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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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VOLUME 8, NUMBER 1 JAN/FEB 2008 ISSUE #57e
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Bonjour et bienvenue! Welcome to another exciting edition of
Fascination!, the Unofficial Cirque du Soleil Newsletter.
We have a wonderfully packed issue in store for you and
cant wait to share it with you. As always, inside we have all the
latest news and sightings posted to Fascination! Web throughout the
months of January and February; however, this month we also have some
great exclusive-to-issue features, which have not yet been posted or
published anywhere!
For those features, Keith Johnson explores the numbers behind
Deliriums 6th place boxoffice ranking (again) for 2007, explaining to
us just how it got there. And in an issue-exclusive piece, he dives
into «O» and uncovers the secrets of its curtain (and much more!). And
Ricky Russo explores the three newly-released documentary DVDs from
Cirque du Soleil: "FLOW: A tribute to the Aritsts of O", "The
Mystery of Mystère" and "A Thrilling Ride through Koozå", as well as,
telling all about his trip to Monterrey, Mexico for Quidam! And thats
not all! From our Archives we have "From One Dream to Another" a
wonderful review of Quidam written by T. Clay Buck and published in
our March 2002 issue.
Be sure to check out the Itinerary section for any last-minute changes
to tour stops and extensions - especially the new information
pertaining to 2008 dark dates for all resident productions!
I also invite you to visit our website for the latest news, rumors and
information about Cirque du Soleil. What you're reading here is only a
collection of what was posted daily on the Fascination website for a
specific period of time (in this case July, August and September.)
For more current information about Cirque du Soleil's activities,
please visit < www.cirquefascination.com >.
And if you're interested in having our daily postings sent directly to
you, don't hesitate to take advantage of our Really Simple Syndication
(RSS) feed! Simply use the following URI with your favorite email/news
program: < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?feed=rss2 >.
- Ricky "Richasi" Russo
===========
CONTENTS
===========
o) Cirque Buzz -- News, Rumours & Sightings
o) Compartments -- Information on Tour and Behind the Curtain
* Itinéraire -- Tour/Show Information
* Historia -- Cirque du Soleil's History
o) Fascination! Features
*) "Delirium Ranks Near the Top(Again), Sort Of(Again)"
By: Keith Johnson - Seattle, Washington (USA)
*) "FLOW: The Thrilling MYSTERY of Koozå"
By: Ricky Russo - Orlando, Florida (USA)
*) "Secrets of the «O» Curtain"
By: Keith Johnson - Seattle, Washington (USA)
*) "Bienvenidos a Mèxico - Quidam in Monterrey"
By: Ricky Russo - Orlando, Florida (USA)
*) "Backstage @ Cirque with SWA's Spirit Magazine" [EXPANDED]
By: Sarah Max, Soutwest Airlines Spirit Magazine
o) From the Fascination! Archives...
*) "From One Dream to Another - Quidam"
By: T. Clay Buck
{Originally Published: Issue #7 - March 2002}
o) Copyright & Disclaimer
=======================================================================
CIRQUE BUZZ -- NEWS, RUMOURS & SIGHTINGS
=======================================================================
CirqueFAQ v3.1.0 Now Available!
{Jan.01.2008}
------------------------------------------
An update to CirqueFAQ is now available.
In this update: New show information has been added, information
pertaining to Singles, music heard on Fire Within and Delirium
Vinyl releases. Also a re-arrangement of sections and general
clean up. Next edition Feb.01.2008!
You can find the new version of the FAQ at the following link:
CirqueFAQ v3.1.0 - http://www.richasi.com/Cirque/soleil.txt
Stats:
o) No. of Pages: 74
o) File Size: 162,587bytes (159k)
o) v3.1.0 - Jan.01.2008
New Compendium Issues Available
{Jan.03.2008}
------------------------------------------
Over the past few days weve worked very hard to bring the
Fascination Newsletter archives up to date by compiling all the
news and other posts here since April 2007 and Id like to
announce that theyre all now available!:
MAY/JUN -- http://www.cirquefascination.com/Issues/issue53.txt
JUL/AUG -- http://www.cirquefascination.com/Issues/issue54.txt
SEP/OCT -- http://www.cirquefascination.com/Issues/issue55.txt
NOV/DEC -- http://www.cirquefascination.com/Issues/issue56.txt
And inside those four issues we have some exciting new content!
Our MAY/JUN issue features a fun interview with those fabulous
ladies of the trapeze, the Steben Sisters. Read what they had to
say about creating their act, life in the circus, and what
inspires them. And JUL/AUG has an interview with John-Paul
Gasparreli, one-time musical director for "O". This articulate
man had some interesting things to say about the music industry
and what it means to be a "working musician". "Six Thousand
Fifty-Seven" from SEP/OCT has a first-hand account of what it
was like playing POPPA at Mystère during CirqueCon 2006 in Las
Vegas. And our current issue, NOV/DEC, explores La Nouba
incorporating texts written or sampled for the CirqueCon 2007
Orlando event guide.
Weve been busy (even though we havent been noisy).
Heres a list of Featured Articles waiting for you inside those
new issues - dont missem!
From May/June:
* "Steben Sisters Interview for Fascination!"
By: Keith Johnson - Seattle, Washington (USA)
Read it Direct: http://www.cirquefascination.com/?p=519
From Jul/Aug:
* "The John-Paul Interview"
By: Keith Johnson - Seattle, Washington (USA)
Read it Direct: http://www.cirquefascination.com/?p=517
From Sep/Oct:
* "So, Whats Next?: Upcoming Cirque Shows"
By: Ricky Russo - Orlando, Florida (USA)
Read it Direct: http://www.cirquefascination.com/?p=465
* "Six Thousand Fifty-Seven"
By: Rich Alford - Bothel, Washington (USA)
Read it Direct: http://www.cirquefascination.com/?p=516
From Nov/Dec:
* "A Penny for Your Thoughts (A Survey)!"
By: Keith Johnson - Seattle, Washington (USA)
Read it Direct: http://www.cirquefascination.com/?p=462
* "Faire La Nouba!" (CirqueCon 2007)
By: Ricky Russo - Orlando, Florida (USA)
Read it Direct: http://www.cirquefascination.com/?p=505
* "Performance Space: La Nouba" (CirqueCon 2007)
By: Ricky Russo - Orlando, Florida (USA)
Read it Direct: http://www.cirquefascination.com/?p=506
Wintuk: Cirque by the Numbers?
{Jan.04.2008}
------------------------------------------
APP.com is running a review this morning of Cirque du Soleils
WINTUK, which will wrap up its first season at the WAMU Theater
at Madison Square Garden in New York City this weekend. The
review was not favorable, citing it did not live up to Cirques
usually high standards:
"Everything here is but a shell of the usual Cirque du Soleil
whimsical spirit and creativity. This is not an experience that
will take your breath away or make you gasp in amazement at the
beauty of it all. [...] That whole aspect of wondering "How did
they do that?" is missing here."
{SOURCE: APP.com}
A Couple New Cirque Books
{Jan.04.2008}
------------------------------------------
This morning we were browsing around and noticed that Amazon.com
had a couple of new books on Cirque du Soleil listed that I was
previously unaware of, these are: "The Best of Cirque du Soleil:
Piano/Vocal/Chords" and "The Cirque du Soleil Sticker Book".
What are these about?
"The Best of Cirque du Soleil: Piano/Vocal/Chords"
Arranged For Piano & Guitar With Chords & Chord Frames. 20
selections from various Cirque Du Soleil productions. Also
includes 4 pages of full color photographs designed by Cirque Du
Soleil. A must for all fans! Contents: O, Pageant, Mio Bello
Bello Amore, Kunya Sobe, If I Could Reach Your Heart, Love Dance,
Nostalgie, Liama, LInnocent, Querer, Alegria , Pokinoi ,
Triangle Tango, Kumbalawe, Quidam, Ombra, Gamelan, Let Me Fall,
Alone, Time Flies .
Editor: Alfred Publishing
Paperback: 120 Pages
Dimensions (in): 11.7 x 9.4 x 0.4
Dimensions (cm): 29.7 x 23.9 x 1
Publisher: Alfred Publishing Company, July.26.2007
ISBN-10: 07-3904-786-8
ISBN-13: 978-07-3904-786-6
SRP: $19.95 CDN
LINK: Check it out here:
< http://www.amazon.com/Cirque-Du-Soleil-Collection-
Songbook/dp/0739047868 >
"The Cirque du Soleil Sticker Book"
This book is not yet released but looks to be your typical run-
of-the-mill sticker book and at present does not appear to be
getting a US release.
Author: Dorling Kindersley
Paperback: 16 Pages
Dimensions (cm): 27.9 x 21.6 x 0.2
Publisher: Dorling Kindersley Ltd.
Release Dates: Mar.25.2008 (CAN) / May.2008 (UK)
ISBN-10: 07-5663-806-2
ISBN-13: 978-07-5663-806-1
SRP: $7.99 CDN
LINK: Check it out here:
< http://www.amazon.ca/Cirque-Du-Soleil-Sticker-
Book/dp/0756638062/ref=sr_1_23?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1199419358&
sr=1-23 >
How Cirque Deals with a Star
{Jan.08.2008}
------------------------------------------
While creating their first show that depends on a living "star,"
(Criss Angel in this case) Cirque has its bases covered.
According to Norm Clark in the Las Vegas Review-Journal:
"Cirque du Soleil has taken out a huge insurance policy to cover
its first headliner, illusionist Criss Angel. Vegas Confidential
has also learned that Cirque is working on a Plan B in the event
that the "Mindfreak" star was not able to carry out his
commitment to do 4,000 performances in the $100 million
production at Luxor over the next 10 years. The show is to open
in late July."
Late July? If you check out the Criss Angel "countdown clock" at
www.crissangel.com, it shows a "zero hour" date of September 30.
Hmmm.
"It will be a big year for Angel, who has a role in a film
version of the Depression-era comic strip Mandrake the M
agician. Angel was originally set to play Mandrake before
Jonathan Rhys-Meyers was signed for the role. The Irish actor
played Elvis in the 2005 CBS miniseries Elvis.
{ SOURCE: Las Vegas Review-Journal }
Corteo celebrates 1000
{Jan.18.2008}
------------------------------------------
On Sunday, January 20, 2008, Cirque du Soleils Corteo will
celebrate its 1,000th funeral, er, we mean performance, under
the Grand Chapiteau. Happy 1000th Corteo!
CirqueCon 2008: Tokyo! Announces a date
{Jan.18.2008}
------------------------------------------
CirqueCon 2008: Tokyo! is pleased to announce our dates.
WHEN ARE WE GOING? - Our weekend is from Thursday, November 6,
2008 to Sunday, November 9, 2008.
OUR "OFFICIAL" SHOW? - Will be on Friday, November 7, starting
at 7:30pm (1930h).
WHAT ARE WE DOING? - Visiting Japan!! Tokyo Disneyland and
DisneySea!! A new resident Cirque show!! Gathering with old and
new friends in a far-away place! Who knows, we might even have
some "Cirque-sponsored activities" - you never know.
HOW MUCH WILL IT COST? - Memberships are $20.00 ($21.00 PayPal).
A note on vacation budgeting is on our FAQ page.
MAILING LIST? - You can receive all the latest info first by
sending your email address to Tokyo@cirquecon.com.
Up next on our agenda is getting a block of show tickets and
finding some hotel rooms (a theater seating diagram and hotel
candidate info is on our updated website). Ill update this
thread as we get more confirmed.
-Keith Johnson
Part of the CirqueCon 2008: Tokyo! team
www.cirquecon.com
Tokyo@cirquecon.com
CirqueCon 2008 has Tickets!
{Jan.30.2008}
------------------------------------------
Cirque du Soleil has graciously offered CirqueCon 2008: Tokyo!
exclusive tickets for our "Official" show Friday, November 7,
2008 at 7:30pm (1930h):
Category 1, "Section 103?, lower center section-first five rows
- Y17,100, approx. USD$160.00
Category 3, "Section 204?, upper center section in front of the
sound booth, first five rows - Y9,310, approx. USD $87.25
The website has a seating diagram and further details. You must
be a member of CirqueCon 2008: Tokyo! to obtain tickets through
this offer.
-Keith Johnson
Part of the CirqueCon 2008: Tokyo! team
www.cirquecon.com
Tokyo@cirquecon.com
Dralion goes to Australia
{Jan.31.2008}
------------------------------------------
CirqueClub recently sent out an email detailing Dralions next
tour - Its Australia! From their email:
I am very excited to announce that Cirque du Soleil is headed
back to Australia! Get ready to be thrilled by Dralion!
What is Dralion?
Dralion is the fusion of ancient Chinese circus tradition and
the avant-garde approach of Cirque du Soleil. The shows name is
drawn from its two main symbols: the dragon, representing the
East, and the lion, representing the West. Dralion is a dynamic
performance that transcends the boundaries of the imagination
and leads us into a dreamscape with a new and sparkling
perspective....
Australian tour plan
Cities we plan to visit include; Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane,
Perth and Melbourne. Performances begin in Sydney in July under
the Grand Chapiteau. Tickets for our stop in Sydney will be on
sale very soon to Cirque Club members. Be sure to check your
inbox regularly over the coming weeks for your invitation to
beat the crowds and access the best seats available.
Spread the word
In the meantime, help us spread the news about our upcoming
return! Please forward this email to your family, friends and
co-workers. They too can become a Cirque Club member for the
chance to purchase their tickets in advance for Dralion.
DELIRIUM's Final Curtain Call
{Feb.02.2008}
------------------------------------------
Fascination! has been advised that DELIRIUM, Cirque du Soleils
arena musical experiment, will have its final curtain call the
weekend of April 20, 2008 in London, England. DELIRIUM premiered
on January 26, 2006 in Montreal and has visited over 130 cities
in 20 countries on two continents dazzling thousands of
spectators since.
Challenges in finding proper venues to fit DELIRIUMs unique
design were cited as reasons for the decision to end the shows
run.
DELIRIUM is a partnership between Cirque du Soleil and Live
Nation. See our Arena Tour Itinerary schedule for upcoming
cities on this, the final leg of the tour.
LOVE at the Grammy's!
{Feb.08.2008}
------------------------------------------
Cirquesters, tune your televisions to CBS this Sunday to see
Cirque du Soleil perform LIVE at the 50th Annual Grammy Awards.
A specially edited performance of "A Day in the Life" from The
Beatles/Cirque du Soleil LOVE at the Mirage will be presented
followed by a rendition of "Let it Be" from the Beatles-inspired
film "Across the Universe". You wont want to miss it!
Cirque du Soleil, the Martins and The Beatles are up for two
awards for its LOVE album: in "Best Compilation Soundtrack Album
for Motion Picture, Television or other Visual Medium" and "Best
Surround Sound Album."
Check your local listings for channel and times of the 50th
Annual Grammy Awards on CBS!
Cirque WINS 2 Grammy's for LOVE!
{Feb.10.2008}
------------------------------------------
Cirque du Soleil, the Martins and The Beatles won two
awards for its LOVE album: in "Best Compilation Soundtrack Album
for Motion Picture, Television or other Visual Medium" and "Best
Surround Sound Album."
Congratulations!
The Beatles LOVE Cirque du Soleil album beat out the following
nominees:
In the Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture,
Television or other Visual Media) category:
o) Across The Universe
(Various Artists)
T Bone Burnett, Elliot Goldenthal & Teese Gohl,
producers. [Interscope Records]
o) Dreamgirls
(Beyoncé Knowles, Jennifer Hudson & Anika Noni Rose)
Harvey Mason, Jr., Randy Spendlove, Matt Sullivan &
Damon Thomas, producers
[Music World Music/Sony Urban Music/Columbia/Sony Music
Soundtrax]
o) Hairspray
(Various Artists)
Marc Shaiman, producer
[New Line Records]
o) Once
Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova
Glen Hansard, producer
[Canvasback/Columbia/Sony Music Soundtrax]
And in "Best Surround Sound Album" category, LOVE beat out:
o) At War With The Mystics 5.1
The Flaming Lips & Dave Fridmann, surround mix engineers;
The Flaming Lips & Dave Fridmann, surround mastering
engineers; The Flaming Lips & Dave Fridmann, surround
producers (The Flaming Lips)
[Warner Bros.]
o) Fear Of A Blank Planet
Steven Wilson, surround mix engineer; Darcy Proper,
surround mastering engineer; Porcupine Tree, surround
producers (Porcupine Tree)
[Atlantic Records]
o) Grechaninov: Passion Week
John Newton, surround mix engineer; Jonathan Cooper,
surround mastering engineer; Blanton Alspaugh,
surround producer (Charles Bruffy, Kansas City Chorale &
Phoenix Bach Choir)
[Chandos Records]
o) Vaughan Williams: Symphony No. 5; Fantasia On A Theme By
Thomas Tallis; Serenade To Music
Michael Bishop, surround mix engineer; Michael Bishop,
surround mastering engineer; Elaine Martone,
surround producer (Robert Spano & Atlanta Symphony
Orchestra & Chamber Chorus)
[Telarc]
A Few Questions for Marie-Michelle Faber [EXPANDED]
{Feb.11.2008}
------------------------------------------
Recently, Will Carless of the online newspaper "The Voice of San
Diego" sat down to ask a few questions of Marie-Michelle Faber,
chandelier swinger extraordinaire in Cirque du Soleils Corteo,
now appearing under the big-top in San Diego through Sunday,
February 17th. What did he ask?
