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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 11, NUMBER 7 July 2011 ISSUE #90e
=======================================================================
Welcome to the latest edition of Fascination, the Unofficial Cirque
du Soleil Newsletter.
The last couple weeks of June (through the first week of July when
I would be putting together all the issues parts and pieces) have
been rather demanding. Ive been here, there, and everywhere for
both business and pleasure. And in the midst of trying to vacation,
and seeing a new Cirque du Soleil show, Im also knee-deep in the
preparations to leave Orlando for more opportune waters in Atlanta,
which will happen sooner rather than later.
It is this reason - Ive just been so busy - that this issue is
without the links from Cirque du Soleils social widgets this
month, but you will find some interesting Zarkana pieces within.
First, in the Features section, youll find the press room materials
Related to the show, and my "thoughts" on the production as seen
at the end of last month. Second, in the news section, youll may
discover links to recent reviews of the show, from high-profile
news organizations to bloggers, which shed light on what others
think about the show (note: its not pretty).
As always we've got the latest news items posted to Fascination! Web
and, of course, updates to Cirque's tour schedule within.
So, let's get started!
Join us on the web at:
< www.cirquefascination.com >
Realy Simple Syndication (RSS) Feed (News Only):
< http://www.cirquefascination.com/?feed=rss2 >
- Ricky "Richasi" Russo
===========
CONTENTS
===========
o) Cirque Buzz -- News, Rumours & Sightings
o) Itinéraire -- Tour/Show Information
* Arena Shows -- In Stadium-like venues
* BigTop Shows -- Under the Grand Chapiteau
* Resident Shows -- Performed en Le Théâtre
* Venue Shows -- Venue & Seasonal Productions
o) Compartments -- A Peek Behind the Curtain
* Historia -- Cirque du Soleil's History
o) Fascination! Features
* "Creation: The Driving Force"
By: Cirque du Soleil Press Room Materials
* "Zarkana: An Irresistibly Odd Escape..."
By: Cirque du Soleil Press Room Materials
* "My Thoughts on Zarkana"
By: Ricky Russo - Orlando, Florida (USA)
* "Ray Wold, Burning Clown" [EXPANDED]
A Special Reprint from The Las Vegas Review-Journal
* "Reviews for ZARKANA are In!" [EXPANDED]
A Special Collection of Reviews in the Press
o) Subscription Information
o) Copyright & Disclaimer
=======================================================================
CIRQUE BUZZ -- NEWS, RUMOURS & SIGHTINGS
=======================================================================
Desigual and Cirque sign a Worldwide Partnership
{Jun.01.2011}
-------------------------------------------------
Desigual and Cirque du Soleil (cirquedusoleil.com) announced
today a worldwide partnership bringing together the worlds of
art, show business and design in a range of clothing and
accessories. This first "Desigual inspired by Cirque du Soleil"
collection was designed by the Desigual creative team and
inspired by the creative universe of Cirque du Soleil. Mario
DAmico, Senior Vice President of Marketing at Cirque du Soleil
and Manel Adell, CEO of Desigual, unveiled the new partnership
at an event held in the Tapis Rouge VIP tent near the Big Top
where the Cirque show Corteo is playing at Escenario Puerta del
Ángel, Recinto Ferial Casa de Campo, Avenida Portugal, Madrid
until June 5.
"Cirque du Soleil and Desigual have much in common," said Mario
DAmico. "Desigual has chosen to be different in the clothing
industry with its outstanding designs and whimsical, fashionable
clothes. Cirque du Soleil has brought a similar innovative
spirit to circus arts and live entertainment."
"Desigual and Cirque du Soleil represent the most exciting
cooperation of two emblematic global worlds," added Manel Adell.
"We share a passion for arousing emotions and developing
products that are so creative and innovative evoking the most
memorable experiences. The partnership of the two brands evolved
in a most natural way. We were born in 1984, we both have a
decidedly unconventional nature and we both connect emotionally
with our audiences to create a WOW effect."
The "Desigual inspired by Cirque du Soleil" collection will be
introduced July 4 at the SS11 New & Good collection catwalk
hosted by Desigual, at the European fashion industry at Bread
and Butter in Berlin (July 6-8) and in North America at Magic in
Las Vegas (August 22-24).
A line of 60 items of clothing and accessories for men, women
and children will be available in November at the desigual.com
online store. In December, it will be available at over 8,000
Desigual points of sale worldwide, including over 200 brand
stores and shop-in-shops in department stores such as Corte
Ingles, Galeries Lafayette, Coin and The Bay. At the same time,
Cirque du Soleil will make the collection available at its show
boutiques around the world.
