Cirque.
But Cirque in Las Vegas also means new realms of automated stagecraft.
On that front, "Ka" is unmatched anywhere in the world. For many, the
attempt to create a new form -- a hybrid of theater, circus and cinema
-- will be a valid enough reason to see it. To hone in on what doesn't
work should not come at the expense of the big picture, that head-
shaking astonishment one gets from the sheer ambition of it all.
And yet, there are simple questions that demand answers: Is this a
story worth the money spent to tell it? And can the audience follow
it?
The answer to the first is a qualified yes. The second, for now,
appears to be "not really."
"Ka" is in large part the vision of Canadian director Robert Lepage,
who has made a career of reimagining classic arts such as opera and
epic theater. It was his idea to expand Cirque's brand by ditching the
dreamy surrealism in favor of darkly textured atmosphere, and by
connecting the acrobatics with a sketch of a story.
But for a generation raised on film, a sketch just opens the door to
wanting more. If this had been an adaptation -- be it Greek mythology
or "Lord of the Rings" -- the theatrical shorthand would have been
easier to pull off. As it is, viewers spend as much time trying to
follow the fable's sudden shift from a beach to the arctic north as
they do admiring the stunt work.
The scope is clear from the opening: A barge floating grandly over a
black abyss, docking with a stage that slides out of the void. The
boat, patrons will later discover, is a multipurpose scene-stealer
called the "cliff deck," an 80,000-pound rectangle lifted into all
manner of positions by a gantry arm.
The human focus is on twins (Jennifer and Cheri Haight), apparently
the prince and princess of an ancient and mythic Asian dynasty. Their
martial arts exhibition is interrupted by flaming arrows from an
attacking tribe. The female twin (Jennifer Haight) escapes on a
fleeing ship with her nursemaid (Teuda Bara) and valets, while the
male twin (Cheri Haight) is hustled away on foot by the court jester
(Kleber Conrado Berto).
Mind you, all of this was clearer on a second viewing and from a
better seat. For all the money spent on both the "Ka" theater and the
Colosseum at Caesars Palace, it's not being spent to pull audiences
closer to the stage in a more vertical rake. And having both twins
played by very petite women makes it hard to understand one is
supposed to be male, leading to confusion when the story takes
romantic turns.
The saga cross-cuts to follow the separated twins, revealing a series
of wondrous set pieces.
When the ship hits a storm and tosses the nursemaid into the sea, the
twin sister dives in to rescue her. The scene shifts like a movie by
suspending the two 90 feet above the stage and in front of projected
video, while René Dupéré's cinematic score shifts from bombastic to
elegiac.
The female twin and her entourage discover a beach full of whimsical
puppet crabs and turtles, an Eskimo village and a rain forest complete
with a Tarzan-like ruler (Igor Zaripov).
The male twin falls into the camp of the villains, who have a machine
capable of grinding human skulls into gun powder. One bad guy's
daughter (Noriko Takahashi) comes to the aid of the twin brother in
time to save him from the Slave Cage, aka the Wheel of Death, one of at least three show-stopping sequences people will remember more than
the story.
The wheel is like a carnival ride, only with people running in place
on top of two of the five cages instead of making the windmill
revolutions inside them. There's another great moment involving a
flying machine, and a chase that turns the angled cliff deck into a
giant pegboard where performers fly into the void when the pegs
disappear.
The finale is another tour de force: a battle scene staged on a
vertical plane, with performers controlling the wires from which they
hang with a remote control. But it's also where "Ka" disappoints, on
both a dramatic and perhaps even technical level.
Those who arrive in time to soak in the atmosphere of Mark Fisher's
stunning theater design just know those catwalk-linked side walls are
going to enfold the audience in the final battle. They don't. And most
of the promised fire effects seem to have gone missing as well.
But what the ending really lacks is the story's emotional payoff.
This is what I got from watching "Ka": Wheel of Death. Whoa.
And this is what I got from Cirque's synopsis: "When the Chief
Archer's Daughter falls for the Twin Brother she finds her loyalties
unexpectedly divided, and realizes she's in a battle of wills with her
doting father."
Finding a way to explain that within the show -- perhaps from
additional narration (a preamble was added during previews), or with
occasional video close-ups that would let more than the first few rows
see the characters' faces -- would be an accomplishment to rival even
the cliff deck.
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"Cirque Tops Itself Again With KA"
From: The Las Vegas Sun
-----------------------------------------------
Following are a few Ka Theatre facts and figures:
What you see when you enter the $165 million, majestic Ka Theatre at
the MGM Grand is breathtaking, a wonder to behold. It is quite simply
the most magnificent theater in Las Vegas.
What you don't see is the city that lies beneath, behind, above and
around the theater a network of rooms, passages, catwalks and
machinery that make the elaborate showroom functional.
Cirque du Soleil officials granted the media access to this area
Wednesday, allowing a peek behind the mask of their latest
extravaganza "Ka," a tale of twins who are separated and their
reunification, told only as Cirque can.
"Ka" opened for previews in November and had its grand opening
Thursday night. The show is performed at 7 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. Fridays
through Tuesdays.
The 1,950-seat theater, nine stories high in the auditorium, doesn't
have a traditional stage. Where the stage would be there is empty
space out of which a series of decks rise, providing the platforms on
which the action takes place.
There are boats, islands, palaces, Himalayan-like mountains and other
scenery that rises from five stories below the auditorium. From the
ceiling to the lowest floor level is 149 feet, almost 15 stories.
The inner regions of the theater include five lifts, which raise the
decks that have replaced a traditional theater stage.
When the 75 cast members are performing, there are 120 technicians
behind the scenes, scurrying from one assignment to the next to make
sure everything fans see runs smoothly.
In addition to the technicians who work out of sight during the show,
there are 38 maintenance personnel who are essential to the
production.
Each member of the cast and crew is like a piece of a jigsaw puzzle
that comes together to make a picture. Without all of the pieces, this
movie-like production would not be complete.
There is an army of support personnel, such as costume designer Marie-
Chantale Vaillancourt, composer and musical arranger Rene Dupere,
choreographer Jacques Heim, lighting designer Luc Lafortune, puppet
designer Michael Curry, props designer Patricia Ruel and makeup
designer Nathalie Gagne.
Ruel had to come up with thousands of props to reflect the ambiguity
of the time and place of the story.
"Our task was to create a new world, to invent a civilization," she
said.
The props, including such items as arrows and spears, had to be
flexible and durable light enough so as not to be physically draining
for the performers, yet strong enough to remain intact for 10 shows
per week, 470 shows per year.
Curry, who designed many of the puppets in "The Lion King," created a
cast of endearing, nonhuman creatures for "Ka," including a turtle, an
80-foot snake, crabs, potato bugs, stick bugs and a starfish.
Performers work inside what Curry calls "structural costumes."
"I have always used dancers in my work, not puppeteers," Curry said.
He said Cirque did not tell him what to create for the production.
"They gave me a framework to work with," Curry said.
He said he was able to "add a creature content to the show without
taking away from the human performer."
Curry said in creating his so-called puppets, he works for a balance
between illusion and reality -- he wants fans to know there is a human
in the costume.
"I thinly disguise the performer," he said. "I do not cover up or make
secondary the human performer."
Eric Heppell, "Ka's" artistic coordinator, says there is far more
activity happening behind stage than on.
"People don't grasp how technical the show really is from their
seats," Heppell said. "There are all of these riggers running around
backstage. Secondary grids are being lowered. There are the cranes ...
"The transitions between scenes is like a ballet of technicians."
Heppell, a former gymnast and coach, has been with Cirque for 12
years. He started as a trainer and a coach for the acrobats and worked
his way up to become artistic coordinator.
"One of the reasons the company hired me in '93 was that they knew I
was an artist as well as an athlete," he said.
Heppell says his job is to "maintain the artistic integrity of the
show. Once the creators leave -- they always create and then leave --
once they leave you must maintain their artistic vision."