* * *
Walking into the inner recesses of Cirque du Soleil's blue and
yellow big top is like walking into a cliché. Acrobats are
flinging themselves against trampolines and soaring through the
air. A tiny woman walks past a gigantic man, at least seven feet
tall, who's teaching magic tricks to a group of star-struck
children. Squat, gymnastic men with overdeveloped biceps prop
themselves on parallel bars, swinging and arcing their legs.
Inside the big top itself, Marie-Michelle Faber, wrapped in a
scarf and wooly sweater, perched herself on one of the thousands
of blue seats and answered questions as a sound check threw
clownish noises and circus music into the chilly dome of the
tent.
Faber, who comes from a Quebecoise family of athletes and
performers, is the principal female vocalist and performs an
aerial acrobatics act on three giant chandeliers for Cirque du
Soleil's Corteo show, running at the Del Mar fairgrounds through
Feb. 17. We sat down with her in the big top to ask her about
her diet, her makeup, and whether people ever ask her to swing
from chandeliers at dinner parties.
Q. How long does it take you to put on your makeup for the show?
It depends on the mood I'm in. Usually I take 20-25 minutes,
maximum, because I like to take my time and make really defined
lines and everything. But sometimes, if I'm in a rush, I can do
it in 10 minutes.
Q. Does the whole Cirque du Soleil crew hang out together? Do
you go out and have fun as a group?
There are a lot of people that do that. They do hang out
together but in my job it's very difficult to do that, because I
work physically on the chandeliers and I'm a singer too. I use
my vocal chords and it's very aggressive on my inner ears, so at
the end of the show, whether it's one or two shows a day, I just
shut off. I just go home and rest.
Q. How did you end up in Corteo, what was your career path?
Every path for every artist is very different. In my path, I'm
very happy where I am now. I was on Quidam with Cirque de Soleil
for five years, in and out. I was on an aerial hoop in Quidam. I
did that for a good five years, and then I did the "tissue," the
aerial silk contortion, in Quidam too. That was a solo act, so I
did an improvement, in my view, of coming from a group act to a
solo act. Then I quit that and came here and created a new show
from the start. That was another improvement, then becoming a
singer in the show, I couldn't have asked for better.
Q. So which talent came first, the singing or the gymnastics?
Gymnastics. I started at the age of five. I did that for 12
years. I also did high diving and a lot of coaching and judging
in gymnastics. That was my part-time job. Some people go and
work in McDonalds, but that was what I did, coaching and judging
competitions.
Q. Over the years, you must have hurt yourself, what's been your
worst injury?
I'm very lucky, I knock on my head (she knocks on her head and
then on the floor beneath her seat) I never had a really big
injury. My worst was before stopping gymnastics, my two ankles,
I sprained them, one second-degree and one third-degree sprain,
both at the same time.That was like the end of my career. I was
17. I wasn't out of action because I was so young and, you know,
you just want to go again. I think I was out a good three months
and then I started high-diving because there was less impact on
my ankles.
Q. You must be very careful about what you eat. What's your diet
like?
Cirque de Soleil doesn't have strict rules for us, but I do it
for myself because I want to perform well and sing well. Just
for the singing, it's so important to not take too much milk or
cheese, you know. At the intermission I can't take a cookie, you
know.I don't take butter, I take coconut oil and I drink a lot
of water, I'm always carrying a bottle of water. After the show,
when I come home, I'm often hungry and I try not to eat munchies
at the end of the show.
Q. Besides practicing on the chandeliers, what else do you do to
keep fit, to keep healthy?
The tissue, the aerial silk, because I miss it a lot from
Quidam. Like today, I came here early and I checked the schedule
of everyone, so I didn't interfere with any training, then I
hung my tissue and did an hour. I do a little jogging.
Q. While the show is in San Diego, have you done any surfing?
I would love to, but I have to be careful with my ears, wearing
my earpieces is like wearing an iPod for five hours every day.
Q. If you had to lose either of your talents, either singing or
gymnastics, which one would you chose?
Oh, I can't! No no, no! Oooh, wow, no! Replace something, OK,
but I can't. Well, at the age I am, I'm 29, I know that in a
couple of years or maybe 10 years, I want to give myself another
push physically and I know I have to stop in order to stay
healthy, physically, because overstretching all the time, it can
affect you physically. So I would say, my abilities physically.
Because I can sing all my life.
Q. Are there other performers, other gymnasts that have inspired
you?
My brother. He's with Cirque du Soleil also, with Wintuk, the
new show in New York. He's so multi-talented too. He does the
backup act on the show, where he manipulates a giant cube, and
next year he's going to sing too.
Q. When you meet people at dinner or out with friends, how do
people normally react when you tell them you're in Cirque du
Soleil?
Most of them are like "Oh my gosh! Cirque du Soleil." They're
usually excited and so happy to meet someone from Cirque, it's
like having an interview, they start asking "How did you start?"
And la la la. I like it.
Q. When you are out, do people ever ask you to perform for them?
It's been almost 10 years I've been with Cirque but my parents
will find new things from Cirque and say "Try that." I'm like,
"Can I have a break? I have a week off, come on!"Between the
cities, I just want to rest. It happens sometimes, but now they
are more respectful.
Q. So have you ever been asked to swing from somebody's
chandeliers?
No, because I don't go out very often.
{SOURCE: Voice of SanDiego Online}
LV Residents go Backstage at KÀ!
{Feb.14.2008}
------------------------------------------
According to Mike Weatherford of the Las Vegas Review Journal,
residents of Las Vegas can see Cirque du Soleils KÀ at the MGM-
Grand for a 50% discount... with also a promise of a behind-the-
scenes tour on special dates. Heres what Mike had to say:
"Cirque du Soleils KÀ is offering a locals discount that
throws in backstage tours for good measure. The 50 percent
discount offer is through April 12, with the 5 p.m. tours
offered to the first 50 people who request it on the three
nights its available during the promotional period."
{SOURCE: Las Vegas Review-Journal}
CirqueFAQ v3.2.0 Now Available!
{Jan.15.2008}
------------------------------------------
Another update to CirqueFAQ is now available!
In this update: Information on classic shows has been added (Le
Grand Tour, Le Magie Continue, Cirque Reinvente, Nouvelle
Experience and Fascination), three new book listings, a re-
arrangement of sections and general cleanup, as well as, the
video catalogue numbers and release dates listings. More to
come! Next edition: Apr.01.2008!
You can find the new version of the FAQ at the following link:
CirqueFAQ v3.2.0 - http://www.richasi.com/Cirque/soleil.txt
Stats:
o) No. of Pages: 89
o) File Size: 197,313bytes (192k)
o) v3.2.0 - Feb.15.2008
"Journey of Man" in Atlanta
{Feb.17.2008}
------------------------------------------
Interested in seeing Cirque du Soleils IMAX film "Journey of
Man" on the big screen one more time? You can at Fernbank Museum
of Natural History in Atlanta, Georgia:
Martinis & IMAX presented by Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.,
is offered every Friday evening from January through November
with live music, a full cash bar specializing in martinis,
dinner options, mingling under the worlds largest dinosaurs,
and special IMAX film screenings. The event is offered from
5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. with film screenings on the hour from 6 p.m.
to 10 p.m. On Fridays from February 22nd through March 21st see
"Journey of Man" at 7:00pm and 9:00pm.
{SOURCE: The Weekly Online}
Cirque a Finalist in TZoo Awards
{Feb.22.2008}
------------------------------------------
NEW YORK, Feb 21, 2008 (PrimeNewswire via COMTEX) - Travelzoo
(Nasdaq:TZOO), a global Internet media company, today announced
the finalists for the 2008 Travelzoo Awards. The Travelzoo
Awards, also known as The Tzoos, celebrate the companies
behind the best deals in 20 categories, including airlines,
hotels, vacation companies, cruise agencies, cruise lines, shows
& events, car rentals and destinations.
Best overall provider of show & event deals
* Alan Wasser Associates
* Cirque du Soleil, Las Vegas
* Davenport Theatrical Enterprises
* Situation Marketing
* Wynn Las Vegas
Travelzoo Award finalists will be recognized at the Travelzoo
Awards ceremony on Wednesday, April 9, 2008 at the Fairmont
Chicago. The event is scheduled to take place during TravelCom
2008, which attracts more than 1,000 travel industry
professionals and media. For more information visit
http://www.travelzoo.com/tzoos.
{SOURCE: TravelZoo}
Backstage @ Cirque with SWA's Spirit Magazine
{Feb.22.2008}
----------------------------------------------
Interested in the goings-on behind-the-scenes at Cirque du
Soleils "O" at Bellagio and the cast that works hard to put on
the show night after night after night? Readers of Spirit
Magazine, Southwest Airlines on-board publication, recently
published a 10-page spread by free-lance writer Sarah Max who
had a chance to visit backstage and mingle with the aritsts and
ask them what paths they took to be in one of Cirque du Soleils
signature shows. It is a fabulous peek into the human side of
"O" we sometimes forget about when enjoying the spectacle around
us. Read Sarah's backstage antics in our Features section below.
{SOURCE: Spirit Magazine}
Cirque in Taipei
{Feb.26.2008}
------------------------------------------
According to China Post, an English-speaking newspaper in Taiwan,
Cirque du Soleil will set up its trademark Grand Chapiteau on
the island for the very first time in early 2009. From the
article:
"Canadas globe-trotting circus group "Cirque du Soleil"
finalized an agreement with Taipei City yesterday where its
debut performance in Taipei would take place early next year,
announced Jacques Cartier, vice president of the group. Taipei
has been selected along with South America to see the "Alegria"
show, which is "characterized by its evocative Baroque style"
whose music and drama are exemplified by an expressive mood of
grandeur, "along with a sense of speed coupled with delicate
elegance," said a press release."
{SOURCE: China Post Taiwan}
=======================================================================
COMPARTMENTS -- INFORMATION ON TOUR AND BEHIND THE CURTAIN
=======================================================================
o) ITINÉRAIRE - Tour/Show Information
o) HISTORIA - Cirque du Soleil History
================
ITINÉRAIRE
================
NOTE: The information presented below is for historical purposes only.
For current, up-to-the-moment information on Cirque's whereabouts,
please visit our website < http://www.CirqueFascination.com/ >.
[Touring Shows]
Alegría:
Rio de Janerio, Brazil - Dec 27, 2007 to Jan 27, 2008
Sao Paulo, Brazil - Feb 7, 2008 to May 4, 2008
Porto Alegre, Brazil - May 15, 2008 to Jun 8, 2008
Buenos Aires, Argentina - TBA
Corteo:
San Diego, California -- Jan 11, 2008 to Feb 3, 2008
Portland, Oregon -- Mar 4, 2008 to Apr 13, 2008
Seattle, Washington -- Apr 24, 2008 to May 18, 2008
Vancouver, BC -- Jun 12, 2008 to Jul 6, 2008
Calgary, Alberta -- Jul 31, 2008 to Aug 17, 2008
Ottawa, Ontario -- TBA
Miami, Florida -- TBA (2009)
Tokyo, Japan -- TBA (2009)
Dralion:
Nagoya, Japan -- Oct 31, 2007 to Jan 6, 2008
Tokyo, Japan -- Jan 25, 2008 to Apr 6, 2008
Fukuoka, Japan -- Apr 23, 2008 to Jun 15, 2008
Sydney, Australia -- Jul 17, 2008 to Aug 17, 2008
Canberra, Australia - Opens Oct 23, 2008
Brisbane, Australia - Opens Nov 27, 2008
Perth, Australia - Open Jan 28, 2009
Melbourne, Australia - Opens Apr 9, 2009
Koozå:
San Francisco, California - Nov 16 to Jan 20, 2008
San Jose, California - Jan 31, 2008 to Mar 16, 2008
Hartford, Connecticut - Apr 1, 2008 to Apr 27, 2008
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania - May 8, 2008 to Jun 15, 2008
Chicago, Illinois - Jun 26, 2008 to Jul 27, 2008
Boston, Massachusetts - Sep 5, 2008 to Sep 28, 2008
Quidam:
Mexico City, Mexico - Nov 16, 2007 to Jan 13, 2008
Monterrey, Mexico - Jan 17, 2008 to Feb 10, 2008
Veracruz, Mexico - Feb 27, 2008 to Mar 16, 2008
Lisbon, Portugal - Apr 20, 2008 to May 22, 2008
Màlaga, Spain - Jun 5, 2008 to Jul 13, 2008
Alicante, Spain - Jul 24, 2008 to Aug 31, 2008
Varekai:
London, UK - Jan 6, 2008 to Feb 3, 2008
Amsterdam, NL - Feb 28, 2008 to May 11, 2008
Berlin, Germany - Jun 5, 2008 to Jul 13, 2008
Oberhausen, Germany - Jul 31, 2008 to Sep 14, 2008
Vienna, Austria - Sep 25, 2008 to Oct 26, 2008
[Arena Shows]
Delirium:
Oberhausen, Germany - Feb 1 & 2
Hanover, Germany - Feb 5 & 6
Bremen, Germany - Feb 9 & 10
Stockholm, Sweden - Feb 13 & 14
Turku, Finland - Feb 16 & 17
Zurich, Switzerland - Feb 25 & 26
Budapest, Hungary - Feb 29 & Mar 1
Berlin, Germany - Mar 6
Nurnberg, Germany - Mar 8 & 9
Milan, Italy - Mar 11, 12 & 13
Turin, Italy - Mar 15, 16 & 17
Birmingham, UK - Mar 22 & 23
Liverpool, UK - Mar 25 & 26
Paris, France - Mar 31 & Apr 1, 2
Antwerp, Belgium - Apr 5 & 6
Glasgow, UK - Apr 9 & 10
Belfast, UK - Apr 12
London, UK - Apr 18 & 19
(Delirium will fold in London)
Saltimbanco:
Quebec, Quebec - Jan 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8
Chicoutimi, Quebec - Jan 16, 17, 18 & 19
Detroit, Michigan - Jan 23, 24, 25, 26 & 27
Cleveland, Ohio - Jan 29, 30, 31 & Feb 1
Memphis, Tennessee - Feb 20 & 21
Charlottesville, Virginia - Feb 26, 27, 28, 29 & Mar 1
Little Rock, Arkansas - Mar 4, 5, & 6
Shreveport, Louisiana - Mar 8 & 9
San Antonio, Texas - Mar 12, 13, 14, 15 & 16
Laredo, Texas - Mar 18 & 19
Corpus Christi, Texas - Mar 21 & 22
Wichita, Kansas - Mar 26, 27, 28, 39 & 30
Omaha, Nebraska - Apr 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6
Des Moines, Iowa - Apr 10, 11, 12 & 13
Moline, Illinois - Apr 15, 16, 17 & 18
Cedar Rapids, Iowa - Apr 23, 24, 25, 26 & 27
Alberquerque, New Mexico - May 14, 15, 16 & 17
Boise, Idaho - May 21, 22, 23, 24 & 25
Victoria, BC - May 29, 30, 31 & Jun 1
Kelowana, BC - Jun 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8
Kamloops, BC - Jun 11, 12, 13, 14 & 15
Edmonton, Alberta - Jun 18, 19, 20, 21 & 22
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan - Jun 25, 26, 27, 28 & 29
Regina, Saskatchewan - Jul 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6
Winnipeg, Manatoba - Jul 9, 10, 11, 12 & 13
Toronto, Ontario - Aug 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23 & 24
Hamilton, Ontario - Aug 27, 28, 29, 30 & 31
[Resident Shows]
NOTE: (*) Prices are in United States Dollars (USD) unless otherwise
noted.
(*) Price reflected in brackets [] is inclusive of 10% Las Vegas
Entertainment Tax where applicable, but does not include
Sales Tax.