About Desigual
Desigual is characterized by its distinctive, optimistic,
colorful designs. The firm began life under the leitmotif
"Desigual is not the same." In recent years it has recorded
sustained annual growth of over 50% and currently employs 2,900
people of 72 nationalities. Desigual forecasts a turnover for
2011 of over 500M and a presence at over 8,000 points of sale
worldwide.
{SOURCE: Cirque du Soleil Press Room}
No Cirque for Dubai [EXPANDED]
{Jun.06.2011}
-------------------------------------------------
According to Emirates24|7, plans for a base on Palm Jumeirah for
Canadian firm "set aside":
# # #
"There is no plan for a Cirque du Soleil permanent base in Dubai
at all right now. This project has been set aside," companys
Corporate PR Manager Chantal Côté said.
In May 2007, Nakheel and Cirque du Soleil had announced a 15-
year partnership to develop a permanent show on Palm Jumeirah.
The two companies were to jointly design and build a 1,800-seat
theatre that will be home to the first ever Cirque resident show
to be staged outside of the United States and the Far East.
A Nakheel spokesperson declined comment.
Asked if Cirque was in talks with any other companies in the UAE
to host a permanent show, Côté said: "We are not speaking to any
other party in the UAE."
Besides, the company has no active plans right now for a show in
Dubai this year. Cirque has performed twice in Dubai Quidam in
2007 and Alegria in 2009.
Headquartered in Montreal, Cirque is owned largely by its
founder, Guy Laliberté. In 2008, Nakheel and Istithmar purchased
a 20 per cent stake in the firm.
Asked if Nakheel or Istithmar were in talks to sell their
stakes, Côté said: "They cannot sell their stake without the
consent of Cirque du Soleils founder Guy Laliberté. There are
no discussions to that effect at the moment. They still own 20
per cent of Cirque du Soleil."
In an interview with Harvard Business Review this week, Daniel
Lamarre, Chief Executive Officer, Cirque du Soleil said the
future lies in expanding its operations in Europe and Asia,
since it has more or less saturated the market for its
productions in North America.
The company currently seven permanent shows based in Las Vegas,
and another 11 shows on tour. Three more are in the pipeline,
including one opening in October based on the music of Michael
Jackson.
# # #
Confirmation that Cirque du Soleil would not persue the Dubai
show does not come as a surprise. News about the show has been
scarce lately. In a recent interview with Fascination!, Martin
Lord Ferguson and Ella Allaire eluded that they had written demo
songs for the show; we wonder now if any music written may see
the light of day...
{SOURCE: Emirates24|7}
First Cirque Takes Manhattan, Then the World [EXPANDED]
{Jun.05.2011}
-------------------------------------------------------
Last night in New York, Daniel Lamarre, the chief executive
officer of Cirque du Soleil, offered a rare peek at the
ambitions and anxieties involved in running a business with
annual revenues approaching $1-billion (U.S.).
In conversation with the editor of the Harvard Business Review,
Mr. Lamarre discussed everything from Cirque's new show opening
at Radio City Music Hall, which he described as its riskiest
venture yet, to why he empathizes with the creators of the ill-
fated "Spider-Man" musical on Broadway.
He also made it clear that Cirque's future lies in expanding its
operations in Europe and Asia, since it has more or less
saturated the market for its productions in North America.
The newest Cirque show, entitled Zarkana, will premiere in June
at Radio City Music Hall, with several months of performances in
Manhattan before stops in Madrid and Moscow. "We're pouring $50-
million at it," Mr. Lamarre said. "A month from now, if people
don't react properly, the party's over."
"Are we nervous? Yes. Are we anxious? No," Mr. Lamarre said,
noting that such uncertainty was the nature of the business.
"You either accept the risks that come with it or you stay
home."
Mr. Lamarre said he had read "everything" about "Spider-Man:
Turn Off The Dark," a Broadway musical with an acclaimed
director that has been plagued by accidents and terrible
reviews. "I felt so bad for them because I know something like
that could happen to us," he said. "We're in a very high-risk
business."
Looking ahead, the company plans to diversify geographically, he
said. It currently has eleven permanent shows, seven of them
based in Las Vegas, and 11 shows on tour. Three more are in the
pipeline, including one opening in October based on the music of
Michael Jackson. "The pressure is going to be awesome, but
that's what we like," he said.