That includes everything from lighting to makeup.
"The reality is, yes, you do all this -- taking care of the artistic
integrity -- but you also do a lot of personal management, making sure
different teams work well together, maintain an atmosphere of respect,
make sure you don't have artists who are jealous of each other."
All of the responsibility doesn't fall on his shoulders. Assisting him
are heads of the various departments.
"The show is starting to be seamless," Heppell said. "It already is
reaching a certain maturity."
Heppell has worked with "Mystere" and several other Cirque shows, but
finds "Ka" the most complex.
"It's an insane project," he said.
-----------------------------------------------
"KA Succeeds on Strength of its Production"
From: The Las Vegas Review Journal
-----------------------------------------------
To quote the Joker (Jack Nicholson) in Tim Burton's 1989 film
"Batman": "Where does he get those wonderful toys?"
There are some wonderful toys in "Ka," Cirque du Soleil's fourth
production to grace Las Vegas stages -- joining "Mystere" at Treasure
Island, "O" at Bellagio and "Zumanity" at New York-New York (next year
look for a fifth show that focuses on music by the Beatles at the
Mirage).
In fact, the toys overwhelm the story.
Storytelling uses devices to help develop plot and character and to
further the tale.
In "Ka," which had its official premiere at the MGM Grand last week,
the devices are so exciting, so jaw-dropping and eye-popping they
become more important than the story.
Audiences focus on the scenery, costuming, special effects and the
magnificent theatre, when their main interest should be the story, if
in fact the story is the most important element in the production.
But it isn't. It is secondary, simply another attempt by Cirque to re-
invent itself, to blaze new trails and do something it has not done
before -- such as "Zumanity," which was its effort to be erotic.
In Vegas Cirque IV, the company makes its first attempt at
storytelling, but this story exists to serve the devices, when in
legitimate storytelling the opposite is the case.
I'm reminded of the ancient fable about the Fox and The Scorpion:
A scorpion and a fox were on a river bank. The scorpion asked if the
fox would carry him across the water. The fox, afraid the scorpion
would sting him, said no. The scorpion pointed out that if he stung
the fox, he also would drown. So the fox started across the river with
the scorpion on his back.
Halfway across, the scorpion stung him. As they both began to sink,
the fox asked why the scorpion stung him and the scorpion replied:
"It's in my nature."
Ultimately, every Cirque show is a circus -- featuring acrobats and
clowns, contortionists and trapeze artists. The only thing that
changes is the setting in which they perform.
"Ka" is a saga that follows the adventures of two Imperial Twins (a
male and a female) who become separated during a siege of their Far
Eastern palace by evil warriors.
Except for an opening comment by an announcer setting up the story,
there is no dialogue in the 90-minute production, which creates some
expositional pitfalls. Unless you know what is going on beforehand,
there are some transitional problems between some scenes and confusion
about some elements of the story.
Lack of dialogue also makes it difficult for the audience to relate to
the characters. Through dialogue there is exposition that not only
helps explain the story, but also reveals traits about the character
that makes us like or dislike him or her.
But Cirque's fan base is international -- one that includes many
languages. Dialogue in one language would almost automatically exclude
large numbers of potential ticket-buyers.
And so they rely on action to tell their story.
With all of that said, as long as you don't go to the theater
expecting an experience of a play by Shakespeare or a musical such as
"Les Miserables" or "Phantom of the Opera," you should find lots to
rave about in "Ka."
The $165 million spent on the theater and the production have been
well spent.
It is an experience you will remember for a long time, almost as if
you are sitting in the middle of a motion picture.
Technology is the star of "Ka" -- a floating stage that appears and
disappears, becoming at different times a mountain, a beach, a palace
or a battleground; the wheel of death; a delightful cast of puppets
(actually humans in suits that turn them into crabs, turtles, snakes
and other creatures).
There are many memorable technological moments in the production: an
underwater scene; a battle that takes place on a vertical field yet
gives us the illusion that we have a bird's-eye view of the conflict;
spectacular fireworks.
And of course the acrobats. What's a Cirque without acrobats?
The cast performs some of the most spectacular stunts of all the
Cirque productions.
Anyone who sees "Ka" shouldn't be disappointed, providing of course
they aren't expecting a Broadway play -- but that's another story.
=======================================================================
ITINÉRAIRE -- TOUR/SHOW INFORMATION
=======================================================================
Note that any information in brackets [] is UN-official information
and subject to change.
[Touring Shows]
Alegría:
* Fukuoka, Japan:
Dates: Feb 9, 2005 to Apr 3, 2005
* Nagoya, Japan:
Dates: Apr 20, 2005 to Jun 12, 2005
* Osaka, Japan:
Dates: Jun 25, 2005 to Aug 10, 2005
Cirque 2005:
* Montreal, Quebec, Canada -- Jacques-Cartier Pier
Dates: Apr 21, 2005 to Jun 19, 2005
* Quebec City, Quebec, Canada -- Galeries de la Capitale
Dates: Jun 30, 2003 to Jul 17, 2005
* Toronto, Ontraio, Canada -- TBA
Dates: Aug 4, 2005 - Aug 28, 2005
* Minneapolis, Minnesota -- TBA
* San Francisco, California -- TBA
* San Jose, California -- TBA
Dralion:
* London, England -- Royal Albert Hall
Dates: Jan 6, 2005 to Feb 6, 2005
* Barcelona, Spain -- Esplanada Norte
Dates: Mar 17, 2005 to Apr 24, 2005
* Rotterdam, Netherlands -- TBA
Dates: Jun 3, 2005 to Jun 19, 2005
* Oostende, Belgium -- TBA
Dates: Jul 21, 2005 to Aug 7, 2005
* Zurich, Switzerland -- TBA
* Bilbao, Spain -- TBA
Dates: Nov 18, 2005 to Dec 4, 2005
* Seville, Spain -- TBA
Dates: Jan 12, 2006 to Jan 29, 2006
* Valencia, Spain -- TBA
Quidam:
* Auckland, New Zealand -- Auckland Showgrounds
Dates: Dec 31, 2004 to Feb 12, 2005
* Melbourne, Australia -- The Oval at Melbourne Park
Dates: Mar 4, 2005 to Apr 24, 2005
* Adelaide, Australia -- Bonython Park, Port Road
Dates: May 12, 2005 to Jun 5, 2005
* Perth, Australia -- Langley Park
Dates: Jun 30, 2005 to Jul 17, 2005
* Singapore -- TBA
Saltimbanco:
* Manchester, UK -- Trafford Centre
Dates: Jan 6, 2005 to Feb 13, 2005
* Birmingham, UK -- StarCity Junction 6, M6
Dates: Feb 24, 2005 to Mar 27, 2005
* Boulogne Billancourt (West of Paris)
Dates: Apr 8, 2005 to May 8, 2005
* Sao Paulo, Brazil -- TBA
Varekai:
* Houston, Texas -- TBA
Dates: Jan 6, 2005 to Feb 13, 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
Dates: May 19, 2005 to Jun 19, 2005
* East Rutherford, New Jersey -- TBA
* Columbus, Ohio -- TBA
* Hartford, Connecticut -- TBA
* Charlotte, North Carolina -- TBA
* St. Petersburg, Florida -- TBA
* Miami, Florida -- TBA
[Resident Shows]
La Nouba:
* Two shows Nightly - 6:00pm and 9:00pm
* Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark Sunday/Monday
* Location: Walt Disney World Resort, Orlando (USA)
* 2005 Dark Dates:
-- February 6th - 9th -- August 28th - 30th
-- April 3rd - 6th -- October 9th - 12th
-- June 5th - 20th -- November 13th - 15th
-- August 14th - 17th -- December 4th - 13th
Mystère:
* Two shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:30pm
Beginning June 13th: Except Sundays; 4:30pm and 7:30pm
* Performs: Friday through Tuesday, Dark Wednesday/Thursday
Beginning June 9th: Wednesday - Sunday, Dark Monday/Tuesday
* Location: Treasure Island, Las Vegas (USA)
* 2005 Dark Dates:
-- January 3rd - 18th -- July 10th - 12th
-- February 6th - 8th -- September 12th - 20th
-- March 13th - 15th -- November 13th - 15th
-- May 16th - 24th
"O":
* Two shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:30pm
* Performs: Wednesday through Sunday, Dark Monday/Tuesday
* Location: Bellagio, Las Vegas (USA)
* 2005 Dark Dates:
-- February 20th - 22nd -- October 16th - 18th
-- April 18th - 26th -- December 5th - 20th
-- August 22 - 30th
Zumanity:
* Two Shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:30pm
* Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday
* Location: New York-New York, Las Vegas (USA)
* 2005 Dark Dates:
-- February 7th - 10th -- August 15th - 18th
-- April 18th - 21st -- October 10th - 13th
-- June 8th - Jun 16th -- December 7th - 22nd
KÀ:
* Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 10:30pm
* Performs: Friday through Tuesday, Dark Wednesday/Thursday
* Location: MGM Grand: City of Entertainment, Las Vegas (USA)
* Note: One show nightly at 8:00pm from Nov 26 to Dec 7.