La Nouba:
Location: Walt Disney World, Orlando (USA)
Performs: Tue through Sat, Dark: Sun/Mon
Two shows Nightly - 6:00pm and 9:00pm
2008 Ticket Prices (adults) / (child 3-9):
o Category 0: $121.41 / $96.92
o Category 1: $105.44 / $84.14
o Category 2: $86.27 / $69.23
o Category 3: $69.23 / $55.38
2008 Dark Dates:
o January 22 to 26
o March 25
o May 20 to 24
o May 27 to 312
o July 29
o September 23 to 27
o November 18
Mystère:
Location: Treasure Island, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Saturday through Wednesday, Dark: Thursday/Friday
Two shows Nightly -
o Saturday: 7:00pm & 9:30pm
o Sunday: 4:30pm & 7:00pm
o Monday - Wednesday: 7:00pm & 9:30pm
2008 Ticket Prices:
o Category 1: $95.00 [$104.50]
o Category 2: $75.00 [$82.50]
o Category 3: $60.00 [$66.00]
2008 Dark Dates:
o January 3 to 18
o February 3
o March 12
o May 1 to 9
o July 9
o September 4 to 12
o November 5
o December 24
"O":
Location: Bellagio, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Wednesday through Sunday, Dark: Monday/Tuesday
Two shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:30pm
2008 Ticket Prices:
o Orchestra: $150.00 [$165.00]
o Loggia: $125.00 [$137.50]
o Balcony: $99.00 [$108.90]
o Limited View: $93.50 [102.85]
2008 Dark Dates:
o February 10
o April 7 to 15
o June 8
o August 11 to 19
o October 12
o December 8 to 23
Zumanity:
Location: New York-New York, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday
Two Shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:30pm
2008 Ticket Prices (18+ Only!):
o Sofas: $129.00 USD [$141.90 USD] (Sold in pairs)
o Seats: $99.00 USD [$108.90 USD] (Lower Orcestra)
O Seats: $79.00 USD [$86.90 USD] (Upper Orchestra)
o Balcony: $69.00 USD [$75.90 USD]
o Stools: $69.00 USD [$75.90 USD]
2008 Dark Dates:
o Feburary 3
o February 19 & 20
o April 6 to 14
o June 9 to 11
o August 3 to 11
o October 14 & 15
o December 1 to 16
KÀ:
Location: MGM Grand, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Fri through Tue, Dark Wed/Thu
Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm
2008 Ticket Prices (adult) / (child 5-12):
NOTE: Category locations change based on Early vs Late Show
o Category 1: $150.00 [$165.00] / $75.00 [$82.50]
o Category 2: $125.00 [$137.50] / $62.50 [$68.75]
o Category 3: $99.00 [$108.90] / $49.50 [$54.45]
o Category 4: $69.00 [$75.90] / $34.50 [$37.95]
2008 Dark Dates
o January 13 to 28
o March 16 to 19
o May 11 to 19
o July 13 to 16
o September 7 to 15
o November 2 to 4
LOVE:
Location: Mirage, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Thursday through Monday, Dark: Tuesday/Wednesday
Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 10:30pm
2008 Ticket Prices:
o Lower Orchestra: $150.00 [$165.00]
o Upper Orchestra: $125.00 [137.50]
o Lower Balcony: $99.00 [$108.80]
o Middle Balcony: $93.50 [$102.85]
o Upper Balcony: $69.00 [$75.90]
2008 Dark Dates:
o February 3 & 4
o February 11
o April 1 to 9
o May 12
o June 12
o July 29 to August 6
o October 9
o December 2 to 17
Wintuk:
Location: Madison Square Garden, New York City (USA)
Performs: Wednesday through Sunday, Dark Monday/Tuesday
Multiple Shows Daily -
Wednesday: 2:00pm, 7:30pm
Thursday: 11:00am, 7:30pm
Friday: 2:00pm, 7:30pm
Saturday: 11:00am, 3:00pm, 7:00pm
Sunday: 11:00am, 3:00pm, 7:00pm
2008 Ticket Prices (adult) / (child 2-12):
Wednesday & Sunday:
o Category 1: $99.00 / $89.55
o Category 2: $65.00 / $59.95
o Category 3: $40.00 / $36.45
Thursday, Friday & Saturday:
o Category 1: $200.00 / $180.45
o Category 2: $110.00 / $99.45
o Category 3: $75.00 / $67.95
o Category 4: $50.00 / $45.45
Information regarding the 2008 season is not yet available.
====================================
HISTORIA: Cirque du Soleil History
====================================
[January]
* Jan.03.2008 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Quebec, QC
* Jan.04.2007 -- Quidam opened Dubai, UAE
* Jan.05.1996 -- Saltimbanco opened London
* Jan.05.1999 -- Alegría opened London
* Jan.05.2006 -- Alegría opened London
* Jan.05.2007 -- Alegría opened London
* Jan.05.2007 -- Varekai opened Auckland, New Zealand
(Asia-Pacific Tour Begins)
* Jan.05.2007 -- REVOLUTION Lounge opens (based on Beatles/LOVE)
* Jan.06.2003 -- Premiere of Fire Within on BRAVO
* Jan.06.2005 -- Saltimbanco opened Manchester
* Jan.06.2005 -- Varekai opened Houston
* Jan.06.2005 -- Dralion opened London
* Jan.06.2008 -- Varekai opened London, UK
* Jan.07.1998 -- Alegría opened London
* Jan.07.1999 -- Saltimbanco Asia-Pacific Tour Began (Sydney)
* Jan.07.2003 -- Saltimbanco Euro Tour II began London
* Jan.07.2003 -- Varekai CD Released in US (BMG/CDS Musique)
* Jan.09.2004 -- Dralion opened London
* Jan.09.2004 -- Alegría opened Miami
* Jan.10.1999 -- Alegría: Le Film showcased in Palm Springs
* Jan.10.2001 -- Alegría opened Auckland, Australia
* Jan.13.2006 -- Saltimbanco opened Mexico City
* Jan.14.1997 -- Quidam CD Released in US (RCA/Victor)
* Jan.16.2003 -- Varekai opened San Jose
* Jan.16.2004 -- Saltimbanco opened Seville
* Jan.16.2004 -- Varekai opened Costa Mesa
* Jan.16.2008 - Saltimbanco Arena opened Chicoutimi, QC
* Jan.17.1999 -- Banquine Act awarded in the 23rd Festival du
Cirque de Monte-Carlo.
* Jan.17.2002 -- Dralion opened Houston, Texas
* Jan.17.2008 -- Quidam opened Monterrey, Mexico
* Jan.19.2006 -- Quidam opened San Diego
* Jan.19.2006 -- Dralion opened Seville
* Jan.19.2006 -- Corteo opened San Jose
* Jan.20.2000 -- Quidam opened Barcelona
* Jan.20.2006 -- Varekai opened Miami
* Jan.20.2008 -- Corteo celebrated 1,000th performance [San Diego, CA]
* Jan.23.2003 -- Alegría opened Dallas
* Jan.23.2008 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Detroit, MI
* Jan.24.1995 -- Alegría opened Costa Mesa
* Jan.24.2007 -- Delirium opened Detroit, MI
* Jan.25.2000 -- Saltimbanco opened Hong Kong
* Jan.25.2008 -- Dralion opened Tokyo
* Jan.26.1991 -- Nouvelle Expérience opened San Diego
* Jan.27.2004 -- Order of Canada bestowed upon Guy Laliberté
* Jan.28.1999 -- La Nouba Premiere Gala (Previews End)
* Jan.29.1997 -- Quidam opened Orange County
* Jan.29.2008 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Cleveland, OH
* Jan.30.1993 -- Saltimbanco opened Costa Mesa
* Jan.31.2007 -- Delirium opened Grand Rapids, MI
* Jan.31.2008 -- Koozå opened San Jose, CA
[February]
* Feb.01.2008 -- Delirium opened Oberhausen, Germany
* Feb.01.2008 -- Announcement that Delirium will fold in London, UK
(April 2008)
* Feb.02.2001 -- La Nouba celebrated 1000th performance [Friday, 6:00pm]
* Feb.03.2000 -- Dralion opened San Francisco, California
* Feb.03.2005 -- KÀ Premiere Gala (Previews End)
* Feb.04.1988 -- Le Cirque Réinventé opened Santa Monica (again)
* Feb.04.2007 -- Cirque du Soleil performs at Super Bowl XLI.
* Feb.05.2007 -- iShares Announces Sponsorship of 2007-2008 US Teams
* Feb.05.2008 -- Delirium opened Hanover, Germany
* Feb.06.2003 -- Dralion opened New Orleans
* Feb.07.2002 -- Quidam opened Miami, Florida
* Feb.07.2003 -- Region 2 DVDs released: Saltimbanco, Quidam, Dralion
* Feb.07.2003 -- Quidam opened Tokyo
* Feb.07.2007 -- Dralion opened Tokyo
* Feb.07.2007 -- Koozå Creative Team Announced
* Feb.07.2007 -- Delirium opened Moline, IL
* Feb.07.2008 -- Alegria opened Sao Paulo
* Feb.08.1996 -- Saltimbanco opened Hambourg
* Feb.09.2001 -- Saltimbanco opened Fukuoka, Japan
* Feb.09.2005 -- Alegría opened Fukuoka, Japan
* Feb.09.2007 -- Corteo opened Dallas
* Feb.09.2007 -- Delirium opened Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN.
* Feb.10.2008 -- Delirium opened Bremen, Germany
* Feb.10.2006 -- Cirque announced/launched Fashion Line
* Feb.10.2008 -- Cirque du Soleil performs "A Day in the Life" from The
Beatles/Cirque du Soleil LOVE at the Mirage at Grammys.
* Feb.10.2008 -- Cirque du Soleil wins 2 Grammys for LOVE album.
- "Best Compilation Soundtrack Album for Motion Picture,
Television or other Visual Medium"
- "Best Surround Sound Album"
* Feb.11.1998 -- Quidam opened Dallas
* Feb.12.2007 -- Cirque & Orange Business Services sign Partnership
* Feb.13.2008 -- Delirium opened Stockholm, Sweden
* Feb.14.2001 -- Dralion opened Miami, Florida
* Feb.14.2002 -- Saltimbanco opened Amsterdam
* Feb.14.2007 -- Delirium opened Fort Wayne, IN
* Feb.15.2005 -- Cirque Music available on iTunes
* Feb.15.2007 -- Cirque Partners with Champ Car race
* Feb.16.2001 -- Quidam opened Manchester
* Feb.16.2008 -- Delirium opened Turku, Finland
* Feb.17.2005 -- Saltimbanco (2005) CD Released (CDS Musique)
* Feb.17.2007 -- Delirium opened Chicago, IL.
* Feb.19.1998 -- Alegría opened Madrid
* Feb.19.2002 -- Quidam Extended CD Released (BMG/CDS Musique)
* Feb.19.2004 -- Alegría opened St. Petersburg
* Feb.20.2007 -- Cimarron gives KÀ new visual style
* Feb.20.2008 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Memphis, TN
* Feb.21.2007 -- CirqueCons 2007 & 2008 Announced
* Feb.21.2007 -- Delirium opened Kansas City, MO
* Feb.22.1991 -- Nouvelle Expérience opened Cosa Mesa
* Feb.22.2000 -- Alegría: Le Film CD Released in US (RCA/Victor)
* Feb.22.2007 -- Alegría opened Barcelona
* Feb.23.2006 -- Alegría opened Milan
* Feb.24.2005 -- Saltimbanco opened Birmingham
* Feb.24.2005 -- Varekai opened Austin
* Feb.24.2007 -- Delirium opened Ames, IA
* Feb.25.1988 -- Le Cirque Réinventé opened Calgary
* Feb.25.2001 -- Quidam opened Manchester
* Feb.25.2008 -- Delirium opened Zurich, Germany
* Feb.26.2003 -- Saltimbanco opened Bilbao
* Feb.26.2008 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Charlottesville, VA
* Feb.27.2005 -- Dralion opened Amsterdam
* Feb.27.2008 -- Quidam opened Veracrux, Mexico
* Feb.28.2000 -- La Nouba celebrated 500th performance [Monday]
* Feb.28.2002 -- Alegría opened Singapore
* Feb.28.2007 -- Delirium opened Green Bay, WI
* Feb.29.2008 -- Varekai opened Amsterdam
* Feb.29.2008 -- Delirium opened Budapest, Hungary
=======================================================================
FASCINATION! FEATURES
=======================================================================
Within...
o) "Delirium Ranks Near the Top (Again), Sort Of (Again)"
By: Keith Johnson - Seattle, Washington (USA)
o) "FLOW: The Thrilling MYSTERY of Koozå"
By: Ricky Russo - Orlando, Florida (USA)
o) "Secrets of the «O» Curtain"
By: Keith Johnson - Seattle, Washington (USA)
o) "Bienvenidos a Mèxico - Quidam in Monterrey"
By: Ricky Russo - Orlando, Florida (USA)
-------------------------------------------------------
"Delirium Ranks Near the Top (Again), Sort Of (Again)"
By: Keith Johnson - Seattle, Washington (USA)
{Jan.14.2008}
-------------------------------------------------------
A year ago, we reported that Cirque du Soleils Delirium had made it
into the Top 10 tours of 2006, as published in the Year-End Charts
issue of Billboard Magazine. And we can say the same this year!
Delirium came in at number six (again), beating out such popular acts
as Aerosmith, Tim McGraw/Faith Hill and the Dave Matthews Band. Their
$59.5 million total gross was only bested by:
1. The Police Reunion, $212.2 million (66 performances, average $114
per ticket)
2. Genesis Reunion, $129 million (46 performances, average $102
per ticket)
3. Justin Timberlake, $126.8 million (106 performances, average $78
per ticket)
4. Kenny Chesney, $71.2 million (55 performances, average $62
per ticket)
5. Rod Stewart, $70 million (56 performances, average $93
per ticket)
6. Delirium, $59.4 million (150 performances, average $87
per ticket).
While this looks impressive, an analysis of the figures presents a
different view. Weve attached the chart as an EXCEL spreadsheet for
you to download and manipulate to your hearts content with our
download here: http://www.cirquefascination.com/newspix/delirium2.xls.
There are many factors that lead to a shows total gross dollars -
number of performances, theater capacity, attendance, and ticket price
being primary. Its in these numbers where Delirium lacks in relation
to the other acts in the Top 25 rankings.
Deliriums total gross is listed at $59,447,450.00 (2006s gross was
$78,529,777). They sold out the next to least number of performances,
at four (2006-two). Though they rank ninth in the number of possible
seats that they could have sold (836,070, 2006-1,356,514), they sold
679,754 (2006-892,714), the lowest percentage (81%, 2006-66%) of
anyone on the chart other than Rush (what, are they still together?).
The average attendance per show was also lowest, at 4,532 (2006-6,157)
per show. Their average gross per show was second lowest, at $396,316
(2006-$541,585); the only act with lower grosses, Trans-Siberian
Orchestra, charged half of Deliriums $87 (2006-$88) average ticket
price.
Then how did Delirium get onto the chart? Hard work! Their total gross
is spread over 150 performances (145 in 2006), far more than anyone
else on the chart except Justin Timberlake (at 106). They played
almost three times as many shows, on average, as any other act. The
most shows at the lowest attendance can still equal high grosses, a
model that seems to work for Cirque and presenter Live Nation.
A further look reveals that the concert business was down in 2007
compared to 2006 (when there were megabuck tours like the Rolling
Stones and Madonna to tip the averages). But it seems Cirque and Live
Nation are now putting Delirium into smaller venues better suited for
the projected attendance. Though they had almost the same amount of
shows, their total capacity went down 40% (while total gross only went
down 32%). And they managed to fill that capacity better, raising
their capacity percentage to 81%, up from 66%.
It might be more fair to rate Delirium against other "special
performance" type shows, such as Cirque Dreams, against which it would
certainly excel on all financial fronts. It is the "odd duck" nature
of Delirium - not quite a regular Cirque du Soleil show, not quite a
musical concert in the traditional sense - that keeps it from fitting
into almost any category.