Mr. Lamarre, formerly a public-relations guru and television
executive, arrived at Cirque a decade ago. He said there were
distinct benefits in running a privately-held business. "I don't
have to impress a financial analyst or show results on a
quarterly basis," Mr. Lamarre said. "I have an owner who is
happy with the money he is making."
Headquartered in Montreal, Cirque is owned largely by its
founder, Guy Laliberté, a one-time street performer whose net
worth is now estimated at $2.5-billion. In 2008, two arms of the
Dubai government purchased a 20 per cent stake in the firm.
Mr. Lamarre also talked about his partnership with Mr.
Laliberté. "My job is to take all of his crazy ideas and test
them with metrics," he said. Potential business partners who
negotiate with Cirque are sometimes surprised to find it has a
talented staff of financial analysts, he added. "Yes, we're
dreamers, but we have to make business sense."
Asked how he measured success, Mr. Lamarre said the proof was
always in the audience's reaction to a show. And with over a
hundred million spectators served, the novelty value is wearing
off. "What's tough for us is that the expectations are getting
higher and higher," he said.
{ SOURCE: The Globe and Mail }
The GRAMMY Museum Celebrates LOVE
{Jun.13.2011}
-------------------------------------------------
Check out this fantastic exhibit now on display at the GRAMMY
Museum located at 800 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, California
(corner of Olympic Boulevard and Figueroa Street), on the campus
of L.A. LIVE - The Beatles LOVE: A Fifth Anniversary Cirque du
Soleil Showcase!
# # #
Residing on the Museums third floor, The Beatles LOVE: A Fifth
Anniversary Cirque du Soleil Showcase celebrates the anniversary
of LOVE, the permanent show at The Mirage Hotel and Casino in
Las Vegas.
Including signature show pieces, elaborately embellished
costumes, original production instruments, and more, the exhibit
includes 13 unique looks from the show never before exhibited in
a museum. Visitors also enjoy a three minute vignette featuring
3D footage from LOVE, set to the music of Revolution, Hey Jude,
Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, and Help!
Now celebrating its fifth anniversary, LOVE brings the magic of
Cirque du Soleil together with the spirit and passion of The
Beatles to create an intimate and powerful entertainment
experience. It captures the essence of love that John, Paul,
George and Ringo inspired during their astonishing adventure
together. The soundtrack to The Beatles LOVE by Cirque du
Soleil, produced by Sir George Martin and his son Giles Martin,
won two GRAMMY® Awards in 2008 and went Double Platinum in 2011.
In 2010, the critically acclaimed LOVE documentary All Together
Now won the GRAMMY Award for "Best Long Form Music Video."
The Beatles LOVE: A Fifth Anniversary Cirque du Soleil Showcase
will remain on display through February 2012.
# # #
Check out the GRAMMY Museums website here:
< http://www.grammymuseum.org/interior.php?
section=exhibits&page=beatles_love >
{SOURCE: The GRAMMY Museum at L.A. LIVE}
Guy talks Zarkana
{Jun.14.2011}
-------------------------------------------------
Guy Laliberte, founder and owner of Cirque du Soleil, discusses
the circuss new show "Zarkana," the outlook for the company and
his nine-day visit to the International Space Station in October
2009. Laliberte speaks on Bloomberg Televisions "InBusiness
with Margaret Brennan."
See video interview here:
< http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/cirque-du-soleils-
laliberte-discusses-zarkana-show/2011/06/13/
AGOrYLTH_video.html >
{SOURCE: Washington Post / Bloomberg}
IRIS, Exclusively at Kodak Theater
{Jun.16.2011}
-------------------------------------------------
A JOURNEY THROUGH THE WORLD OF CINEMA
Written and Directed by Philippe Decouflé
EXCLUSIVELY AT KODAK THEATRE
PREVIEW PERFORMANCES BEGIN JULY 21, 2011
Cirque du Soleil will present IRIS, a new major, resident
production created exclusively for the Kodak Theatre at the
Hollywood & Highland Center, home of the Academy Awards® with
preview performances starting July 21. Proudly presented by Sun
Life Financial, IRIS will premiere on September 25.
A poetic phantasmagoria inspired by the world of cinema, IRIS
presents an imaginary journey through the evolution of cinema -
from the foundations of the art form to the bustle of the
soundstage - through optical effects and film genres. IRIS
transposes into a language of dance and acrobatics all of
cinemas splendor, inventiveness and, above all, its sense of
wonder.
When the two young heroes - Buster and Scarlett - find
themselves plunged into the joyful chaos of a film set, their
escapades transport the spectator into a kaleidoscope of
movement, moods and images supported by an orchestral score.