* 2005 Dark Dates:
-- January 24th - 27th -- June 6th - 7th
-- February 1st - 4th -- August 1st - 2nd
-- March 23rd - 31st -- September 9th - 13th
-- April 1st - 14th -- November 14th - 15th
=======================================================================
DIDYAKNOW? -- FACTS ABOUT CIRQUE
=======================================================================
IN THEIR OWN WORDS - Questions and answers from people we've had the
honor of meeting and talking with in the last three years. While we
can't reveal identities, since several of them still work for Cirque,
we think some of the things they have to say would be interesting to
fans and aspiring artists and musicians.
We asked a Cirque artist what inspires them:
"You always have to be inspired so you can inspire other people.
Every day we have to feed [inspire] ourselves with something, you
know. At the circus they give people the chance to take classes.
Which is amazing because they pay for it. People can take classes in
whatever they want. If you take a class during the day, even if it's
for just an hour you come out of it so excited. You did something
new, you learned something new. And when you go and perform you have
this new thing to give. Even if you stay home you can also be
inspired, like by the radio. So learning something new is always
good."
=======================================================================
LE SPECTACLE:
"New Kid on the Block: KÀ, Cirque du Soleil's Fourth
Resident Show in Las Vegas (Part 1 of 3)"
By: Wayne Leung - Ottawa, Ontario (Canada)
=======================================================================
After staging preview performances since November 26, 2004, Cirque du
Soleil officially premiered its fourth resident show in a casino
resort on the Las Vegas Strip on February 3, 2005. Joining the ranks
of Mystère at T.I., "O" at Bellagio and Zumanity at the New York, New
York, Cirque du Soleil's newest creation, entitled KÀ, is housed at
the MGM Grand. KÀ is Cirque du Soleil's biggest and most ambitious
production to date, both in terms of physical size and budget.
Directed by Canadian theatre and film vanguard Robert Lepage, and
ringing in with a purported price tag of $220 million USD, an alleged
weekly running cost of $1 million USD, a cast of 75 performers and a
crew of 158 stage technicians, KÀ aims to reinvent and revolutionize
the world of live theatre and in many ways the Cirque du Soleil
itself.
Being the fourth production performing on one street, Cirque had to
ensure that KÀ, its new kid on the block, would be entirely original
and able to offer something different to an audience with so many
competing choices for entertainment. The challenge was to not only
surpass what the company has achieved in the past but also to
differentiate this show enough to find entirely new audiences. For KÀ
the approach was to create a show with a linear narrative, an "easy to
follow" storyline in which physical performances would be presented in
a firm context and the acrobatic elements, choreography, and set would
drive the story forward, as Lepage describes it, to give audiences
"the impression they're within some kind of cinematic event."
KÀ deals with the theme of duality and is the epic story of a set of
twins, separated at childhood, who must voyage through a series of
adventures while relentlessly pursued by enemies, in order to fulfill
their destinies in a classic battle between good and evil.
As a result of this linear storyline model, KÀ is the most original
concept Cirque du Soleil has ever developed. It is the most different
of all shows in the company's repertoire and strays most from the
existing conventions that the company has established with its shows
to date. The end result, however, is decidedly mixed. Being such a
different concept KÀ must struggle against audiences' preconceived
notions of what a Cirque du Soleil show entails. Since KÀ, like its
predecessor, Cirque du Soleil's erotic cabaret, Zumanity, is branching
out from the company's core disciplines and breaking new ground, the
audiences' response has been largely polarized. While some absolutely
adore the show, others find it lacking.
The major difference between KÀ and the other Cirque shows is that KÀ
is NOT a circus, not by a long shot. Those expecting the usual Cirque
du Soleil format of acrobatic acts interlaced with clown interludes
may be disappointed. While there are a few stand-alone acrobatic
acts, much of the performance is fully integrated into the story. It
more closely resembles a narrative ballet like The Nutcracker or Swan
Lake, where a literal story is told through movement and images.
In this article series I will take you through an exploration of the
technological accomplishments of the KÀ design team in creating the
show's incredible theatre, sets and stages, provide a complete
description of the show itself including a list of characters and a
scene-by-scene synopsis, and finally offer some of my impressions of
the show and some final thoughts.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
** SPOILER WARNING **
I should warn the reader that this article will be choc full of
spoilers, so for those who have yet to see the show and want to keep
its contents a surprise I suggest you skip through to the end. Also,
I am writing this article based on preview performances of the show,
and the information contained herein may no longer be completely
accurate once the show has officially premiered.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Now, all warnings aside, I invite you to explore the world of KÀ!
PART I: Technological Revolution:
The KÀ Theatre, Sets and Stages
--------------------------------
Above every other aspect of KÀ, the technology used in this production
represents a revolution for live theatre. The unprecedented use of
technology at an incredible scale often leaves the spectator
breathless. KÀ's production values are immense. Several emerging
theatrical technologies are brought together in this show, with the
overall effect of making the staging as fluid as possible, enabling
scenes to shift quickly in and out like a movie. Director Robert
Lepage's goal is to tell the story on stage using the "language of
cinema" and he aims to achieve this goal through inventive use of
technology.
For KÀ, set designer Mark Fisher (known for his big, flashy rock
concert sets) made a conscious decision to design the stage, set and
auditorium together as an integrated concept. The thematic journey
extends right into the lobby and the spectator's journey begins at the
transition from the casino to the theatre lobby. The dimly lit themed
lobby suggests the hull of a large wooden ship, inside which the
concessions counter and bar are located. Across the ceiling the
strings of a large harp cross the lobby.
As the spectators enter the showroom via one of two doors on either
side of the lobby they pass under a crisscrossing, multi-level system
of catwalks. The 1,951-seat showroom is immense and cavernous;
suggestive of an underground cave or mine. The entire theatre is
inhabited by characters and throughout the performance characters roam
the theatre and catwalks.
But the most striking feature of the performance space is not
something in the showroom but something missing; a stage. At the
front of the auditorium where a proscenium arch and stage would
traditionally reside, there is instead a raised ledge overhanging an
immense, smoke-filled void. There is not even a vague hint at what
the performance will entail as all scenery, acrobatic equipment and
props are hidden. The show's intricate scene-changes are made
possible by a series of lifts that fly up and out from the void.
A set of five irregular shaped hydraulic lifts line the front of the
void, raising and lowering at different points in the show to create;
a storm-tossed boat, a balcony overlooking the mines, a forest of tree
stumps for a dramatic chase scene, and a performance space for a
dance.
A 9-meter by 9-meter (30' x 30'), 34-ton "Tatami Deck" is stowed at
the back of the space and can slide out over the void like a drawer.