Heres a review of where Delirium ranks in the standings:
o) Total Gross - 6th (again)
o) Total attendance - 12th (2006-9th)
o) Total capacity available - 9th (2006-3rd)
o) Number of shows - First (again)
o) Number of sellouts - Next to last (2006-Last)
o) Average attendance per show - Last (again)
o) Average capacity per show - Next to last (2006-Last)
o) Average gross per show - Next to last (2006-21st)
o) Average ticket price - 8th (2006-6th)
Check out the figures for yourself with our download here:
< http://www.cirquefascination.com/newspix/delirium2.xls >
-------------------------------------------------------
"FLOW: The Thrilling MYSTERY of Koozå"
By: Ricky Russo - Orlando, Florida (USA)
{Issue Exclusive}
-------------------------------------------------------
It's morning and a small shard of light has prickled across your face,
tempting you to stir from a blissful night's rest. You resist,
snuggled in under a large, fluffy comforter because there's still a
chill in the air. The sun has not had enough time to bring warmth to
the day yet and you'd rather wait it out than face the cold, harsh
reality of a frosty morning.
But then a stray thought wanders into your consciousness... there's
something about this particular morning you've been waiting for.
Slowly your eyes open and focus; blood begins to flow more freely and
your heart begins to beat more strongly. Then it hits you: it's no
ordinary morning, it's Christmas morning! A time for making snowmen,
savoring a big mug of hot cocoa with melted marshmallows and resting
by a warm fire, snuggling into a big, warm sweater and... oh yeah!
Presents!
Off the comforter is thrown and at once you bolt out of bed - cold or
not - and rush downstairs to check under the tree, in your stockings
hanging neatly over the fireplace, and -- well, I don't have a
fireplace here in Florida (or a real tree, or snow for that matter)
but I did find something wonderful in my Stitch stocking this year...
three wonderful somethings. New Cirque du Soleil documentaries on DVD!
In Mid-December, just in time for the Christmas gift season, Cirque du
Soleil released three new exciting behind-the-scenes lookyloos to
their video repertoire: The Mystery of Mystère: When Art and Science
Merge, FLOW: A Tribute to the Artists of "O", and A Thrilling Ride
Through Koozå. Each has their own visual style, storytelling method
and degree of performance footage shown but they do share at least two
things in common: each has colorful, animated menus (featuring
characters from their respective shows) and new cardboard packaging
that is 100% recyclable.
Now, let's unwrap our presents and take a quick peek into these new
documentaries.
-{ THE MYSTERY OF MYSTÈRE }-
UPC -- 4-00005-08747-9
Catalog -- 508747
Video -- 1.78:1 Wide screen
Audio -- English 5.1
Run Time -- Approx 65 Minutes
Directed by -- Sylvie Joanisse & Mario Rouleu
This is a uniquely filmed and presented documentary on Cirque du
Soleil's first resident show, Mystère at Treasure Island in Las Vegas.
In this piece we "meet world renowned anthropologist Philippe Frey,
geneticist David Suzuki, physicist Fred Alan Wolf and astrophysicist
Trinh Xuan Thuan as they boldly explore The Mystery of Mystère through
each of their fascinating and distinctive scientific fields of
expertise."
Mystère is as much a story of the universe (from the dawn of time to
the end of the millennium) as it is a telling of man's journey from
infancy to adulthood, but if you're scratching your head and asking
what scientist's points of view about the universe have to do with a
Cirque du Soleil show you're not alone. And, unfortunately, viewing
the documentary does little to explain the reasons why this particular
approach was taken, for the scientist's contributions do little to
show the causality between Mystère and its creative universe.
Be that as it may, much of the show is on display in glorious
widescreen and this alone makes the disc a must buy for Cirque fans.
Clips with the artists and creators and their wonderful insights into
their roles intermixed with the live music of Mystère is such a
delight. And while the footage is always a treat to see (as this show
has never been filmed for home audiences) the way Cirque du Soleil
went about presenting it is pretentious at best. As the documentary
plays on, the show and its mythology are continuously explored through
seemingly less and less relevant conversational clips from the
scientists, and the meaning of their contributions become more and
more mysterious (read: boring). Discussions about the origin of man
and his relationship to the desert not withstanding, how does
relativity theory and quantum physics concepts relate?
As for the bonus features included on the disc, I find they are also
mixed fare:
o) "Franco Dragone meets the Scientists" (13:33) -- As the title
suggests, Mystère's Director joins the crew poolside at Treasure
Island and an even more banal conversation with these universal
experts ensues.
o) "Food for Thought" (16:00) -- This selection gives the scientists a
chance to voice their concerns about topics foremost on their minds,
while characters from the show interact with the desert backdrop
behind them. While their insights prove to be interesting, discussing
such topics like the air we breathe, death, life and the meaning of
existence, nothing of what the scientists discuss in this feature has
a real connection to the show or Cirque du Soleil itself, so its
inclusion is somewhat strange.
o) "Impressions and Interrogations" (2:37) -- Earlier weve heard from
the scientists about what the mystery of Mystère is, now its time to
hear from the artists who put on the show: why does Mystère remain
popular after all these years? We hear from Brian Dewhurst (Clown),
Florence Gaillard (Dancer), Eligiusz Skoczylas (Chinese Poles), Ashley
Jean Lamb, Vladislav Lissenkov (Korean Plank), Michelle Cronje
(Dancer), Arnaud Bertrand (Dancer), Paul Cameron, and Steel Wallis in
this very short montage.
o) "Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas" (2:30) - Besides the short
Impressions clip, this may be one of the best parts of the disc! For
the first time we are treated to all five official Las Vegas show
promos. Normally these are plastered across large LCD screens at the
airport or in specific locations on MGM-Mirage resort properties, but
for the first time you get to watch them over and over and over again!
o) "FLOW DVD Promo" (1:38) -- A decent sized preview of the FLOW DVD,
the counter-part documentary to this disc.
o) "Join CirqueClub!" (0:30) -- Last, but not least, a small
CirqueClub promo.
In the end perhaps Cirque du Soleil took their avant-garde approach a
little too far. The show footage and interviews with cast and creators
alike were a treat to see, but conversations with scientists over the
mysteries of the universe seemed very much out of place. Perhaps a
return to the proverbial drawing board is in order. And perhaps THAT
is the great Mystery of Mystère.
All in all, the "Mystery of Mystère" receives a B-.
-{ FLOW: A TRIBUTE TO THE ARTISTS OF «O» }-
UPC -- 4-00005-08746-2
Catalog -- 508746
Video -- 1.78:1 wide screen
Audio -- English 5.1
Run Time -- Approx 80 minutes
Directed by -- Oana Suteu Khintirian
The back cover states, "Cirque du Soleil presents FLOW, a poetic
immersion into the Depths of «O» and over the meandering Colorado
River. A metaphorical musing of human presence on the blue planet is
raised as the artists of «O» express and explore the intimacy they
share with the four elements: Fire, Air, Earth and Water."
After sitting through the previous disc, FLOW turned out to be
everything that Mystery of Mystère wasnt - it was funny, artistic,
and most of all entertaining! Drawing a queue from Mystery of Mystère
(submerging the shows characters in real-life settings like the
Colorado River and surrounding desert) but taking it in an entirely
different direction (no scientists!), FLOW takes us on a journey of
discovery: how the water relates to the show and how the show and its
space relate to the water. There are wonderful insights into the
creative aspects of «O» within - quips with creators and artists alike
- as well as beautifully shot scenes from each of the accompanying
acts. This is definitely a must-have for fans of Cirque du Soleil.
The discs bonus features are also equally compelling, once again
setting this disc apart from its "mysterious" counterpart:
o) "Steps below the Surface" (6:09) -- A wonderful birds-eye view (or
is that scuba-eye view?) of the carefully crafted ballet that ensues
below the stage in the depths of the pool. Watch the water change from
blue to red to green as we witness the changes from a point of view
that only a select few have seen... until now.
o) "Water in the Desert" (9:51) -- "Water is the memory of the world
and theater is the expression of memory" and many other insights are
gleaned from this piece, a look into the Creation of «O». We hear from
Director Franco Dragone andDirector of Creation Gilles Ste-Croix, as
they sit pool-side at the Treasure Island and reminisce about creating
Cirque du Soleil's first aquatic show.
o) "Russian Swing" (3:51) -- Complete from beginning to end, see the
entire Russian Swing number as presented in the show!
Last, but not least, two of the same features found on the Mystery of
Mystère DVD: the "Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas" promos and the "Join
CirqueClub!" preview.
Overall, this disc and its accompanying documentary are much more
rounded. While the program does infuse the same style as Mystery of
Mystère, it leaves out the use of scientists to help explain abstract
rules of the universe in attempting to explore the shows theme. The
only complaint we might have about the documentary is the repeated
multi-language voiceover for the word water. Twice really would have
been sufficient.
All in all, "FLOW: A Tribute to the Artists of «O»" receives an A-.
-{ A THRILLING RIDE THROUGH KOOZÅ }-
UPC -- 4-00005-09122-3
Catalog -- 509122
Video -- 1.78:1 wide screen
Audio - English/French 2.0/5.1
Run Time -- Approx 47 minutes
Last, but not least, is this "captivating documentary that looks at
the creative process of Koozå, the latest and critically acclaimed
touring show from Cirque du Soleil."
Koozå whose name is inspired by the Sanskrit word "koza," meaning
"box," "chest" or "treasure," tells the story of a melancholy loner
(The Innocent) in search of his place in the world and through his
search we are taken on a journey through strength, fragility, laughter,
turmoil and harmony.
In this piece, Cirque du Soleil invites us to "embark on a journey
that starts at the humble Beginnings of some of Cirque's creative
pioneers as they share their personal voyage - and a few revealing
anecdotes - that highlight the multiple stages of the creation of a
live show. Meet the clowns and acrobats that bring Koozå to life as
these audacious performers discuss their experience and share a few
insights into this daring acrobatic show - from studio rehearsals to
the big top raising, to the world premiere in Montreal!"
But does it live up to its hype?
Yes! Starting in early 2007 and taking us through to the official
premiere in August, "A Thrilling Ride through Koozå" is everything a
documentary should be and more! We hear from Director David Shiner,
the ideas and thoughts behind what kind of show he was looking to
create (one that brought us back to Cirque roots - thrills, chills and
emotions) and all the work that he put in to conceiving a show of this
caliber. Were taken on the journey the costume, make-up, and set
designers must undergo in order to bring the spectacle to life. We see
the artists as they train for their parts, as well as settle into
every-day Cirque life. And what did Guy think about the show a month
before the first public performance? Watch and see!
There are no bonus features on this disc, but it doesnt need any. The
documentary is perfect all on its own. If youve not seen the brand-
new touring show yet, check out this disc for a nice preview!
I give "A Thrilling Ride Through Koozå" an A+!
Pick up all three new documentaries today at the Cirque du Soleil
Online Boutique. "Mystery of Mystère" and "FLOW" are $25.00 USD each
and "A Thrilling Ride Through Koozå" is $19.00.
-------------------------------------------------------
"Secrets of the «O» Curtain"
By: Keith Johnson - Seattle, Washington (USA)
{Issue Exclusive}
-------------------------------------------------------
Few moments in theater have the power to suck you in as completely as
the opening of Cirque du Soleils "O". From the moment the luscious
red velvet curtain "whooshs" away one is immediately startled and
transported into a wonderful watery world. And if youre like us you
might take a second to wonder, "How did they do that?" before the next
visual treat commands your attention.
Fisher Technical Services of Las Vegas, Nevada
(www.fishertechnical.com) built the apparatus that whisks the curtain
away. The "Fisher" is Scott Fisher, a former Technical Manager for
Ziegfried & Roy who formed his own company which designs and maintains
automation equipment for the entertainment industry, specializing in
winches and flying rigs.
A kind source, whom well call "Mr. E" or just "E," was involved with
the construction of the "O" theater. He started his career with the
Ziegfried & Roy show. This included a relationship with one of the
biggest props in the show, the dragon. "When I first saw the plans
for it, it was absolutely the most incredible piece of lights and
stage automation Id ever seen in my life. Its 20 axis of total
insanity."
The Ziegfried and Roy magic production show at Steve Wynns
groundbreaking Mirage was the first big production-type show to turn
an incredible profit for a casino in both ticket and ancillary revenue.
(Prior to Z&R, the "showroom" of a casino was considered a loss leader
as shows were cheaply priced so as to bring in gamblers.) When the
show originally opened tickets were USD$65.00, which at the time was
thought to be very expensive. But high demand spurred tickets to $80,
$90 and then $100 with no ceasing of demand. It was the success of
The Mirage, and the gambling industry discovering that revenue could
be realized from shows, food, and hotel rooms as well as gambling that
spurred the building of the current crop of "mega resorts" (and the
creation of more Cirque productions!).
Fisher Technical won the contract to create the "O" Curtain winch and
"Comet" and "Aurora" flying winches, which were some of Fishers first
projects. During that time they also supplied water tube/sculptures
for Blue Man Group for its show at the Luxor. (Fishers website,
www.fishertechnical.com , has several cool galleries in their "Past
Projects" section and videos in their "Media" section of their
installations, its worth checking out.)
Part of why Fisher got Cirques business had as much to do with the
quality of their winches as their ability to help Cirque communicate
their technical needs. Owner Scott Fisher is not only a very good
technical designer, but also a very good technical writer, which
requires a specific set of writing skills to specify equipment
correctly.
Consider that an order for a winch might only consist of, "We need 25
winches that go five feet per second and lift 700 pounds." Thats
fine for an initial conversation, but how do you translate that into
language you can then send to contractors so they know exactly what
you want and bid the job correctly? To create a technical
specification much more information is needed. As Mr. E. explained,
you have to be specific. VERY specific. "The shafts have to be this
weight, and have to abide by this standard, and they cant be made out
of this material, and they can only be so noisy, and they cant leak,
and they have to have this type of service factor. There are a whole
slew of technical issues related to how you specify that equipment.
And since all of it is prototype and custom manufactured, you have to
write out the specs every time." And in this Scott Fisher excelled,
which was a talent Cirque needed.
BUILDING BELLAGIO
By the time Bellagio was announced, Cirque had already established
itself as a force on the Las Vegas scene with "Mystère" at the
Treasure Island. "The first room that was as close to a theater as
Vegas has ever had is Mystère," says Mr. E. "The only thing that
prevents it from absolutely being a "theater" with a Capital "T" is
cup holders. My training says theaters dont have cup holders."
(Even that theater had its own set of challenges as it had to have the
control side of its automation system rebuilt when the original turned
out to be a failure.) So it was a foregone conclusion that Cirque du
Soleil would be involved in some way with Steve Wynn and his dream
Bellagio.
And Cirque was thinking big; their original plans were for a Bellagio
theater twice as costly as the theater that exists today. The stage
was twice as big as what eventually got built - you would need four
current stage footprints placed together to equal the original planned
stage size. "It was absolutely, unbelievably huge." The original
capacity of the theater was estimated to be somewhere between 2,000-
2,500 patrons (a bit more than the 1,800 it ended up with).
Those lofty dreams need to be considered in context. Original hotel
plans suggested the resort would sit on a man-made island, with one
huge curved hotel tower and all the back-of-house functions
(housekeeping, kitchens) underground. That plan ran aground, so to
speak, with the same problem many strip hotels face, the Las Vegas
water table. Vegas water table (the distance below the topsoil where
water resides) is very shallow. And just underneath the water table
is very hard bleached rock, called Calishe, which is costly to dig
through. This explains why so many hotels (including the Bellagio)
have a three-wing structure; its easier to support on the ground.
(Wynn was later able to achieve his dream of one curved hotel tower at
his Wynn Las Vegas - evidently resolving the soil issue.)
After the initial hotel plans fell back to Earth everything went
through a re-design, including the Cirque theater. Other than losing
the huge stage, however, theater plans stayed close to their original
design. There was a natural tension between Cirque, who had their
eyes on their creation, and Mirage resorts, who had eyes on what was
practical for the bottom line. "I think that those negotiations were
workable with Steve [Wynn] because Steve has a pretty good vision and
is willing to take that bet," suggests Mr. E.
For the Bellagio project, Cirque would first discuss plans with the
theater consultants, Scéno Plus (www.sceno-plus.com, former Cirque set
designer Michel Cretes group). They would come up with blueprints,
drawings and specifications, which would then go to Mirage Resorts.
Mirage would then give them to the general contractor to build the
theater and supply the automation, rigging, lights, sound, and so on.
"The biggest challenge with the Bellagio theater was simply having to
deal with contractors who are in the theater business [but] who are
not theater people. They do not understand the creative vision. They
are not willing to do whatever it takes to try and reach the goal.
Youre dealing with people who will sell you crap if you let them get
away with it. And theres an awful lot of that that comes in the door
that you just have to deal with."
Though he did not have a lot of interface directly with Cirque staff,
what contact E. had was pleasant. "Theyre always professional.
Theater people are theater people. [Their main goal is] trying to do
what they need to do to meet the designer and director - the creative
teams - vision. Everybody at Cirque that Ive interfaced with,
thats always the goal."
