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