But the star of the show and the most dramatic lift is the
pragmatically named "Sand-Cliff Deck". This deck measures 15 meters
(50') in length, 7.6 meters (25') in width and 2 meters (6') in depth,
weighs 159 tons. It houses three trap-door/elevators and 80
individually controlled pegs that pop out from surface and allow
performers to climb and perform on the deck while it is near vertical.
The Sand-Cliff Deck is attached to a large gantry crane that allows
the deck an enormous range of dynamic movement. The crane can
simultaneously lift (at speeds up to 2 feet per second), tilt (to an
angle of 100º from horizontal) and rotate (one full 360º revolution)
at various speeds to create stunning effects.
Additional set elements, like a mass of large columns and hanging
scenery representing a forest canopy, are flown in from the wings, and
rigging equipment for the climactic aerial battle is stored in the
flies of the theatre. For the battle, twenty or so "vertical"
performers are rigged to automated flying winches, which they control
themselves via small joysticks concealed in their hands. For example,
when a performer "walks up" the wall he commands the winch to pull him
up at a certain rate, and he "mimes" walking at a speed that matches
his upward motion.
Safety is a big issue when dealing with such immense heights and large
moving platforms. During the performance, there is a system of
retractable safety nets and inflatable airbags hidden in the void.
The safety system is quickly flown in place during the more dangerous
sequences of the show where performers jump from the decks.
While the Sand-Cliff Deck is in its vertical orientation it is often
used as a projection screen to further complete the imagery.
Throughout the show an innovative interactive projection system,
developed by Holger Förterer, produces images that move with the
performers. For example: when the performers leap onto the deck in
the final battle scene their landing causes a ripple like a pebble in
a pond. The projection system utilizes an infrared (heat sensitive)
camera situated beside the projector to sense the position of the
performers and feeds this information to a computer that adjusts the
projection accordingly, in real-time. The effect is quite unique and
produces a fantastic illusion.
To further extend the action "on stage" to the audience, sound
designer Jonathan Deans has worked meticulously to fill the massive
theatre and create a very exact sound environment where specific sound
cues are focused and add effects to the action in the performance.
Each seat in the KÀ is fitted with a set of stereo speakers that are
used at different times to accentuate the music, produce ambient sound
effects or to heighten the sound environment. The sound design is
revolutionary in the way it completely envelops each individual
spectator.
END OF PART ONE
Next Issue: Dramatis Personae - The Tribes and Peoples of KÀ
(A scene-by-scene description of the entire show)
=======================================================================
SPECIAL ENGAGEMENT:
"CirqueCon Montreal 2005 Update: Group Meal"
By: Keith Johnson - Seattle, Washington (USA)
=======================================================================
One of the highlights of CirqueCon Vancouver 2004 was 30+ Cirque fans
from all over North America gathered at the Spaghetti Factory in
Gastown, enjoying a spaghetti dinner and getting to know each other.
It was something we thought was worth repeating in Montreal. But we
had a challenge - could we find a restaurant able to hold a large
number of diners and still be close to our hotel in Old Montreal?
We've found one!
We've also decided to open this dinner to anyone who'd care to join us
- free Basic members and local Cirque fans as well as paid Standard
members. So our entire group can have a fun sit-down meal with other
Cirque du Soleil fans!
DATE/TIME: Saturday, April 23, 2005, from 4:00pm-6:00pm.
(The Cirque site opens at 7:00pm, the show begins at 8:00pm.)
THE RESTAURANT:
Restaurant du Vieux Port
39, Saint-Paul Street East
514-866-3174
www.restaurantduvieuxport.com
Located on the corner of Saint-Paul Street East and Saint Gabriel, the
restaurant is just down the block from our hotel, The Marriott
SpringHill Suites. Their building dates back to 1880 and was
originally an inn for sailors working the port. It has been a
restaurant since 1973 and has been serving the "group market" (groups
like us) for over 15 years.
THE FOOD:
The menu choices below will be available at the restaurant. You don't
need to make a choice now; the restaurant says they can handle
everyone's orders in a timely manner without knowing our entrée needs
ahead of time!
Soup/Salad: CHOICE OF Soup of the Day OR Chef's Salad
Entrée: CHOICE OF
(Meat) Beef Striploin - Charcoal Grilled, Served with Potatoes OR
(Chicken) Grilled Chicken Breast - Charcoal Grilled, Served with
Potatoes & Fresh Vegetables OR
(Fish) Filet of Soul Provencale - Broiled with a hint of Garlic,
Served with Rice & Fresh Vegetables
Dessert, Served with Coffee OR Tea
Soft Drink is included with the meal. Beer/Wine are extra.
HOW MUCH:
$30.00 USD per plate for check or money order
$31.00 USD per plate for PAYPAL payments
There are no Senior/Student discounts available. 15% Tax and 15%
gratuity have been included in the price. (Yes, that's a lot. When
you're a group our size, paying with one check, gratuity of 15% is
automatically added. Add 15% tax, and that's almost $10.00 right
there! It's one of the pitfalls of groups.)
DEADLINE:
This offer will be open until 11:59pm Pacific Time Thursday, April 14,
2005. Payment must be received by then.
HOW TO GET TICKETS
Send an email to tourdemondo@yahoo.com with the following information:
Your Full Name
Your Email Address
Your Street Address (we will be mailing tickets via Regular Mail)
How many tickets you want
How you plan to pay (check/money order OR PayPal)
Then you'll need to send payment, which must be received by 11:59pm
Pacific Time Thursday, April 14.
For more details, please see
< http://reedycreek.azlance.com/~richasi/Cirque/CirqueCon/meal.htm >
=======================================================================
TÉLÉMAGIK:
"Living it Up: A La Nouba DVD Review (Part 1 of 2)"
By: Ricky Russo - Orlando, Florida (USA)
=======================================================================
Title: La Nouba DVD
ISBN: 1-4049-6954-3
UPC: 0-43396-09054-5
Video: 1:78:1 Wide screen
Audio: English 5.1 / 2.0 (Defaults to Dolby Stereo 2.0)
Subtitles: English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese
Run Time: Approx 90 Minutes
When I sat down to review the La Nouba DVD, I did so with a bit of
apprehension. Of all the Cirque du Soleil shows I've seen live (and
I've seen them all except KA), La Nouba is the one I've seen the most.
At last count I've seen La Nouba live 10 times; a modest number by
some standards, but enormous by others. It all can be attributed to
practically living next door to the Cirque du Soleil Theater at the
Downtown Disney West Side complex in Orlando, Florida. In contrast, I
dare not think how many times I'd have seen Mystère, O, or Zumanity by
now if I were living in Las Vegas, though that thought has crossed my
mind.
La Nouba was also my first live Cirque du Soleil experience. I fondly
remember my first viewing in the spring of 1999. Though I don't know
the cast and crew by their first names, nor do I party with them, to
say that I know the show like the back of my hand is almost an
understatement. In fact, there isn't a single person I know personally
save for some of the nice folks working in the Marketing department.
Even so, La Nouba is a show I am most familiar with -- its acts, its
theme and its music -- thanks to the looming presence of its permanent
Grand Chapiteau.
So when it came time to watch the DVD of the production and review it
for our faithful readers I wasn't very excited. I didn't know then how
wrong I would be.
Disc One -- The Production
--------------------------
My review of the 2-disc set began, curiously enough, with the second
disc -- the extra special features but I shall begin my review of the
set with the first disc, which houses the Production itself. As soon
as the DVD is inserted into your player of choice, and the FBI and
INTERPOL warnings flash by, we are immediately drawn into the world of
La Nouba through its animated menu. While catchy and playful, the
animated menu can be a bit distracting at times, as usually one wants
to get directly to the main menu without much fanfare. While nice, the
menu animations detract from the main purpose, which is to get to the
goodies!