A goal with a few quirks. "Ive sat in meetings [with Cirque] where
people start talking and theyll be some guy who will say, in French,
"Why are we speaking English?" And hes obviously upset that a
meeting has been started in English." (This would be because Mr. E
and his colleagues dont speak French.) "[After being told this]
hell be like, "Oh."
BUILDING WINCHES
An "O" viewers first exposure to the winches provided by Fisher
Technical comes during pre-show animation. The winches that drop
Guifàs object of desire ("Aurora") from the ceiling of the theater
are Fisher creations. They also built the winches that the Comets use
while "flying" from one point on stage to another.
Cirques use of winches to propel artists through the air can be
traced back to earlier "flying man" rigs. As Mr. E. commented, "I
think the genesis for [Cirques use of winches] was the old Vladimir
strap act." Vladimir Kehkaial left "Nouvélle Experience" for a more
lucrative offer from the Stardust Casino, and moved into a starring
role in their production show, "Into the Night". But adapting the act
from the Chapiteau (where he flew over the audience suspended from a
point high at the top of the tent) to the constraining 13-foot limit
of the "Into the Night" showroom ceiling was an insurmountable
challenge. "It was horrible. It was a stupid idea to begin with."
"Vladimir, and some of the other guys that followed, had these winches
they built without safety devices and other things like that. And
Scott [Fisher was one] of the only people who had experience with
higher levels of automation and could build winches that had all the
appropriate kind of safety mechanisms and could perform in a way that
Cirque needed them to. And thats been an ongoing process."
The winch requisition process was a fairly straightforward
conversation. "Theyd say, We need three flying winches. OK, how
much weight do you want to pick up? 250 pounds, 1 person. How
fast? 14 feet per second. OK! And you go do the engineering
and you tell them, This is how much it will cost. And they go, Oh
my God! OK well pay it. And then you go build it."
BUILDING THE "O" CURTAIN
Cirques publicity machine often recounts the difficulties they had
working with water while creating "O." The opening curtain presented
challenges as well. The first curtains were made from expensive china
silk, which only lasted about a week. As Mr. E. explains, "There was
a lot of testing done. That curtain shredded many, many times. [It]
would catch on anything." And in a humorous aside he adds, "Theres
some law of physics that says that if a piece of silk or nylon is
moving faster than a couple of feet per second, it will then be
attracted to any sort of snag-able object." Each time they would test
the effect the curtain would snag or shred and "the costumers would
roll out with their sewing machines and stitch it up."
Trying to get the curtain effect to work, they turned to Fisher
Technical. "The curtain was really [Cirque saying], Heres what we
want. That was then followed by several very good riggers pounding
their heads against it for several months as the show was loaded in,
until it was what you now see."
The custom-built winch that pulls the curtain resides high in the grid
rigging over the stage. Weighing around 500 pounds and about 5 ½ feet
in height, its 8-foot winding drum (with high sides to take up the
curtain) acts as a big sewing spool, powered by a 20-horsepower SEW
EuroDrive induction motor mounted vertically. Once activated by a
technician holding a joystick touch screen, over its six seconds of
"cycle time" (the time it takes the winch to pull the curtain) it
pulls at 15 feet per second.
The curtain itself is nylon, approximately 50 feet high by 100 feet
wide, and light in weight. To the casual observers eye, however, it
looks like luxurious velvet because "its lit exquisitely." Two ropes
from the winch attach to the curtain (which is really two pieces) at
the center. When the signal is given the winch starts pulling, the
hooks at the top of the stage release, and the curtain (and audience)
is swept away. The frequent winching does hurt the curtain and it
occasionally needs to be replaced, but not as often as while it was
under development.
The curtain that appears out of the basket at the end of the show is a
different curtain from the one at the beginning. This, too, presented
challenges, says Mr. E. "You can see all the ropes its attached to,
it was just insane. If its screwed up, its like mis-packing your
parachute, its a total write-off. If you dont get it right, it
doesnt work. You cant just say Stop! and work it all out." So a
special device, called a "Kabuki Release System" was developed for the
curtain to allow it to unroll uniformly and not get tangled in its
ropes.
FINDING THE "MAGIC SPARK"
Mr. Es approach toward the creative process of "O" gave him his most
satisfying Cirque moment. "I worked on the hell that is getting [the
theater] ready to begin rehearsal. And [I stuck around for] just a
bit of the rehearsal process, (starting around May of 1998) making
sure everything was sorted out. Once everything that the hotel was
required to do to give them the gear was done, and they had all their
people brought in, I just very quietly drifted off. Unless I was
needed, I intentionally did not go back into that theater for the rest
of that summer. I really had no idea what they were going to do [with
the equipment]. I knew what it would do, from the standpoint of
speeds and loads and that sort of stuff, but that doesnt speak to
what the show might be. And then I was able to go to opening night
and see the show. And it was absolutely amazing, absolutely
spectacular, to see what they had done with all of that equipment.
And that was the most gratifying experience I had with Cirque."
When Mirage Resorts was bought by MGM a different set of relationships
with vendors and suppliers of equipment came into play, so Fisher
Technical wasnt involved in Cirque shows post-"O". Fisher expanded
to new clients and new challenges, many of which are detailed on their
website. It is they and other suppliers of theatrical technical
equipment that help bring the "magic spark" of creative vision to life
on the stage. But no amount of equipment can create a magical show
like "O" without that special "magic spark."
We asked Mr. E. what provides his greatest challenge. "Not being able
to provide equipment that is a real paintbrush for the director. We
have yet to achieve that mode of allowing the director to just be free
to be spontaneous with the technology. The technology still holds us
back. And so the biggest challenge is really trying to get to that
point. And with anything you do there are always mis-steps and mis-
directions. You have to come back and try again and keep going down
that path. Whether or not well get to that before my natural life is
over I dont know."
What provides his greatest satisfaction? Working on effects that
create that "magic spark." "Remember the illusion of the lady who
transformed into a tiger during the Ziegfried and Roy show? Whats
your reaction to that? Its quick and its a charge in that
environment. And its the same with ["O"s] opening curtain. It
absolutely sucks you in to whats going on. Its that experience, as
well as watching that experience in others, that I first encountered
when I was doing plays in high school. [Its a] melding between show
and audience. When that happens - what the Grateful Dead used to call
"walking the wolf," when a mysterious wolf walks through the
audience and through the stage, when theres a connection there that
happens - thats the theater thing. And thats what drives me."
-------------------------------------------------------
"Bienvenidos a Mexico - Quidam in Monterrey"
By: Ricky Russo - Orlando, Florida (USA)
{Issue Exclusive}
-------------------------------------------------------
From the very first moment I stepped off the small jetliner and felt
the warmth of the afternoon sun wash across my face I sensed I was in
a strange, new land.
The place I left was cold, dark and still tucked in for the night. The
sun here was full and bright - sharing its radiant energy with us
unabated by cloud or storm, and at the same time becoming playful with
a zephyr, teasing it to tottle about in excited rushes, bringing
balance to the day's warm brilliance. And on those breezes a
tantalizing hint of spice.
Ahhhhhhhhhh.
In all my voyages since Id been bitten by the travel bug in 2002,
though Ive visited north many times, I had yet to trek south of the
border to Mexico, where I find myself now for the very first time.
And why am I here?
For Cirque du Soleil of course! Im here to see Quidam, one of Cirque
du Soleils signature shows with one of Mexicos most fervent fans of
the troupe: Rodolfo Elizondo!
My exhilarating adventure began the moment I met Rodolfo and left
General Mariano Escobedo International Airport (MTY) making our way
into the zona centro of Monterrey, 30 minutes away. It was a whirl-
wind weekend that I shall not soon forget.
The City of Mountains
-----------------------
Monterrey (pronounced with a heavy 'rrrrr') is a very modern Mexico
City situated in the northeastern state of Nuevo León, approximately
150 miles south of the United States border. This state capital boasts
a populace that ranks it third behind the Greater Mexico City and
Greater Guadalajara metropolises and is home to many businesses,
industries, universities and families. But for only three short weeks,
Monterrey would also be home to Quidam.
Rodolfo and I scrambled into his Toyota SUV and made haste to the
center of Monterrey where the blue-and-yellow striped big-top awaited
us. While we had a number of hours yet to go before our performance
began, neither of us could wait to steal a look at the Grand Chapiteau
standing triumphantly in Parque Fundidora. And as soon as we rounded
the corner of this millworks-turned-greenspace, I spotted it.
"There it is! There it is!" I said, mimicking a short clip from Star
Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (Trekkies will no doubt recognize a similar
line spoken by Khan as he tracks the Enterprise down in the Mutara
Nebula.)
After spying the Grand Chapiteau and its immediate surroundings from
the car, we grabbed lunch at one of Rodolfos favorite eating
establishments at the Galerias Valle Oriente. It was a buffet of
wonderful Mexican cuisine: beans and rice, chicken with a chocolate
sauce (chicken mole), grilled beef, salads, fruits and chips! After
lunch Rodolfo took me on a whirl-wind tour of his hometown, which not
only thoroughly encompassed the brightest spots of Monterrey but also
a journey that I found culturally fascinating.
Our first stop was the Mirador del Obispado (Bishop's Lookout), which
is located atop Cerro del Obispado, the hill of the same name. Rising
about 775 meters above sea level, this viewpoint is adorned with a
fabulous circular esplanade with a humongous flag and pole at its
center. Besides a fantastic panoramic view of the surrounding city -
you can easily spot all of downtown Monterrey and its sprawling
environs from here, and Monterrey's namesake mountains: Cerro de las
Mitras (Miter Hill), Cerro del Topo Chico (Small Mole Hill), Cerro de
la Loma Larga (Long Slope Hill), La Huasteca, and, of course, Cerro de
la Silla (or Saddle Hill), which rises above 1800-meters (or 5900-
feet) - you'll also find Mexico's biggest monumental flag here.
This larger-than-life flag, which is a focal point of Mexican
independence celebrations here in Nuevo León, weighs over 200-
kilograms and measures 50 x 28.6 meters. That's one huge flapping
green, white and red symbol of these Mexican states! And this atop a
pole that stands slightly over 100-meters high and weighing over 120
tons itself. While that is impressive and a fabulous sight to see the
vista of the surrounding environs is the reason to come here. And on a
clear, sunny day like this day, the sky's the limit!
Next we made our way down to the Macroplaza, which is a 400,000 square
meter court consisting of various museums, monuments, gardens,
fountains and various other green-space accoutrements. It's anchored
by the Palacio Municipal (Municipal Palace) on the south end at
Constitución Avenue and the Antiqua Palacio Federal (Antique Federal
Palace) on the north end at Cinco-de-Mayo Avenue. The Macroplaza
features a number of monuments and other pedestrian zones, but the one
item that fascinated me most was Fuente de Neptuno (the Fountain of
Neptune), a beautiful bronze fountain that represents Neptune, the
Roman god of the Sea (also formally known as Fuente de la Vida - the
fountain of Life). After snapping a few pictures - I really love
fountains - we made our way underground and I got to experience the
metro system first hand.
We ducked underground at Zaragoza station (a stop on Line 2, or the
Green Line) and rode it four stops up to Cuauhtémoc, switched lines to
Line 1 (the yellow line) and took it all the way out to Estación
Parque Fundidora, which is about 2 blocks from the Parque and, of
course, is the site of the Grand Chapiteau. Metrorey is one of the
more modern systems Ive ever used (opening in 1991 and 1994
respectively) and it has a unique identifier for each of its stations,
which I found very interesting: a logo.
The one at Cuauhtémoc, for example, is a stylized headshot of the
important Aztec ruler of the same name. Parque Fundidoras logo has
trees to represent the park. Other more interesting ones include: a
phonograph for Edison station; a canon for the Felix U. Gomez station
(since he was a Mexican Military General); a stylized head shot of
Simón Bolivar (a liberator), for the station of the same name; a
pictograph of a train under maintenance for the Talleres station, a
flame and atom diagram for the Universidad station, and an obelisk to
mark the Fundadores station.
We took our leave of the metro and made our way across the road into
Parque Fundidora, the sun still shining brightly overhead. Our
destination at the parque, of course, was the Grand Chapiteau. And
once we got on-site we immediately took more pictures of us next to
the advertisement banners in all sorts of wacky stances and poses and-
-Oh, wait... did I neglect to mention that earlier?!
Banner pictures on-site were just a continuation of this mornings
antics that were truly a three-ring circus all on its own. Let me
explain:
On our way up to the Mirador del Obispado earlier in the morning, I
spotted one of the very, very few advertisement banners for Quidam in
Monterrey; crazy Rodolfo immediately slammed on the brakes and whipped
out his digital camera. Snap! Snap! Flash! Snap! The next thing I know
the SUV lurches round and comes to a rushed stop into a driveway nook
about 10 paces from the banner. Rodolfo was already on foot before I
could say "¿Qué tal?" ("Whats up?"). At first I wondered what he had
stopped for but then it hit me. He was going to get personal, up close
shots!
The two of us then posed with glee in front of this particular banner,
featuring the headless one himself (Quidam), holding his signature
green umbrella. We took turns placing ourselves in front of the banner
and then in place of the character (assuming the role). It was a
blast! Some shots required us to stand in the middle of the road,
which while not a busy thoroughfare, was still quite steady with
traffic. But anything for Cirque du Soleil... right Rodolfo? (¡ay
caramba!... hes trying to get me killed...)
The site itself was also covered with banners in several varieties:
one with Quidam, one featuring Steven Ragatz as the character of
Father, Olga Pikhienko the Hand-balancer (who was not going to be
performing for personal reasons), one of Mark Ward being quirky John,
and one of Viktor Katona as Boum Boum, the gloved one. And naturally
we took our pictures with these banners too - again with Quidam
pretending to hold his umbrella, one with Olga pretending to hold up
her canes, and a third with Boum Boum. The third one I took a little
differently: rather than stand next to the banner holding up my arms
in the same pose as the character, I used the setting sun as a
backdrop, and took the shot of my extended shadow on the ground in the
same arms-over-head pose. It really turned out to be a neat picture!
Before long we made ourselves leave the Grand Chapiteau (Quidaaaaaam!)
and continued our explorations in the park. Our next stop was Horno 3
at the old Monterrey Foundry. This blast furnace was once part of the
now defunct Monterrey Steel Foundry Company and was in use from 1900
until the companys bankruptcy in 1986. Two years later the park was
born. Horno 3 is a museum these days, and you can take a trip to the
top of this monstrosity for one spectacular view of the city. Its
130ft (40m) from ground-level and is on a slated platform - so not
only can you see all around but below you too; hold on! The incline
chair (that seats about eight) will take you up to the top for about
80 pesos (approx $8.00) and from there all of Monterrey opens up to
you.
Below, while patrons explored the Foundry History Gallery (a look at
the events which forged the steel industry in Mexico), the Steel
Gallery (a look at a productive industrial processes, and the Blast
Furnace show (a multi-sensorial show complete with stunning effects
simulating the workings at No 3. Blast Furnace), Rodolfo and I were
taking in the relative peace and quiet in the skies above the park.
You really get a fantastic view of your surroundings from here
including the fantastic M-shaped Cerro de la Silla, my hotel (the
Holiday Inn at Parque Fundidora) and the Grand Chapiteau itself
(sitting next to Plaza Sesamo, a Sesame Street theme park.)
On the way back to the car, which was parked at the far end of the
Macroplaza, Rodolfo and I took one of the most interesting and best
modes of transportation in Monterrey: a boat on the Paseo Santa Lucia,
an artificial water canal that connects Parque Fundidora 2.5-
kilometers to the east with Museo de Historia/Plaza 400 (Museum of
Mexican History) at the Macroplaza. Between the group of school kids
singing and playing for the park crowd as we waited to get on the boat,
and a dinghy filled with a Mexican instrumental quartet, and
traversing this waterway in the twilight of sunset was such a
delightful and relaxing cap to our afternoon. On the way you pass
beyond the park, through beautiful fountains and other waterworks
displays, around a whirlpool maker and finally into the water-filled
Plaza 400 at the Macroplaza, entertained not only by the city lights
around you but by the tour guide driving the boat. Fantastico!
But before running off to our vehicle, Rodolfo and I make one final
stop along the Macroplaza: to the Palacio de Gobierno on the Explanada
de los Hèros. This is the official seat of the Governor, or at least
where his office is located, but it also serves as a Museum of local
history and political development. The whole story of Nuevo León is
adorned on the walls: you learn about what the early inhabitants were
like, see some important artifacts of state, and see how the people of
the region used to live.