La Nouba, for those yet initiated, is a 90-minute spectacle produced
specifically for the Disney audience at Walt Disney World in Orlando,
Florida. As such it is compact and fast-paced, each act coming and
going with little fanfare sprinkled about with hilarious clown acts by
Michel Deschamps and Serguei. La Nouba in many ways tells the typical
Disney fairy tale, though Cirque style with dance, acrobatics and
stamina. "Once upon a time," the story begins. "A door opens and two
worlds collide. Dreams clash with reality. The mundane mixes with the
marvelous." And on the stage we no longer can tell where one world
begins and the other ends. It's on this stage we have La Nouba, the
party!
What a party it is! La Nouba is a feast for the senses, really coming
alive on film. And while I shall not review the actual production
within the scope of this article, I shall interject what many have
said about the filming of the show:
1) The Parade Starts Too Abruptly -- In all Cirque du Soleil
productions there's an opening piece, some kind of story element that
helps bring the audience into the production. Like Alegría, with its
musicians march around the Grand Chapiteau, La Nouba begins with a
Parade of Characters, introducing us to the whimsy and the mystery
that is La Nouba. While this parade does exist in the filmed version,
a montage of acts is interlaced with this procession, destroying the
seamless integration into Cirque's mystifying world. I would have
loved to see the interaction with Le Titan and the Walker, more of the
Pierrot Rouge tumbling about drawing the audience into the party, the
Green Bird's curious stares and attempts to fly, or Rokardy balancing
on one of the chairs. While we have snippets of this, alas we are not
able to experience the Parade of Characters as intended. Unfortunately
the beginning montage is consistent with previous filming of Le Cirque
Reinvente, Nouvelle Experience, and Saltimbanco. As a fan, however, I
do miss the hilarious safety instruction narration and the clown's
mishaps before the show.
2) The Lighting is Too Bright -- One of the unfortunate side effects
of filming a live production is that brighter lighting is needed in
order for the cameras to resolve the action (this concept was
explained to us in one of the special features in Alegria's double-
disc set.) Regrettably this washes out the dark, dismal, drab world of
the Urbanites that starts La Nouba, bringing their once featureless
faces of sameness into sharp relief. This showcase of individuality
ruins the entire concept of the opening dance number, whereby the
Urbanites (a nameless, faceless mass) move about the world without
folly. We're not meant to see their individuality and in doing so we
are unable to fully integrate ourselves into the emotions of this
wonderful world. One can get around this oversight, however, by
turning down the brightness on your television or monitor.
3) Too Many Camera Movements -- One of the things I noted during the
start of the production that did, at least, calm as La Nouba
progressed was the quick camera movements. Another problem with
filming a live performance is that the camera cannot see everything
around it. As a fan one of my pet peeves is that the filmed versions
of each show omit many of the secondary events that progress on stage.
While our eyes adjust quickly to focus on action elsewhere, the camera
can't. We may not like it, but we must admit this truth: the process
is to film the main performance. The filmmakers cannot do this and
also capture everything else on-stage. However, with that said, it
seems the filmmakers for La Nouba tried to please the fans by
attempting to capture the little bits of character interaction on
stage. The problem, though, is that to do so the camera has to pan
away from the main action quite a bit. The quick camera edits came too
often and too quickly (often dizzying) and destroyed the cohesiveness
of the main act.
4) Stupid Camera Tricks -- As seen with the filmed version of Quidam
and Alegría, Cirque du Soleil has once again resorted to stupid camera
tricks in the filming of their productions. Spinning and Slow Motion
are most prevalent here and are as unwelcome in La Nouba as they were
in previous filmings. While slow motion is used sparingly throughout
La Nouba (it is used in Fast Track and Diabolos), the one camera trick
that I absolutely despise is the spinning effect. Please educate me as
to the point of spinning the camera at twice the speed of the tumbling
acrobat? Doing so only loses the intended effect! Please, Cirque,
don't do this again! It's cheesy, but most of all, it's dumb. Let the
acrobat showcase their speed without stupid camera tricks!
Above all the nitpicks, La Nouba is a fine addition to your Cirque
collection. While we may not like the fact that the disc defaults to
the 2.0 Dolby Stereo audio mix rather than the 5.1 Surround Sound, for
the most part we find the performance to be complete and quite
colorful. A must have for all Cirque du Soleil fans!
Disc Two -- The Special Features
--------------------------------
The second disc is inundated with a variety of bonus features unique
to the Cirque du Soleil DVD experience. For the La Nouba set we are
treated to "In-depth Interviews" with selected cast, a moment with the
"Les Cons," a "Meet the Musicians" featurette, a "La Nouba Photo
Gallery," and a section featuring Cirque du Soleil previews and promos
for various current and upcoming products.
First and foremost, Cirque du Soleil Images has provided an eclectic
array of promos and previews for us to enjoy within this two-disc set.
For example, Cirque poses the question "can amazing be a souvenir?"
within a new 45-second "psychedelic" made-for-television commercial
featuring the cast and crew of La Nouba (though no mention is made of
it's location, ticket availability, or soundtrack CD - a missed
opportunity for cross-promotion), a 30-second Fire Within DVD preview,
a 30-second Solstrom DVD preview (which confirms that Cirque du
Soleil's lackluster variety show will be released onto DVD shortly), a
short blurb about joining Cirque Club (Cirque du Soleil's in-house fan
club -- www.cirqueclub.com) and a very nicely paced montage of the
many Cirque du Soleil productions currently available on DVD through
Columbia/Tristar & Cirque du Soleil Images.
Another option on the bonus disc is the "Photo Gallery", a non-static
array featuring dozens of still-shots from across La Nouba's five-year
existence. Music from Cirque du Soleil's Solarium ("A Tale,"
Chilluminati Mix) plays in time with the images, which cannot be
controlled by your DVD player's remote control. Fans may recognize the
stunning pictorial work of Al Seib, Cirque du Soleil's one-time
photographer, as many of his shots are used in this mix, as well as
other candid shots of cast in performance. Though interestingly
presented, the "Photo Gallery" is one of the weakest special features
in the entire two-disc set.
"Con", fr. Adj -1, Silly, Simple-Minded. -2.n. an amusing character
dressed in white who appears in La Nouba. --- Did you know that the
only direction the original Les Cons were provided by director Franco
Dragone and Guide Guy Laliberte was simply to be stupid all the time?
It's true! You learn this and more in the Les Cons featurette, a
behind-the-scenes look at the four men who become the wackiest,
zaniest characters Cirque du Soleil has ever let roam their stage.
Highlighted here are some of the moments of mischief that did and did
not make the film cut, and a much better understanding about the men
who play them: David Lebel, Pawel Biegaj, Witek Biegaj, and Justin
Osborne.
The meat of the Special Features disc resides in the Meet the
Musicians and In-Depth Interviews section, but we'll have to pick that
up next time. Thus far the La Nouba two-disc set has turned out to be
quite a jem in the Cirque du Soleil Images collection... if you've yet
to pick up this set I highly recommend you do so!
END OF PART ONE
Next Issue: We continue with the Special Features disc, highlighting
the many interviews featured in the Meet the Musicians and In-Depth
Interview sections of the DVD.
=======================================================================
BEHIND THE CURTAIN:
"Who Has What It Takes? (Part 1 of 4)"
By: Keith Johnson & LouAnna Valentine - Seattle, Wash (USA)
=======================================================================
The Audition. Job interview of the entertainment arts. Where years
of training, sweating and pain come together in a burst of creative
energy. And all too often for an artist their hopes are dashed
immediately, in front of a large group of people including the
"winners." Yet they subject themselves to the process again and
again, sometimes with success, more often with failure.
But how better to judge an artists' training, capability, stamina, and
creativity in a physical art than to see it, performed in real time,
live in front of you? The audition is a time-honored tradition of the
entertainment industry, and though it has evolved as performance arts
have evolved, the stress on the candidate has stayed largely the same.
It speaks to the courage of artists that they are willing to
repeatedly subject themselves to the likely potential of rejection.
If you're a different kind of organization, with a different ethic and
mindset, must you continue to use the old audition model? If you're
Cirque du Soleil the answer is a resounding no. Taking advantage of
their desirability by artists looking for opportunities to expand
their creativity, Cirque has, as it has with circus arts, reinvented
the audition model. One that combines the search for technical
excellence with an examination of the artist's inner soul.
When Fascination! started and we began tracking the fannish Internet
network, we quickly found there wasn't a week that went by when there
wasn't a post on Cirque Club or somewhere else that took the form of,
"I'm in (gymnastics, dancing, acting, juggling classes - take your
pick) and one day I want to work for Cirque du Soleil." Or "I want
Cirque du Soleil to be my first job." A lofty goal and worthy of
struggle, but often obvious in those messages was that the writer had
little knowledge of the challenge involved in making it onto a Cirque
stage.
Being the premiere circus company it is many artists would like to be
employed by Cirque. And the numbers illustrate the challenge they
face. Each year, Cirque receives thousands of demo tapes for its many
disciplines (dancing, acting, singing, musicians, acrobatics and
circus arts). Of that number many will come to one of Cirque's
auditions in the hope of becoming part of the larger Cirque du Soleil
family of about 3000 employees' total; of which 720 are artists and
the rest are office employees, technicians, cooks, coaches, etc.
Their ages range from 13 to 72.
Auditions are held in Montreal as well as in various cities around the
world each year. In 2003 there were about a dozen trips for a total
of about 100 days of general auditions. And there can be even more,
especially for specific disciplines. More specialized auditions are
held regularly for acrobatic and circus disciplines.
Cirque's casting FAQ list (at < http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/
CirqueDuSoleil/en/jobs/onstage/specialities/artisfaq >) describes the
audition process this way: "It is a very exciting time for everyone.
Because no one knows what's going to happen, it's like the suspense
before discovering a new world! It's very important for Casting to
meet the artists in person. At auditions, we assess technical
performance, along with artistic potential. We also pay close
attention to the individual's personality. Open-mindedness and
generosity are the key words, and you should be ready to experiment.
Please note that the audition period includes several elimination
processes."
Results of auditions are entered into the expanding Cirque database.
Each artist invited to an audition has a profile with all his or her
personal information in the database. Files are kept on those that
are "chosen" as well as those that are not (you'd need to know why a
person wasn't chosen). There are also QuickTime movies showing the
best parts of their audition. These movies are for casting purposes
only. The entire file can be accessed at any location, so a candidate
from Montreal could be seen by an Artistic Director in Las Vegas.
So what exactly is this unique Cirque du Soleil audition like? What
makes it so different from others? It was this question that we as
Fascination! wanted to explore more deeply. And when it was announced
that Cirque would be holding auditions in Seattle, Washington, we were
quick to ask Corporate Headquarters if we could cover the auditions
for our readers, to give them a better idea of just what it takes to
be a Cirque audition candidate. And we were delighted, and a little
surprised, when they said yes.
But, they advised us, there were some rules for allowing the media to
view auditions. (How exciting for us to finally be considered
"media"!) These had to do with making sure the audition process was
not disturbed by media presence. And no flash photography. No
problem for us!
Friday, April 23rd, 2004
8:40am - A cool dry spring morning in the Emerald City. My wife,
photographer LouAnna Valentine, and I arrive at the football stadium
parking lot at Seattle Center, where remnants of the 1962 Seattle
Worlds Fair have been converted into museums, performance halls, and
open space. Wearing our blue denim Cirque jackets we proceed to the
north side of Center House to find the doors - locked! We knock
loudly and a security guard lets us in, informing us we should have
come to the south side of the building this early in the morning.
Zipping in as the door closes is a young lady in her early 20's with
blond frizzy hair, black exercise shorts and a powder blue top.
Between LouAnna and I we refer to her throughout the day by the city
from which she hails, "Toronto." She had sent her audition tape to
Cirque a year and a half ago when she lived in Alberta, Canada. But
by the time she got her audition callback she had moved to Toronto.
For her it was quite a long and expensive flight. Her sweet
personality and excitement make us root for her throughout the day.
The 4th Floor of Center House is dedicated to offices and low-cost
rehearsal spaces. Theatre 4, where the auditions are to be held, is
hidden behind a thick white fire door, and down a long narrow hallway
with brickwork on one side and pipes overhead. To us it looks so
stark that we don't think anyone would ever come here to see a
performance, though it is touted as a performance space. But it looks
like a place for work, not for show.
Others arrive slowly. Soon after we arrive an Asian lady from LA
appears, as well as a lady from Phoenix (whose feet, with calluses and
a sore, bear the marks of a dancer). Conversation is more camaraderie
than competition or psyching out. They all stretch, contorting their
legs and bodies into incredible pretzel shapes; impossible positions
most people could never achieve but which they do as a simple part of
warming up.
9:20am - People keep arriving. Yet nobody from Cirque, they are now
20 minutes late. The chatter level rises; the natives are getting
restless. There are 13 people now - 5 men, 8 women. They have
survived the first day of auditions, which started with 27 people -
more than half of whom were cut.
9:31am - A man in his early 20's, wearing jeans and a polo shirt with
a lanyard hanging from his neck comes down the hallway from one of the
business offices to use the restroom. He looks at the group with a
bemused expression; he's seen this many times before.
9:35am - The Cirque audition team finally arrives. A tall man in his
late 30's instantly spots us as the reporting team from Fascination! -
we are the only ones not wearing tight fabrics and stretching. This
is Richard Dagenais, who welcomes us into the audition room and helps
us set up.
Theatre 4 is a sparse room about 60 feet deep and 30 feet wide with
windows high along the wall to our right and full-length mirrors on
the wall to our left. Curtains that allow the room to become totally
dark hang on both walls. The floor is littered with strips of gaffers
tape. Stage lights and speakers dot the ceiling. This room has been
well used.
A small room behind the near wall has an elevated platform where the
tech crew sits. The lighting console and sound equipment are here as
well as a long plywood table and some stools. A window of glass
separates the platform from the rehearsal space. It is from here we
will watch the day unfold. LouAnna sets herself on a box with her
camera; she will use this vantage point to take pictures. I set up my
note-taking equipment to her left. Richard, to my left, operates the
sound and light equipment and helpfully answers our many questions.
We are introduced to the members of the Cirque audition team:
Richard Dagenais - Head of Auditions and Logistics, Casting
Charles St-Onge - Audition Coordinator
Anne-Marie Duchène - Artistic Scout
Charmaine Hunter - Dance Evaluator
Charmaine is a free-lance external evaluator based in Las Vegas. Her
role is to run the dance part of the audition, show choreography and
judge the candidates' technical ability. She can tell Anne-Marie if a
candidate has good technique or weaknesses. "She's wonderful and
great for the artists," says Richard, "It's very easy to work with
Charmaine with her openness and expertise."
Anne-Marie is also a dancer, in her role as Artistic Scout she knows
the profiles of all the shows and what Cirque is looking for. She
will be running the afternoon session.
As Audition Coordinator, Charles deals with the logistics of the
auditions, from welcoming the candidates to renting the hall to
booking hotel rooms, as well as running the camera and sound/light
systems. He's been with Cirque for four years and comes from a ballet
jazz dance background.
And Richard? "I supervise the auditions and all the logistics for
casting in all its various aspects. I need to look at the audition
process every once in a while, analyze how we do it as a whole. See
if it's still valid, if it still works, see if there are things we can
improve or add. I attend the auditions in Montreal and at least once
a year I try to go on a trip with an audition team. This year
Seattle, last year I was in Berlin and New York." In Montreal,
Richard supervises nine people. Casting has grown a lot. When he
first joined Cirque there were about 18 in the department, there are
now 37.
Richard started his career as a dancer for the Royal Winnipeg Ballet,
and was there for 10 years. Upon finishing his dance career he went
to work for Canadian Actors Equity in contract negotiation and as a
union rep. After being away from his hometown of Montreal for 18
years he was looking for an opportunity to be back with his family
when a contract negotiator position opened in Cirque casting. In the
department he was involved in contracts for the artists on several
productions. Now 40 and married, he lives in a Montreal condo with
his wife, a popular yoga/Pilates teacher, and counts photography and
being a Big Brother as among his interests.