One of the nice things youll learn here is the meaning behind the
coat of arms. Since my Spanish was rather rusty, I could not
appreciate the full story so I looked it up later. According to the
Encyclopedia of Mexican States, "The coat of arms of Nuevo León is
made up [of] four squares. Six bees representing the hard-working
nature of the local citizens are at the top. The upper-left square
features a picture of the sun over La Silla Hill (a landmark that
often symbolizes the state) with an orange tree. In the upper right-
hand square a crowned lion is [featured] ready to attack. In the
lower-left there is a picture of the San Francisco convent. On the
lower-right five smoking chimneys represent area industry. The weapons
around the border represent both native warriors and Spanish
conquerors." And then theres the states motto: Sempre Ascendens
(Always Rising). Cool!
Seeing the palace lit up at night is just as brilliant. And if youre
looking to connect with the young locals, the surrounding esplanade is
a wonderful place to hang out. Also be sure to look for a statue of a
stylized horse... hes very popular!
Then, after checking into my hotel and resting for merely a moment,
Rodolfo and I were back on foot across the parque toward the Grand
Chapiteau...
We were ready for Quidam.
Quidam, Quidam!
-----------------
Tendré alguna vez la valentía de mi indignación?
Me hubiera gustado no morir.
Me hubiera gustado no crecer nunca.
Hubiera querido romperme el alma.
Hubiera querido desterrar todas las penas enterradas.
Deso que lo quieran con locura.
Me hubiera gustado rasgar con una voz áspera la superficie demasiado
lisa de nuestras buenas intenciones.
From the moment John quietly appears to us and slips into his purple
coat hanging neatly upon the coat-rack on stage, were not quite sure
what to make of this zany world we find ourselves in.
Many words have been used to describe Cirque du Soleils Quidam over
the years - artistic, cinematic, poignant, touching, agonizing,
disturbing, striking, alluring and beautiful - and regardless of which
of these words you choose, it is hard to deny that Quidam is one of
those quintessential productions that strikes a raw emotional chord
within each of us, one that is too hard to dismiss.
Quidam, which comes from the Latin for "a nameless passerby" marks
Cirque du Soleil's ninth production, premiering in Montreal on April
23, 1996. Since then it has been heralded as one of Cirque du Soleil's
quintessential productions, showing us that we are all Quidams. "It
could be anyone, anybody," the show's programme allows. "Someone
coming, going, living in our anonymous society. A member of the crowd,
one of the silent majority. One who cries out; sings and dreams within
us all."
In the world of Cirque du Soleil's Quidam, the one who cries out is
Zoë, a young girl who fumes because she believes she's seen everything
there is to see, experienced all there is to experience. For her, the
world has lost all meaning. Her anger, sharp and unforgiving, shatters
her little world and soon she finds herself in the universe of Quidam.
Within this realm she finds she is not alone - Zoë is joined by a
joyful companion (Target) and a more mysterious character (John) that
will attempt to seduce her with the marvelous, the unsettling, and the
terrifying.
We find the space before us is set as a typical family sitting room -
two slanted, metallic chairs, a curvy floor lamp, a birdcage (with a
red ball perched in the birds spot), an old-style transistor radio
sitting comfortably upon a side table, and a swirl-patterned throw-rug
are dotted about - and we watch as John busies himself about this
rather unremarkable room.
The radio catches Johns eye, however, and he saunters over, flipping
it on and filling the big-top with a nice, light tango. Satisfied with
his selection, John then proceeds to run amok: carousing with audience
members as they come through the doorway, playing with their hair (or
lack-thereof in some cases), taking patrons on a wild goose chase,
eating others popcorn and generally being a playful nuisance.
When John returns to the radio and attempts to find something new to
lift our spirits we see what kind of a ham John really aspires to be.
Passing through the frequencies, he lands upon a station playing the
soothing notes of "Kumbalawé", a song from Saltimbanco, an older
(chronologically speaking) Cirque du Soleil show.
When that does not elicit a response from his audience, he turns the
dial and blasts the harsh overture of "Eclipse" from Nouvelle
Expérience (an even older Cirque du Soleil show, chronologically
speaking).
Satisfied that hes once again captured our attention, he changes the
dial quickly and finds a station playing the title song from Alegría.
Everyone in the big-top recognizes this song and they begin to clap
and cheer. John doesnt think highly of this, however, and he clamps
his nose shut in disgust (pee-you!) then mock gags himself with his
index finger. (I love it!)
Eventually John advises us of the rules to be followed under the Grand
Chapiteau (en español) and then the world turns dark and still.
Until...
*click*
The floor-lamp in the middle of the room suddenly flickers to life and
we find ourselves in observance of Zoë and family on a typical day,
seated comfortably in their sitting room (the room we saw as we
entered the Big Top). Dad is content reading his newspaper and
avoiding everything around him. Mom is expressionless, vacantly
staring out into the nothingness of space while clutching that old
transistor radio. Zoë, the child, is bored and in her attempt to gain
her parents attention, hopscotchs across the floor in front of them.
But when they pay her no notice, Zoë becomes despondent and she
wanders around the room - tracing a message on an imaginary window,
running her finger across the family bird cage. But just when she
thinks about turning off the light and returning to her room to sulk...
Theres a knock on the front door.
Startled, Zoë runs over to see who it could be, but what she finds on
the other side frightens her - theres a headless man with an umbrella
on her doorstep! This man enters and she backpedals into the room. She
watches him silently then with a flash of lightning and a rumble of
thunder, he drops his hat in the middle of the room and leaves.
Frightened, yet undeniably curious, Zoë picks up the hat, holds it up
to her ear and smiles at the whimsical sounds coming from within.
Checking Mom and Dad to see if theyre watching, she tentatively
places the hat upon her head. In the moment the hat comes to rest upon
her brow, Zoës world comes alive - Mom, Dad and the entire living
room slowly float away and Zoë (with us) becomes swept up into the
universe of Quidam!
For those unfamiliar with the show, the performance is broken up into
two one-hour halves with a 30-minute intermission between the two, and
flows in the following manner: German Wheel, Diabolos, Aerial
Contortion in Silk, Skipping Ropes, Aerial Hoops, (Intermission), Hand
Balancing, Spanish Webs, Statue (Vis Versa), Cloud Swing, and Banquine.
All too soon the red proscenium-like curtains of Quidam float into
place, signaling that the end is near. Zoë makes her re-appearance
through a man-hole with the assistance of our resident clown (who is
very funny, btw!) and she rejoins her family, who has finally taken
note of the wondrous world around them. The Generics, androgynous
characters dressed in white that appear in and disappear from the
world of Quidam at will, have reappeared and have begun (with the
assistance of John and Fritz) an energetic, ballet of happiness -
dancing with each other, playing with one another and hopping,
skipping and jumping around.
But a loud thunder crack sends them all to the stage where they lay
motionless, lifeless and the Family is puzzled and insecure.
Quidam, who had been watching the final scene unfold from the depths
of the stage, steps forward now to reclaim his blue bowler hat from
Zoë; she is startled and becomes exasperated - she realizes he has
come to take this fantastical world away from her! But a glance to the
side shows her that the journey is not yet over - her family appears
reanimated and full of life, which is what she wanted most. So, very
reluctantly Zoë displaces the hat from her head, holds it in her arms
and looks around one last time. Her white-garbed friends, who have
been laying there lifeless, are now staring directly at her! She
gently hands Quidam the hat, re-joins her newly-restored family and
begins to sing (the signature song of the show.)
John removes the dads shoes and returns them to him (he stepped into
them just after the living room floated away, figuratively taking his
place) and the Generics come alive, slowly filling the edges of the
stage. And once encapsulating the entire stage - and thus closing off
the world of Quidam to us - they move to zipper away their hoods to
reveal who they really are... the colorful artists in the show!
Wow!
Although our performance was not status quo, and many of the
traditional pieces, character and story queues, and even a couple of
the acts were missing (both Hand-Balancing and Statue were out, but
Steven Ragatzs juggling act was in); experiencing Quidam again under
the Grand Chapiteau was a treat unsurpassed and the show still managed
to rend my soul on more than one occasion. It was hard to leave the
big top at the shows finale.
After the evenings performance, Rodolfo and I hung around the sites
exit to see if we could chat with some of the artists who were quickly
trying to escape to catch their shuttle bus that would take them back
to their hotel. (We came to find out there were only two shuttle runs:
just after the show and then an hour later. Most of the artists and
crew didnt want to be left behind for that second shuttle!); a few
stopped and chatted with us. Most of these artists were friends of
Rodolfos and were glad to see him, but couldnt stop for a long
conversation, so after a quick hand-shake and congrats on a good show,
they were off again.
Many artists went by in a blur and thus the names of many escape me,
but we did see Olga walk by, the German Wheel artist, the man who
played Boum-Boum, the entire Spanish Webs gang and countless others.
Once the bus took off so did Rodolfo and I.
Now Ive REALLY Been to Mexico
--------------------------------
Come Sunday morning, as the two of us set off once again to explore
the Macroplaza of Zona Centro, my guide said something very peculiar
to me: I had not yet been to Mexico.
What?
"Youve not been to Mexico," he said "until youve been to Vips!"
Okay, vamanos!
Vips? What is a Vips?
VIPS, as it turns out, is a Mexican eatery chain owned and operated by
Wal-Mart Mexico that specializes in breakfasts, lunches and dinners
with - what else - a Mexican flair. Its one of Mexicos more famous
chains (you can find more information at http://www.vips.com.mx), and
it is said youve only really been to Mexico once youve eaten at a
VIPS. Why? Because everyone has eaten at VIPS and, like McDonalds,
theyre everywhere! Well... almost. I had a more traditional Mexican
breakfast of soft tortias and salsa with melted cheese and sour cream
on top, but you could get more traditional North American breakfast
items such as: eggs, pancakes, waffles, bacon, etc. Why would you,
though?
And while we waited for our food Rodolfo and I reminisced about Quidam.
Both he and I were disappointed that the Statue act was missing from
the previous nights show. While we didnt know why it was missing,
we both agreed the act was a seminal piece of Quidam and its hard to
see the show continue in its absence. So many pieces of Quidams theme
and story congregate based on this presentation so most of the second-
half of the show was quite disjointed. At least, we both said, we were
able to see Ragatz perform his juggling act and hear "Rivage" live
under the big top again.
We also talked about how we royally scared Boum-Boum. As a finale to
the Diabolos act (which comes just prior to Tissue (or Aerial
Contortion in Silk), a joyful celebration commences with streamers of
blue and white raining down upon the stage and a dance and a jig by a
few of the Egare class of characters. But Boum Boum, the ghastly gloved
figure, makes a short life out of the celebration - he hates it
- and comes right on point to bellow a gut wrenching scream of anguish,
silencing the world around him. What causes this piercing call for
help I do not know, but just as soon as he was done with his scream,
Rodolfo and I yelled right back. This appeared to take Boum-Boum off
guard; he became frightened and immediately ran away like a scared
little boy! (Actually, if an audience member does yell back he will
run away, rather than stand triumphant and defiant. But it was fun!)
And speaking of the Tissue act, its another one of our favorite parts
of the nights show. At that time of the show the world of Quidam
turns stranger yet, and even more dark:
John re-appears with a megaphone in his hand, barking gibberish orders
to various personages left on stage. Zoë sits dejected on a giant
swing, slowly swinging herself back and forth observing the chaos
around her. Her father is suspended in mid-air, unaware that he is so,
and takes the paper from around his face and tears it up, allowing its
torn pieces to fall below him. And at the sound of wind, Fritz gets
down on all fours and howls at the moon. And through this fantastical
kaleidoscope of abstraction, a strip of red silk floats into view and
unfurls across the stage; swept up within it is the contorted body of
Isabelle Vaudelle, contortionist extraordinaire.
She climbs, twists, and slides through the silk slowly and
deliberately at first, but thunderclaps signal a tense change and her
movements become fast, chaotic and violent. And just when it seems she
can not hang on any longer, her body suddenly drops and she becomes
entangled within the silk. Her body flails for a moment... and again...
and then becomes limp and lifeless. She has hung herself in the red
silk.
The moment her body began to flail, goose-bumps trickled down my arms
and I trembled in uncontrollable shivers. Vaudelles given sacrifice
in congruence with the hauntingly beautiful "Let Me Fall" wrenched at
my insides. I stared, transfixed with mouth agape (for the first time),
watching the entire scene unfold. This act has never affected me so,
but it was just so powerful and so sad and so poignant, especially
when the father came and carried her away from her misery, I couldnt
help it.
If the phantasmagorical yet enormously powerful opening of the show
doesnt touch you emotionally (doesnt that give you chills? It does
me!), or the hauntingly beautiful tissue act, perhaps the melancholic
conclusion to the first half of the show will touch you (its probably
the third best emotional moment for me in the entire show):
A thunderclap tears through the big-top. Rain is falling somewhere
just off stage, the sound of a small hand-bell chimes in the distance,
and a haunting male voice fills the void. Ominous creatures dressed in
white appear and fill the stage, taking their rest. Zoës Mom is off
to the side clutching onto a huge red balloon while Zoës Dad is
dangling overhead with the birdcage in his hand seemingly ready to
encapsulate something. At the sound of another chime Zoë looks up and
is compelled to release her balloon; she does so and her father
captures it, receding into the darkness. And then the entire sky is
filled with red as the male voice comes to a crescendo, and the
nameless quidams stir releasing their own troubled souls.
One day Im going to bring my own red balloon to let go right along
with them...
Oh, food!
With our bellies full, we set off once again to explore the Zona
Central of Monterrey, but unfortunately the weather wasnt nearly as
cooperative (or nice) - it turned cloudy, windy and cold. The worst
part of it, though, was being ill prepared for the dip in temperature.
All I had with me were short-sleeved T-shirts and shorts - typical
Florida (and all points south) attire!
Brr!
Regardless of the weather, the two of us ended up on the streets of
Monterrey, walking to our second destination of the day: MARCO.
MARCO, short for Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Monterrey (or the
Contemporary Art Museum of Monterrey) is located on the corner of
Zuazua and Ocampo Centro and offers temporary exhibits of the most
outstanding new Latin American contemporary art around. Rodolfo took
me on a tour of the "Mexican Room" where he showed me some outstanding
paintings and drawings from such Mexican artists as Diego Creek,
Carlos Mérida and Left Maria, many of which touched upon the various
socio-politicial topics of the time. But political paintings werent
the majority here: wonderful mosaics of nature and pencil-art were
also on display. I highly recommend MARCO to experience the very
singular and distinct style of Mexican art. Its great!
Next up was the Museo de Historia Mexicana (or the Mexican History
Museum). This place is a treasure trove of exploration, art and
enlightenment for those interested in the history of this land. At
this museum youll find temporary and permanent exhibits divided into
five areas which represent important periods in Mexican history: The
initial creation of these lands ("Earth"), the Aztec and Mayan
civilizations ("Ancient Mexico"), the Spanish conquistadores and the
arrival of the Europeans ("The Viceroy Period"), the Spanish/American
wars ("19th Century") and modern democratic Mexico ("Modern Mexico").
While I am not usually a museum-goer, this particular museum brings
out a fascinating tale and places Mexican history into perspective, a
story that an outsider seldom appreciates.
For example, did you know that every schoolchild in Mexico must learn
to count via the old Maya way using the dots and bars system? While
simple on the surface, the Maya system of counting used a base-20
counting system intermixed with a base-5 system. Numbers one through
19 are relatively easy to discern, but after 19 the system changes.
Rather than writing them using the same bars and dots, now they are
written in powers of twenty. Wikipedia explains it thusly: "For
example, thirty-three would be written as one dot above three dots,
which are in turn atop two lines. The first dot represents "one
twenty" or "1×20", which is added to three dots and two bars, or
thirteen. Therefore, (1×20) + 13 = 33. Upon reaching 400, another row
is started. The number 429 would be written as one dot above one dot
above four dots and a bar, or (1×400) + (1×20) + 9 = 429."
Besides learning how to count Maya style, I also learned about
Mexicos tri-color flag and the significance (and story) behind the
coat-of-arms featured prominently in its center:
The flags colors actually have two meanings these days. Originally
the colors stood for Independencia (Green), Religión (White), and
Unión (Red), but now stand for Hope, Unity and Religion respectively.
The coat-of-arms is a scene inspired by an Aztec legend regarding the
founding of Tenochtitlán (the ancient capital of the Aztec
civilization where Mexico City now stands). According to legend, the
nomadic Aztecs wandered throughout the Mexican lands searching for the
sign that would indicate where their capital would be built. The sign,
said war-god Huizilopochtil, was to be an eagle holding a serpent
perched atop a nopal (a form of cactus) in the middle of a lake. After
many years of wandering the tribe found this promised sign in the
middle of Lake Texcoco and founded the city we know today as Mexico
City. And its this image we see as the countrys coat-of-arms.
But...
Much like the finale of Quidam, all too soon my journey had to come to
a close. And once Id learned a bit about Mexican history at the Museo
de Historia Mexicana, it was time to return to the airport and depart
Monterrey.
I wish to wholeheartedly thank Rodolfo Elizondo for being my friend
and guide during my quick stay in Mexico. I wish above all else I
couldve had more time there, seeing the show again and tour more of
Monterrey; alas it was not meant to be. But I do know this: I will not
hesitate to travel to Monterrey or anywhere in Mexico in the future.
So the next time Cirque is in Mexico I may just catch a plane!
-------------------------------------------------------
"Backstage @ Cirque with SWA's Spirit Magazine"
By: Sarah Max, Soutwest Airlines Spirit Magazine
{SPECIAL EXPANDED FEATURE}
-------------------------------------------------------
Youre not scared of heights, I hope, says Larry Gill, as he leads
me out of the elevator and into the darkness of the grid, a metal
screen floor 110 feet above the stage of Cirque du Soleils O show in
Las Vegas. The head rigger and my tour guide one evening last October,
Gill points out wires, winches, and other gravity-defying pieces of
equipment as we make our way to the middle of the nervous system of
the Bellagio hotels $100 million theater. Down in the audience, all
1,800 seats are full, as usual. But Gill prefers this view to theirs.
As my eyes adjust and I see the colorful costumes and painted faces of
the performers waiting to leave the grid and fly down to the stage, I
have to agree with him. This is the best seat in the house.
The lights dim, the crowd hushes, and a reluctant-looking young man
picked out of the audience follows one of the characters onto the
stage to read the pre-show instructions. Good evening, ladies and
gentlemen, he reads. During this performance, smoke effects will be
used, but they are harmless to your health. Gill motions for me to
step back. The man continues, Also, we kindly ask that you turn off
all cellular phones. A second after he utters his last syllable, an
invisible force sucks him up nine stories and onto the grid.
When the volunteer pops up in front of us, he unfastens his harness
and bolts for the elevator. He is performer Jorge Castano. On the ride
down, the 28-year-old changes out of his street clothes and into the
costume of Philemon, a Sicilian boy who steps into the water-themed
circus that is O. Over the next 90 minutes, about 75 divers,
synchronized swimmers, and acrobats will perform seemingly impossible
feats on, above, and below the stage. One second a character executes
a spectacular headfirst somersault into the pool. The next moment
another character runs across the surface of the water. Watch this or
any Cirque production and you cant help but wonder, How in the world
do they do that? Cirque offered to give me a rare backstage glimpse at
this, the biggest of all big tops. Thats how I wound up on the grid.
Danut Coseru came to O by a different route. When the 27-year-old
Romanian first saw a video of Cirques Saltimbanco show in 2004, he
thought the acrobatic feats looked easy. I said, I can do that,
says Coseru, who took up gymnastics as a young boy and competed for
Romanias national gymnastics team. Three years after submitting his
demo video, Coseru knows just how difficult the journey is from
competition to Cirques stage. He spent two summers in Montreal and
the rest of the year back home in Romania hoping for a callback. The
call finally came last spring, and now Coseru is about to go on stage
at O. His first big act calls for him to twist and turn on a set of
parallel bars mounted on a boat suspended about 40 feet over the
stage.
No pressure, right? Well, wrong. Its the most important thing Ive
done in my life, Coseru says. It also appears to be the most nerve-
wracking. While Im up on the grid watching the show, Coseru sits
backstage preparing to make his debut in front of a packed house. He
didnt come all this way to fail.
Two decades after Canadian Guy Laliberté set out to reinvent the
circus, Cirque du Soleil is now a billion-dollar enterprise. In 2007,
10 million people paid $50 to $200 a ticket to see one of Cirques
productions: eight touring shows, five permanent shows in Las Vegas,
one permanent show in Orlando, and one seasonal show in New York.
Lalibertés original vision was to combine circus arts and theater,
says James Hadley, who oversees artistic direction for Cirques Vegas
and Orlando shows. The end result was a whole new experience that now
describes itself.
That experience always includes choreographed acrobatics, elaborate
costumes, and original musical scores. Yet every show tells a unique,
albeit avant-garde, story. Where O is a surreal adventure, Zumanity is
an erotic cabaret. Kà is an epic tale of twin brother and sister. Love
is a lively musical tribute to the Beatles.
With so many shows already up and running and more on the way, Cirque
scouts and coaches work year-round recruiting and training new talent.
The typical production requires some 60 performers. The cast includes
singers, musicians, clowns, dancers, contortionists, and other
specialists with talents that often translate from one stage to the
next. Depending on the role, these artists can be stage-ready within
weeks of landing a part. The transition isnt always so easy for the
acrobats, who represent the bulk of the cast. Thats because, outside
of the circus, Cirques unique hybrid of athlete and artist doesnt
really exist, says Hadley. Our goal is to nurture and develop the
artistic side of the athletes who join our shows.
For everyone from veteran diver Castano to newbie gymnast Coseru, the
journey from Cirque aspirant to Cirque performer typically follows
this pattern:
1. Candidates submit a video showcasing their special skills.
2. Recruiters screen thousands of videos every year and create a
database of potential performers. In some cases, candidates show
potential for an existing production. In others, they have a
talent so unusual that Cirque finds a way to incorporate the act
into a show.
3. Cirque calls in promising candidates for an annual group
audition in varied locations. Or if Cirque thinks it can use
someone immediately, it calls the person in for a private
tryout.
4. Athletes who put on a stellar show for scouts head to Cirques
annual general formation, a four-month training camp in
Montreal where they learn to perform.
5. Many who dont make the cut at Cirque auditions or formations go
on to perform with smaller, non-Cirque productions. Theyll work
on stage for a few years and try out for Cirque yet again, often
with better results the second or third time around. Others make
the cut, then wait for the right part to become available.
That kind of persistence finally earned Coseru a shot at O.
Christianne Sainz sits on a mat at a gymnastic studio in North Las
Vegas called Go For It, a long way from the glitzy Strip. The 23-year-
old aerialist from Grand Rapids, Michigan, submitted her video last
April and heard back the following September with an invitation to a
general acrobatics audition in October. Most aspiring performers who
send videos never get this far. But by the looks of her swollen ankle,
Sainz will have to wait for the next round. I rolled it during the
warm-up, she says, icing her ankle and trying her best to hold back
tears.
While Sainz nurses her injury, the other gymnastsin Spandex shorts
and tight sleeveless topstake turns showing off their tumbling
talents for Cirque talent scout Hubert Barthod and casting advisor
Dana Brass. For one position of ageneralist acrobat, we might see 10
people, says Barthod, a former competitive trampolinist. Though all
gymnasts have different areas of expertise, Cirque wants to see the
full spectrum of skills. Indeed, the level of tumbling talent is
varied. A few of the candidates effortlessly perform a series of flips
and twists. Others botch their landings or flop on their butts.
The group moves on to the trampoline. One candidate, diver Drew
Watson, catches everyones eye with his 15-foot jumps, graceful
twists, and steady landings. Barthod takes the difficulty up a notch.
He slides a mat onto the trampoline and pulls it as Watson lands. No
matter. Watson springs up and down, not a bit fazed by Barthods
attempts to throw him off balance. Hell make the cut.
Most of the candidates who came today arent so lucky. A couple hours
into the audition, Barthod reads the names of four people he wants to
see after lunch. For a dozen others, including Sainz, the audition is
over.
But even if athletes ace their auditions, they need to clear several
more hurdles before they can even think about landing a contract with
Cirque. Next stop: general formation in Montreal.
Danut Coseru can tell you all about general formation. The Romanian
gymnast came to his first one in 2005. Then he went home to coach
childrens gymnastics and to wait for Cirques next call. The company
did call again but only to invite him to a second formation in 2006.
Afterwards, he went home yet again. Finally, last July the casting
team called to say Coseru had a part in O if he still wanted it.
Coseru didnt even have to think about his answer. This was my
dream, says Coseru. I wanted to do everything I could to be here.
The general formation takes place at Cirques international
headquarters, a sprawling glass-and-concrete structure 20 minutes
northeast of downtown Montreal. There, roughly 1,700 of Cirques 3,800
employees work on every aspect of the production, from creating the
shows and building the equipment to training performers and designing
costumes. While the end result is a whimsical theatrical experience,
the company overlooks no detail to create that effect. Cirque makes
everything, from the performers hand-sewn headdresses to their
custom-cobbled shoes. The company even dyes its own fabricmore than
10 miles of it annuallyto ensure that it can replicate costumes for
years to come.
The same do-it-yourself philosophy applies to creating talent. Every
year, about 50 aspiring artists come to the annual training camp. They
stay four to six months, living in apartments across the street,
eating most of their meals in the company cafeteria and spending their
days learning how to be performers.
Though athletes get paid, finishing general formation is no guarantee
of a job. The first day, we tell them they will be evaluated over 16
weeks with three possible outcomes, says Cirque sports psychologist
Madeleine Hallé. The first scenario is, you are really good, and you
will get a contract. The second is, youre good, but we dont have a
position for you now. The third is, youre not ready to be a
professional artist. Most of the performers who go through general
formation draw the second card: Theyre good but will have to wait for
a spot, either as a performer in a new production or as a replacement
in an existing show. The companys low turnover can make for a long
wait.
While other Cirque employees occasionally get to see a snippet of a
new show, most of the time the set is off-limits to everyone but the
cast and crew. Every production is breaking new ground both with the
concepts of the acts and the rigging equipment, says Chantal Côté,
Cirques senior publicist. We like to keep the surprise for premier
night.
Steve Blands premier night was a decade ago. The Aussie diver and
trampolinist has done the same handful of routines thousands of times
at O in Las Vegas. He stands 60 feet over the stage, shoulder to
shoulder with three other divers, and plunges into a narrow pool
below. He flies off an unusual prop called the Russian Swing, spins
himself dizzy on the aerial hoops, and builds human pyramids during
the barge routine. He does all this and more twice a night, five times
a week.
While Coseru grapples with stage fright, Blands challenge is to make
every performance as thrilling as his first. If you eat lobster every
day, even lobster can become boring, Bland says. To ward off tedium,
he focuses on the minute details of his acts and puts different
emotions into his movements, depending on how he feels that day.
Whatever he puts in, the crowd gives back in applause. And that never
gets old. When you hear the audience gasp or clap, says Bland, its
such a rush.
Most Cirque vets seem to feel the same way. During one afternoon
practice at the O theater, the performers are caught up in the act, in
this case the Russian Swing. Two or three divers line up, pump the
large metal swings up and down, and then fly up and drop into the pool
one at a time. The exercise doesnt look like work at allby design.
This rehearsal is pretty much playtime, says O head coach Tom Otjes.
Playtime ends for the crew on the Russian Swing. The artists leave the
stage to rest before the first show, now less than four hours away.
The theaters riggers move the swing off the stage and set up the
bateau, an acrobatic prop that resembles a ship. Its crew of a dozen
acrobats performs trapeze acts and parallel-bar routines on the ship
while it sails 40 feet over the water. The steel-frame boat moves
from the back of the stage to the front, propelled by an enormous
overhead carousel.
Coseru practices on the flying boat with the help of coach Otjes and
the performer he will replace, Dan Headecker. The water will cushion a
fall straight down, but when the boat starts swinging back and forth,
a slip could send an acrobat flying into the nets strung on either
side of the stage. Coseru lowers himself to the boats hull, which
doubles as parallel bars. Hes in his element hereif he can just
forget about the drop to the water and all the people wholl be
watching him in a few weeks. After three years of auditions,
formations, and on-site training, Coserus first performance on the
bateau will come soon enough.
On the night of his debut, Coseru waits backstage, passing the time
until his cue. Organized chaos surrounds him. Performers in fresh
costumes and makeup zip out to the stage, return dripping wet, then
change into dry clothes for another act. By contrast, the mood in the
training room is calm. While the Mongolian contortionists do
handstands and touch their faces with the tips of the toes, the
acrobatic artists known as the barge girls squeeze in some last-
minute tosses. In the green room, performers between acts kick back
and watch the baseball game, play cards, and check e-mail. They seem
so relaxed, youd hardly guess theres a show going on.
Tonight, Coseru cant begin to relate. When he goes onto the stage
shortly, nobody will judge him as they did during his days of
competitive gymnastics. But this feeling of nervousness goes well
beyond anything he experienced before competition. He follows the rest
of his teamall dressed in white wigs and warrior costumesto take
their positions on the flying boat. He climbs up onto the mast and
stands there as the boat glides toward the front of the stage.
The audience looks tiny under his feet, and every eye seems focused on
him. The boat stops, rotates sideways, and Coseru jumps down onto the
deck to prepare for his first big solo. Its showtime. But just as
begins to start his parallel- bar routine, he sees a red cue light. A
technical problem just interrupted his debut. This time, the nets
bracketing the stage never came up. The music continues, and Coseru
stays in a warrior position: knees bent, chest out, chin up. He
remembers one of the most important lessons from his training: Stay in
character no matter what happens.
Finally, after one very long minute, the cue light turns green. Coseru
drops down onto the bars. He swings his feet over his head and pushes
himself up into a handstand, then dips down and swings through again.
On his next series of handstands he pirouettes, effortlessly spinning
around 180 degrees. Then he rolls over the bar on one shoulder,
executes a series of straddle cuts, and rolls on the bar again before
pushing himself up and back onto the deck to finish.
The audience breaks into applause, never knowing that Coserus
flawless performanceall 30 seconds of itwas three years in the
making. In a couple of hours, hell do the whole thing all over again.
MORE "O" STORIES
----------------
To learn more about the roads athletes take to break into Cirque du
Soleil, check out these vignettes from different stops on the journey:
Auditions: Las Vegas
At the Mystère Theater at the Treasure Island hotel in Las Vegas,
Vanya Mokrousov hangs by his hands from a trapeze bar. The 20-year-old
effortlessly lifts his legs up to his forehead, then back down. Cirque
talent scout Hubert Barthod urges him to keep going. I want to see as
much as you can, he says. Come on, come.
Like everyone at this audition, Mokrousov is no stranger to the stage.
With the help of his father, a performer in Mystère, he started
performing in aerial silks at age 7, hanging and swiveling on special
fabric suspended from the ceiling. He has worked in several circus
productions but thinks Cirque beats them all: Its the top, he says.
The day before, Mokrousov and 20 aspiring performers came to the
theater to demonstrate their skills of contortion, silks, juggling,
and the German wheelan apparatus that resembles a gerbil wheel. Fewer
than half made the initial cut. Now the remaining hopefuls are back
for a second day of auditions, this time to test their strength and
artistic talent. Why all the leg lifts? To do 476 shows a year, you
have to be very fit, says casting advisor Dana Brass, who coached
elite-level gymnasts in Canada before joining Cirque eight years ago.
Clearly, Mokrousov is fit. He bangs out 40 leg lifts, and gets a round
of applause from the others in the group.
After many sets of leg lifts, pull-ups, and chin-ups, the group heads
upstairs to another training room where the candidates show off their
tumbling. Elena Savko, 27, expertly pulls off a series of handsprings,
walkovers, and somersaults. Barthod asks her what her specialty was in
gymnastics. I did bars, she says. That was seven years ago. Savko,
an alternate for Belarus at the Atlanta Olympic games, retired from
competitive gymnastics to coach. More recently, she worked as a
stuntwoman in Hollywood. Now she wants to put all her years of
training to use at Cirque, and she will likely get in. Elena has such
a good background, Barthod says during a break. Im trying
everything to see where shell fit.
Other performers get Barthods attention. Yasuaki Yoshikawa, a 29-
year-old from Japan, excels at the German wheel. He does his tumbling
routine and ends with a break-dance move called the worm. That kind
of improvisation would never fly in competitive sports. But this isnt
competition. This is entertainment, and creativity scores points with
the scouts. Juggler Greg Kennedy, likewise, will never hang from a
trapeze or do a cartwheel, but the 36-year-old seems to have no
problem attempting the same drills as the zero-body-fat crowd. Ill
do a roundoff, he announces before attempting a variation of a
cartwheel. Ive never done one.
The artists who make the cut at the Mystère theater auditions probably
wont need much coaching before they are ready to perform in front of
a crowd. One of them, Dmitry Bersemev, auditioned that day and had a
contract to perform as a contortionist on Zumanity by the next week.