The candidates pin numbers to their outfits. The numbers don't have
any sort of order to them, just three digits with "Cirque du Soleil"
across the top. The audition team sets up on the far side of the
room, facing us. Anne-Marie opens a laptop and begins to tap away.
Charles sets up a video camera on a tripod; most everything this day
will be recorded. Charmaine waits and watches. Richard hops onto the
technical platform and prepares the sound/light equipment, which he
will control for Charles all day. He will lead us step-by-step
through this second day of the dance audition process. Having arrived
three days ago, they will be auditioning dancers, actors, singers and
musicians during their two-week stay in Seattle.
"Auditions are one of the first ambassadors of Cirque du Soleil,"
explains Richard. "We (auditions) are the first contact artists have
with Cirque. Even [though there are] scouts that go to festivals and
shake their hand and make contact with a lot of them, this is really
the first Cirque du Soleil experience they have. So it's important
that the process be an interesting and positive one for them, because
they will leave with that impression."
"[Artists] discover a lot during our auditions. They have probably
never been asked to do these kinds of things. So they learn and a lot
of times surpass themselves, they will go beyond their limit and
discover new aspects of their talents. So far we've had very good
feedback and they love our auditions. Sometimes they want to come
back just because they love the process."
But wouldn't a more traditional "cattle call" casting process bring a
wider variety of talent? "We don't want hundreds and hundreds of
people to come in. We'd rather work with a smaller group of people
and go into very specific things. Our auditions are different from
any other audition. We want to go further with them, to see how far
they can go. Because all of them have something. They've come a long
way just by getting to this point. We like to treat everyone with
respect. And we want them to have fun and learn something, because
the artists that we do not select could potentially be selected during
the next audition they attend."
"It's not like a Broadway audition where they show choreography, the
director is there, and people are chosen on the spot. We try to make
[the selection process] as simple as possible, considering that we
don't have the artistic director with us. If you look at a ballet
company or Broadway show the artistic director of the show is at the
audition table. He makes the cuts, he makes the decisions. So people
that are picked at the end of the audition are the artistic directors'
choice. With us, we have to be [the artistic director's] eyes and
ears. The reason we videotape everything is to be able to show these
images to the Artistic Directors or the Creators in order for them to
decide who they want in their show."
Of course, along with the joy of telling a candidate they have been
chosen to be part of the database, there is the sad job of
disappointing those who aren't chosen? "It's part of the process. We
try and do it as respectfully as possible and give them a little bit
of feedback. We try to open the door for them to write us if they
want more feedback about the audition and why they weren't picked. If
we give someone specific corrections, in two years they may come back
and impress us. And eventually they might end up on our stage. It
makes good business sense for us, and they leave with a good feeling.
They leave the audition and they have a smile on their face even
though they may not have been selected. And they've learned
something."
Anne-Marie agrees. "Very quickly, especially in the audition process,
if people aren't prepared, we know right away. If they choose to
accept [our feedback] and accept that they didn't prepare, it's all
good. It's a learning experience, they're going to go back and get
all their tools and create a really solid foundation, a great toolbox,
and in another year they're going to re-apply. And they're going to
remember that scouts name because they're going to call him/her. We
scout for new artists but at the same time we have a precious database
of artists that we go back and review. We know that if they've
already auditioned for us there's a maturity, knowledge, an acceptance
that they know, "I'm going to get my booty kicked, but it's worth it."
Can the pressure of an audition really show a scout an artist's true
personality? "Auditions are nerve racking," Richard admits. "And
sometimes an artist isn't at his best because of his nerves. We try
to get them to forget they're in an audition and feel relaxed. The
more comfortable they are the more they'll let go and the more we'll
see who they really are, what they can do, what they have to offer.
So the more comfortable we make them, the better it is and the better
results we get."
"We don't look for "cookie cutter" type of artists. We like the fact
that they're different, that they have personality and quirkiness,
little "weird" things that they do. We ask them, "Is there anything
you do that is different?"
What's the most fun about going to an audition? "Contact with the
artists. There is openness when they come to our audition that is fun
to see. Singers for example: sometimes somebody comes to the studio
and touches you with their voice and their choice of songs and you're
almost in tears; it's wonderful."
So what exactly is Cirque du Soleil looking for in an artist? "We're
looking for talent, of course. And we have specific things because we
have specific profiles for each of our characters, so sometimes there
are height and look requirements. There's a fullness to an artist
that we're looking for which includes talent, maturity, openness, and
experience. Sometimes, especially with acrobats, we get lots of
competitive experience but they've never stepped on stage before. But
they're incredibly talented as gymnasts. That's why we have general
training for acrobats every year so we can teach them a little bit of
how to be an artist Cirque du Soleil style and what it's like to be in
front of an audience. We try, in the short amount of time we have to
work with them, to make them a more complete performer."
The Cirque casting website is also to-the-point: "We want to get to
know dancers of every background and origin. Avant-garde, new dance,
solo creators, performers... the basic requirement is technical
mastery. The pace of 8 to 10 shows a week requires sustained
commitment and self-discipline."
While positions for circus acts and acrobats might be obvious in their
needs, dancers and actors are less so. Where does Cirque utilize
dancers, we asked Richard. "The dancers in our shows are characters.
In Mystère for example, we have Green Lizards, the Black Widow, the
Bird of Prey, and the Beauty Queen. They are all dancers, but they
all have their own character to play in the story. We also have some
pure characters that could be played by a dancer. Eugen in "O", is
played by an actor, but could potentially be done by a dancer. Target
in Quidam is presently played by a dancer."
END OF PART ONE
Next Issue: The audition begins, and we discuss how Cirque handles
auditions for its many disciplines
=======================================================================
THE CIRQUE CONNECTION:
"Early Reviews of 'The Bar at the End of the Earth'"
By: Keith Johnson - Seattle, Washington (USA)
=======================================================================
When Cirque du Soleil first announced its collaboration with Celebrity
cruises, Cirque fans weren't surprised. CEO Guy Laliberte had often
talked about expanding the Cirque "ethos" and style to other forms of
entertainment. Cirque hotels and restaurants were early ideas, and
the corporate-oriented "Tapis Rouge VIP Experience" tent has become a
profitable mainstay of the touring shows. So it was really no stretch
when Cirque announced that it would install "themed experiences" in
two of Celebrity's Millennium-class cruise ships, Constellation and
Summit.
Celebrity Cruises is, as one might suspect, an upscale, premium cruise
line. Though they go to the same ports of call as many other cruise
ships, their cruises tend to be more luxurious and tend to attract a
more mature, monied crowd.
Fortunately for Cirque fans who might want to take these cruises,
cruise ships don't always sail out of the same port. They migrate
from locale to locale, following the cruise "season" around the globe.
The Constellation, for example, will cruise the Caribbean before
sailing off to Europe for several months, sailing back later in the
summer for some New England cruises before sailing back out of the
Caribbean again. The Summit also cruises the Caribbean, before
cruising through the Panama Canal to work its way up the coast,
spending the summer plying the lucrative Alaska tourist lanes. So if
you aren't in the continental U.S., or if you don't want a Caribbean
cruise, there are some other options available that would still allow
you to take a "Cirque-equipped" cruise.
Here at the Fascination! World Headquarters, our intense desire to
furnish you with all the latest happening in the Cirque-verse ran
straight up against economic reality. We just didn't have the money
to book passage on the inaugural cruise this past November on
Constellation (Summit will be retro-fitted by Cirque during drydock in
January, and should be up and running with mid-March cruises). But
that doesn't mean we can't pass along some reviews, even if we
ourselves didn't write them.
Cruise review site cruisecritic.com is a large site with tons of
member reviews of almost every cruise ship out there. We've excerpted
reviews from the November inaugural cruise and present them below.