General Formation: Montreal
You have to be really open-minded here, says Patryk Alex Sawichi.
The Polish trampolinist came to his first training camp in Montreal
seven years ago but didnt land a job and returned to competition. Now
hes back, vying for a role in Dralion. But this time, he knows what
to expect. He recognizes that hell be surrounded by some of the best
people in the field. You come here a big fish in your sport, he
says, but then you realize that everyone is a champion in something.
He also recognizes that physical prowess isnt enough to move beyond
Montreal. All of the candidates excel in athletics, says sports
psychologist Madeleine Hallé. But they are beginners in art.
To speed up the transition from athlete to artist, Cirque uses the
general formation as a kind of performance emersion program. Its
like learning a new language, says artistic director Caitlan Magg.
The fastest way to learn is to go to a country and only speak that
language. Similarly, the first three weeks of Cirques training camp
revolve around dancing, singing, and improvising without much in the
way of instruction.
Even so, not everyone at headquarters is trying out. Graduates
typically return to Montreal for specific training before joining a
show. During that time, they work with acrobatic and artistic coaches
to master their roles. If theyre headed to a new show, theyll spend
months working with the rest of the crew in a location off-campus or
here in Studio A/B, a space with the same dimensions as a big top.
Practice: Las Vegas
At 37, Las Vegasbased diver Steve Bland needs to work a little harder
to stay in shape and keep injuries at bay. Performing over a pool
rather than a hard stage in the Cirque show O makes traumatic injuries
less common, but many performers have to deal with overuse issues and
general aches and pains, particularly if they fill in for their
colleagues. Do four acts 10 times a week, and you can barely lift
your arm to brush your teeth, Bland says. But he would take any of
the pitfalls of nightly performances over a regular job. Besides, he
sees his work as more than just a job: All of us want to put
everything we have into the show.
Most Cirque vets seem to feel the same way. During one afternoon
practice at the O theater, the performers are caught up in the act, in
this case the Russian Swing. Two or three divers line up, pump the
large metal swings up and down, and then fly up and drop into the pool
one at a time. The exercise doesnt look like work at allby design.
This rehearsal is pretty much playtime, says O head coach Tom Otjes.
The play sessions are not all that common. Most performers attend at
least two serious rehearsals a week to perfect their acts and to help
rookies learn the routine. Not that rookies are all that common.
Turnover at O runs less than 10 percent a year; 26 of the original 80
performers remain from the cast who debuted the show in 1998. Why
should they quit? Cirque wont divulge salary information, but given
how much the company invests in its performers, they probably make a
decent living. They also get all the perks of working for a large
firm, including medical benefits, retirement benefits, and vacation.
Most shows have about a month of dark period during the year, giving
performers a much-deserved break.
More recently, Cirque has also started to emphasize career
development. So when Bland wants relief from some of the physical
demands of diving 60 feet into a pool, he might switch to a more
character-oriented role. Or he could coach, direct, or move over to
the technical side of the shows. We try to extend our artists
careers as much as possible by encouraging them to try new
disciplines, says James Hadley, who oversees artistic direction for
Cirques Vegas and Orlando shows. We have a teeter-board catcher from
Mystère who now performs the percussion solo in the show.
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FROM THE FASCINATION! ARCHIVES
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"From One Dream to Another - Quidam"
By: T. Clay Buck
{Originally Published: Issue #7 - March 2002}
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By the Summer of 1998 I had seen Mystère twice and one earlier Cirque
du Soleil show on a very poor quality VHS tape (it was so bad, I'm not
even sure what show it was). So, when posters and newspaper ads began
going up all over the city of Chicago announcing the arrival of Quidam,
I was on the phone immediately to purchase tickets. Quidam opened
July 22, 1998 in the parking lot of the United Center on Chicago's
west side - under the shadow and watchful gaze of a statue to Michael
Jordan. I was fortunate to see it three times that Summer, and am
still in absolute awe of the production. Having seen Mystère, I
thought I knew Cirque du Soleil, but nothing compares to that first
encounter underneath Le Chapiteau.
Quidam marks Cirque du Soleil's ninth production and premiered in
Montreal on April 23, 1996. In the words of Franco Dragone, the
show's director, it "casts light on our frailty and angst at the dawn
of a new century." One assumes that somewhere during the creation of
Quidam the concept and preliminary planning for "O" was somewhere in
the back of Dragone's mind - or even in the very forefront. But, at
least for the time being, Quidam marks the last collaboration of the
quintessential Cirque team on a touring production. With Franco
Dragone at the helm as Director and Author, it once again brought
together the talents of Choreographer Debra Brown, Costume Designer
Dominique Lemieux, Lighting Designer Luc LaFortune, Composer Benoit
Jutras, and Set Designer Michel Crete all led by their Guide, Guy
Laliberte and Director of Creation Gille Ste-Croix.
Quidam, too, in my mind, marks a major turning point in the
realization of Cirque productions. From Le Cirque Réinventé through
Alegría - and for the sake of this discussion, I refer only to touring
productions - this creative team had been building up to the
perfection of its concept of combining its incredible circus arts into
a complete sensory experience - the co-mingling of lights, sounds, and
visuals to tell a complete story thematically unified. Of all of
Cirque's productions, Quidam probably accomplishes this feat most
effectively. At least in my humble opinion.
According to the shows program, the word "Quidam" comes from the Latin
and signifies "a nameless passerby, a solitary figure lingering on a
street corner, a person rushing past, a person who lives lost amidst
the crowd in an all-too-anonymous society." And while the Quidam of
the story could be interpreted as its main character, the young girl,
the audience leaves believing that, even though they themselves may be
the "Quidam" in this Everyman story, there is hope, joy, and a world
in which the impossible does exist.
Quidam tells the story of a young girl - initially portrayed by Audrey
Brison-Jutras, daughter of composer Benoit Jutras - who lives in a
drab world, completely bored, and ignored by her parents. A mystical
creature enters her life and introduces her to two guides who carry
her through a fantastical world of sight and sound until she is
reunited with her family, realizing that the world is a beautiful,
terrifying place after all.
In typical Cirque du Soleil fashion, the show begins while the
audience is still gathering. Our guide for the evening, "John,"
greets the audience as they come through the door, playing with their
hair, stealing their tickets, eating their popcorn, and generally
causing a nuisance. He is followed by a troupe of characters dressed
head-to-toe in white, hooded suits. Of course this group picks an
unwilling volunteer from the audience, takes him backstage and brings
him out dressed as one of them. John harasses him a little and sends
him back to his seat. As the house lights go dim, John takes the
stage and plays snippets of songs on an old transistor radio -
snippets of songs from previous Cirque productions, at which he sneers
and turns up his nose. He reads us our instructions for the evening -
no smoking, no pictures, and the like - and then leads us through this
incredible story for the next two hours.
The show opens on the young girl at home with her parents seated in
typical family pose. The father reads the paper, the mother stares
vacantly into space, Audrey tries to entertain herself and engage her
parents. A knock at the door brings a character straight from a
Magritte painting - a headless man, a Quidam, carrying an umbrella,
who drops his hat in the center of this family scene. Thunder rolls,
lightning flashes, and the family is carried away in one of the most
amazing feats to occur under the Big Top. The entire ceiling of the
tent is covered in a track that lifts characters and set pieces to the
stage and carries them off. In blissful ignorance, the parents are
carried off still in their chairs, seemingly unaware of what is taking
place around them.
At the same time, our young heroine's guides to this fantastical world
are introduced - John, who we have already met, and hilariously
portrayed originally by American comedian John Gilkey, and Fritz, an
always-smiling, impish character brought to life by Austrian Karl
Baumann. These two cohorts carry the young girl through adventure
after adventure, beginning with the phenomenal German Wheel act by
Chris Lashua. The Wheel rolls into place in what was the living room,
and Lashua carries it through a series of rolls, twists, and turns
that defy explanation. It flips from side to side, and returns to a
straight vertical. It rolls across the stage at dizzying speeds.
Lashua guides this huge apparatus through varying tricks in a display
of athleticism unlike anything seen before - some even with his hands
held calmly behind his back.
What is also incredibly unique and well-done in Quidam is the
transitions between the acts. Each act follows one after the other,
yet the interludes between each one continue the through-line of the
story. Each performer in the troupe plays many different roles
throughout the show, helping to tell the story and further it along.
I saw the show three times during its Chicago run, and each time the
acts were placed in different sequence - on some occasions a certain
act would be left out completely and replaced by another, a typical
occurrence during the touring shows. Each time, though, the
transitions were flawless and continued the through-line in a perfect
way. (For this article, I am using the order of the acts as they are
presented in the video, filmed in Amsterdam, which is my memory of the
first time I saw it. Some of the performers had changed, but the acts
were still the same).
As the acts progress, the Quidam's world becomes more fantastical,
more chaotic, and more beautiful. After the German Wheel rolls off,
the troupe returns to the stage running, leaping, dancing across it
with the young girl, Audrey, taking in all she can. Her parents
appear, still in oblivion, her father with his head pushed through the
newspaper lost in the confusion. Performers traverse the stage in a
chorus of Audrey look-alikes, teasing her and John alike, while the
remainder of the troupe come on with varying sizes of drums - from
small, tinny snare drums to the large, thundering taïko drums, now an
essential part of any Cirque production.
Through this group come the four young girls carrying their Diabolos
who perform a quartet of juggling by tossing them across the revolving
stage, forming pyramids and seeming-impossible uses of the ropes and
spinning tops. In one of the most beautiful uses of the stage, at the
end of the act, the four girls spin their tops up ropes hanging from
the ceiling of the tent, from which drop in synchronization streamers
of white and blue.
As they run off, again our troupe of performers comes through as we
watch the Father traverse the tent suspended from the giant track,
seemingly walking on air. I recently watched the video again, and
while this particular segment appears there, it can't compare to what
it looks like live. As our eyes gaze toward the top of the tent, a
cocoon of red silk comes from behind the orchestra at the front, and
the amazingly beautiful Isabelle Chassé performs the Aerial Contortion
in Silk. To the best of my knowledge, this act had never been
performed in a Cirque du Soleil show previously. For everyone in
Chicago who had seen the show, this became the penultimate act of the
evening. Not only is it an athletically astonishing act, but in
context it was so hauntingly beautiful, performed to "Let Me Fall"
from the soundtrack, but sung in Cirquish language. This act has been
used again by Cirque in various forms, particularly in Dralion (jaded
Chicagoans responded with, "Oh, we saw that three years ago"), but was
particularly stunning in the red silk of Quidam.
As a trio of Mother look-alikes, all dressed in red, come to carry
Isablle off after her performance, they are followed by the remainder
of the troupe who begin the languid Skipping Ropes section - at first
a simple display of athletic prowess, led by soloist Renee Bibaud -
then morphing into an eclectic, energetic display of skill and timing
as the entire troupe performs together. The video shows a nice shot
from the ceiling of the tent in an almost Busby Burklee display of
symmetry.
The Skipping Ropes were followed by the Aerial Hoops. I remember this
being the most terrifying, dizzying act of the performance. The hoops,
suspended from the overhead track, whirl in a blur as the trio of
performers manipulate and climb over them. With intense
synchronization and precision the performers twirl the hoops and stop
them on cue, using the air and the stage to propel them around. I
remember hearing after Quidam had left Chicago and moved on to Atlanta
that one of the performers had fallen during the show. She was back
on within two or three days.
Following the Aerial Hoops came the Handbalancing act, performed by
Olga Pikhienko. Elevated on a small platform and carried by the ever-
revolving stage, she tackles pose after pose on the delicate poles in
an ever-increasing display of difficulty. This was one of the most
typical "circus" acts in Quidam, but was also one of the most virtuoso
performances.
After her leaving the stage, our guide John returns in his hilarious
display of marksmanship with a set of darts. He wears a target on his
head and tosses darts in the air to land on the target. Of course he
misses, to our great amusement, and leaves the stage in a howl of
agony as the overhead track brings a series of ropes onto the stage,
each with a performer attached, high over our heads.
And thus begins the incredible Spanish Web act, with acrobats climbing
up and down the ropes, tying them around their bodies and flying
through the air. In the live performance, the climax of this act was
the character of Fritz, constantly wanting to be involved and meeting
everything with a smile, climbing the ropes as the porter on the
ground begins to spin the rope. Fritz flies off, attached to the main
rope only by his ankle, flying and laughing hilariously over heads.
Additionally, the character of the Father was a principal soloist in
the Spanish Webs act, portrayed by Daniel Touchette. He was the one
who originally tied the rope in many loops around his body, ultimately
letting it roll him precariously down to the ground. As a part of the
story, this act began the transformation of the Father character into
a more open, carefree person.
After the Spanish Webs have left the stage, our friend John returns
and performs the bit that got him noticed by Cirque du Soleil in the
first place. According to him, he had been begging Cirque du Soleil
to hire him for years, but to no avail (More information about him is
available at www.JohnGilkey.com). John performs a fun juggling act
with a ball and a hat stand to the incomparable singer Yma Sumac's
"Gopher." It is a light-hearted moment of frivolity and fun in this
crazy mixed-up world of Quidam.
A recurring element of Quidam is the nameless, faceless, ubiquitous
characters dressed from head to toe in white medical-looking suits.
These characters come in and out of the show, as they had participated
with John at the very beginning, in various ways. After John leaves
the stage they come rolling out in a group, form a clump in the middle
and out of their midst come the next two performers, Yves Decoste and
Marie-Laure Mesnage, to do the Statue or Vis Versa act. Reminiscent
of similar acts in other Cirque shows, this duo balancing act is a
Cirque trademark, particularly beautiful in Quidam as a counterpoint
to some of the more frantic performances. It is slow and languid and
displays the great strength and concentration it takes to perform it.
It was designed by Yves Decoste especially for Cirque du Soleil. It
also is one of the first times we see equal strength between male and
female. In many cases, this act is performed by two men supporting
each other, but the Quidam act shows equal strength between the
different genders.
Another unique act to Quidam follows with the Cloud Swing performed by
Petra Sprecher of Switzerland. It is essentially a trapeze of rope,
there is no solid bar in the middle, and Petra uses it in much the
same way. It is a much more 'violent' performance than that of the
Vis-Versa, and plays an important counterpoint to the slower elements
of the show. At one extended point of the swing, Petra seemingly
falls off the trapeze, attached only by a small guide-wire to her leg.
But from the audience's perspective it looks like she's falling off
completely. She regains her balance and continues flawlessly.
The final act of Quidam is the Banquine, an incredible balancing and
acrobatic act involving the whole troupe. They toss each other madly
about the stage forming towers of four people high, and in daring
jumps from one group to the other, landing on only the joined hands of
the porter. This performance was also used in Cirque's IMAX Journey of
Man film. It is, perhaps, the signature act of Quidam and features
performances completely unlike anything else. It of course leads to
the resolution of the show, with Audrey uniting with her joyful
parents. The Quidam appears again and takes back his hat, proving
that the magical world is really the world we live in and that all
these fantastic experiences are part of it as well.
Quidam has undergone many changes in its six-year history - performers
have come and gone, acts have been replaced time and again, clowns
have left and come back and left again. John Gilkey left the European
tour for a time and even did a stint in Dralion - oddly enough while
the show was playing Chicago. Karl left and rumor has it may return
for the new North American Tour. Many others have contributed to this
phenomenal production, and it is certainly a great pleasure that North
American audiences will once again get to experience Quidam.
Perhaps the show is best summed up in the words of the title song from
the Soundtrack - "There's nothing left, there's nothing right, there's
nothing wrong. I'm one, I'm two, I'm all yet none of you. The truth,
the lies, the tear, the laughter, the hand and the empty touch. Here
I am, alone, waiting for the curtain call."
(fin}
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COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER
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Fascination! Newsletter Compendium
Volume 8, Number 1 (Issue #57) - Jan/Feb 2008
"Fascination! Newsletter" is a concept by Ricky Russo. Copyright (c)
2001-2008 Ricky Russo, published by Vortex/RGR Productions, a
subsidiary of Communicore Enterprises. No portion of this newsletter
can be reproduced, published in any form or forum, quoted or
translated without the consent of the "Fascination!
Newsletter." By sending us correspondence, you give us permission
(unless otherwise noted) to use the submission as we see fit, without
remuneration. All submissions become the property of the "Fascination!
Newsletter." "Fascination! Newsletter" is not affiliated in any way
with Cirque du Soleil. Cirque du Soleil and all its creations are
Copyright (c) and are registered trademarks (TM) of Cirque du Soleil,
Inc., and Créations Méandres, Inc. All Rights Reserved. No copyright
infringement intended.
{ Mar.14.2008 }
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