We've confirmed with Celebrity, that the bar will open and operating
every night of every cruise - no "dark" nights or cruises. Evidently,
one of the things we weren't aware of (it isn't explicitly mentioned
in the publicity materials) was the intent to charge $30.00 per person
for a "Masquerade Ball" event on one of the nights. Whether this
continues as a separate ticketed event remains to be seen - from the
reviews it looks like the extra ticket charge wasn't well received,
and our source at Celebrity suggests it may be dropped, though they
aren't ready to commit to that yet.
We'll build up here from small reviews to a quite cogent detailed
report by a man who goes by "efschlenk". We believe, as these reviews
suggest and as has been typical Cirque history, that the concept will
only get more refined as time passes. But for now, have a look at
their first efforts, in the words of passengers!
Wile 1170:
"As a bar experience, it was amazing. [It] touched all the senses.
[There was] always something to look at or going on. [The] characters
got more interactive with guests throughout the voyage. [The] drinks
were a little overpriced, but it's worth the experience. [The]
Masquerade Ball needs much improvement. As of now, it's not worth the
price of admission as it was exactly the same as the nightly
experiences. Celebrity received our feedback and we were part of the
Focus Groups performed by Celebrity Marketing onboard for the voyage.
They listened and immediately started to implement changes to the
experience. In a couple of months, the Masquerade Ball will be
something not to miss on the cruise."
Lois R:
"[We] spent about an hour at the "Bar at the Edge" which was
interesting...However, there were a lot of children and picture taking
which surprised me.
Hair 13:
"Yes, it is an Experience and not a show. If you expect a show, you
will be very disappointed. The disco has been transformed into "The
Bar at the Edge of the Earth."
The look of it? Well it looks like the TV show "Trading Spaces" came
in and decorated it. They have slipcovered the chairs in white and
have lots of material hanging from the ceilings. They have made tents
in back with lounges in them.
The "experience" was like a bad technical rehearsal. I was just not
impressed. We did go to the Masquerade Ball. Yes, we paid the $30
per person and really looked forward to something magical from this.
Well, it was the same "experience" we had for free two nights before.
The only difference was that everyone had on masks and dressed in
white. After being part of a focus group about it, Celebrity and
Cirque did make changes on the last night. It was a lot more fun with
better music and more interaction with the characters. We did get a
refund on the Masquerade Ball [tickets]."
Efschlenk:
"For those who know the Constellation, the big news on this cruise was
that Celebrity launched its new association with the Canadian-based
CIRQUE DU SOLEIL entertainment group, well-known to Americans for its
thrilling combination of acrobatics and new-age artistry seen in
traveling venues across the US and in a permanent home in Las Vegas.
For several years, cruise lines have branded their cuisine with the
names of famous chefs (Michel Roux, Jacques Pepin, et al.). Celebrity
is the first, to my knowledge, to brand part of its onboard activities
with a famous entertainment group. The idea is brilliant, but the
execution is still in flux.
After great expense and much effort, the 11-deck forward lounge on the
Constellation has been converted to the "BAR AT THE END OF THE EARTH."
Rather than presenting its usual acrobatic acts, Cirque du Soleil
emphasizes that this is an "experience" rather than a "performance,"
and they add that it is an experience in evolution. We attended three
times while on the cruise, and noticed it was smoother and more
refined each time, but still seemed a bit cerebral, lacking a story
line or anything one could really relate to or empathize with.
THE LOUNGE has been draped in white muslin and theatrical scrims so
that laser light shows can be reflected off of almost all surfaces.
The bar has been retained, but now has something of an "arctic white"
appearance. The perimeter seating has been replaced by curtained
platforms with cushions (which may be a problem in Alaska or Norway,
where these seats are prime nature-viewing locations). The remaining
seating has been draped with white linen covers. The stage and dance
area have also been curtained with moveable scrims that show projected
images relating to the "characters" which appear and disappear over
the course of an evening. We were told by another passenger that the
investment in décor alone was more than $1 million US.
The lounge features several imaginary (symbolic?) CHARACTERS, each
with an elaborate and ingeniously lit costume (one looks like a sea
anemone, one a mushroom, one an intestinal parasite, one.... well, you
get the picture). Each appears from behind the scrim, dancing and
relating to the images on the scrim and the synchronous new-age music.
The characters are not recognizable (to me at least) as anything from
literature, history, or even the natural world. There is no real
narrative associated with any of the characters - again, this is an
"atmosphere" or "happening" and not a story or performance in the
usual sense. The effect is something like [the alien] bar in Star
Wars.
This still is a bar, and drinks are served by an agile and (of course)
gracious Celebrity staff dressed in Ewok-style hooded brown costumes.
As usual, smoking is allowed on the port side (including the bar
area), so you may wish to choose your seating accordingly. The music
is very loud (as on all cruise ship venues, not just Celebrity's.
The first night of the cruise, the BAR AT THE EDGE OF THE EARTH was
open only to the cruise line representatives for the launch. The
second night there was a free preview for Captain's Club cruisers, and
one night there was a "masquerade party" at which those purchasing
tickets ($30 per person, mask included, bookable in advance by your
travel agent) were requested to wear white and were provided with
masks (left in your stateroom or selected at the new CdS shop
onboard). Most cruisers were elegantly clad in white, but one
iconoclastic cruiser wore his bathrobe - the essence of "thinking
outside the box" when good manners generally preclude wearing one's
bathrobe outside the stateroom.
I believe that in the future the CdS lounge experience will be free.
Each visit we made was essentially the same format, so attending a
masked (ticketed) showing is not necessary.
What was the RECEPTION OF THE WHOLE CdS VENTURE by the cruisers?
Well, there was surprisingly little discussion of it (no buzz) by our
fellow cruisers after the event (except for one elite-category
Captain's Club lady who wanted her money back because she bought a
ticket and was also given a masquerade ticket free). At the end of
the cruise, all masquerade tickets were refunded.
MY IMPRESSION is that CdS is best known and loved for its acrobatics,
and its "atmospherics" when viewed alone are too artsy-fartsy for most
Americans, many of whom have unfortunately been "Disneyfied" into
homogeneity.
I think Celebrity was a generous host and investor in the project,
which is brilliant in concept, but I think that CdS fell short in the
product it has provided so far. I say "so far" because I think that
the product can be rescued by doing some re-programming. I think most
audiences want something they can relate to - preferably a story with
a beginning, middle, and end. In this case, real inspiration might be
found in the delightful and awe-inspiring lectures of the ship's
oceanographic lecturer who demonstrated that nothing exceeds the
beauty and ingenuity of the natural world. Why not base the CdS
experience on creatures of the sea? It does not have to be dumbed
down to a Little Mermaid or SpongeBob Squarepants, but should have
something an audience can relate too.
Perhaps it did not help that the CdS "family" on board this cruise was
quite large, and although friendly, they seemed to be a bit self-
indulgent both on and off stage. Ironically, the one awesome CdS
experience was provided by their sole female gymnast/acrobat/adagio
dancer who gave a short performance with recognizable CdS style a few
times during the cruise. We shall see what the future brings to the
Celebrity/Cirque du Soleil marriage. In the meantime, see it and judge
for yourself."
From the sounds of it, I don't believe any of these reviewers have
ever experienced Tapis Rouge at a traveling show. It seems Cirque has
taken the foundation of the Tapis Rouge experience and applied it to a
cruise ship bar. Once they've gone through "cementing the work"
(making tweaks) I'm sure the "Bar at the End of the Earth" will become
an interesting addition to a Celebrity Cruise.
And if we can somewhere find the money to afford one of these cruises,
we'll report on it first-hand!
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PARTING QUOTE
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"Make up is a reflection of the character's soul..."
-- Nathalie Gagné, Make-Up Designer on KÀ
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COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER
=======================================================================
"Fascination!" is Ricky Russo, Keith Johnson, and Wayne Leung.
"Fascination! Newsletter" is a concept by Ricky Russo. Copyright (c)
2001-2005 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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