IRIS conjures up a place between motion and picture, light and
sound, that shifts constantly between reality and make-believe,
to explore the limitless possibilities of cinema. By combining
dance, acrobatics, live video, film footage and interactive
projections, the show illustrates both the mechanics of cinema
and its extraordinary power to deceive the eye.
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR
IRIS is written and directed by French stage and film director,
artistic director, dancer and choreographer Philippe Decouflé.
For Philippe, cooperation with others is essential to his
process. In 1983 he gathered together a group of artists and
artisans who have been with him ever since as members of his
dance company DCA, which has created scores of playful and
fantastic productions that represent a veritable revival in
contemporary dance.
In 1992 Philippe created the magnificent opening and closing
ceremonies of the Albertville Olympic Games. Watched by two
billion viewers, this work earned him an international
reputation. Philippe Decouflé also created the show Désirs that
has been running at the Crazy Horse Saloon in Paris since 2009.
IRIS is his first show with Cirque du Soleil.
THE CREATIVE TEAM
Along with Philippe Decouflé, the creative team consists of the
following distinctive talents:
o) Guy Laliberté Artistic Guide
o) Gilles Ste-Croix Artistic Guide
o) Philippe Decouflé Writer & Director
o) Danny Elfman Composer
o) Jean-François Bouchard Director of Creation
o) Pascale Henrot Assoc. Director of Creation
o) Jean Rabasse Set Designer
o) Philippe Guillotel Costume Designer
o) Daphné Mauger Choreographer
o) Patrice Besombes Lighting Designer
o) Anne-Séguin Poirier Props Designer
o) Olivier Simola Projection Designer
o) Christophe Waksmann Projection Designer
o) François Bergeron Sound Designer
o) Boris Verkhovsky Acrobatic Performance
o) Shana Carroll Acrobatic Performance
o) Pierre Masse Rigging & Equipment
o) Nathalie Gagné Makeup Designer
TICKET INFORMATION
Tickets range from $43 to $133 (VIP tickets are available at
$253). Tickets can be purchased on line at
www.cirquedusoleil.com/IRIS or by calling 1-877-943-IRIS.
For parties of 12 or more, contact Cirque du Soleil group sales
by calling 877-504-7164.
For Preferred Seating and other American Express® Cardmember
benefits, please visit www.cirquedusoleil.com/amex.
SPONSORS
Sun Life Financial is the presenting sponsor of IRIS. Infiniti
and American Express are the official sponsors of this new
production.
ABOUT KODAK THEATRE
Kodak Theatre is the crown jewel of the Hollywood & Highland
Center, a retail, dining and entertainment venue located in the
heart of historic Hollywood. The theatre opened in November 2001
and soon became known to more than one billion people across the
globe as the first permanent home of the Academy Awards®. Kodak
Theatre was designed by the internationally-renowned Rockwell
Group to be as glamorous as its onstage artists and celebrity
guests, yet capable of serving the enormous technical needs of a
live worldwide television broadcast on Oscar® night.
For more information visit: http://www.kodaktheatre.com
{SOURCE: Cirque du Soleil Press Room}
C|Net Reveals LOVEs Secrets [EXPANDED]
{Jun.19.2011}
-------------------------------------------------
"Love," Cirque du Soleil's successful celebration of The
Beatles, is five years old this month.
Now that the show has reached this milestone, Cirque du Soleil
is willing to unveil more of its secrets. Last week, Tom Wegis,
technical director for "Love," served up an all-access, stat-
soaked, guided tour of the show's backstage world now it's had
five years to settle and grow into its surroundings. "Love" is
the only Las Vegas Cirque du Soleil show performed in the round,
and the three-level theater seats 2,013 visitors, all within 98
feet of the stage. The space has four control booths positioned
in four separate corners (controlling lighting, projection,
stage management, and automation, respectively). A total of 276
separate production cues flow back and forth between the booths
as the show comes together.
Four automated tracks built into the stage carry artists and
smaller stage pieces out into the show. The theater has 10
12,000-lumen projectors for each of two 2,000-square-foot
panoramic screens wrapping around the space. Four 832-square-
foot semi-transparent screens move in and out of the space,
thanks to eight motors. They're illuminated by four 16,000-lumen
projectors offering images of The Beatles and their music.
The most impressive machinery powering "Love" from behind the
scenes resides under the stage. Nine stage lifts raise and lower
artists and set elements in and out of the performance space.
The largest motor-driven rack-and-pinion lift raises a center
stage segment weighing about 22,000 pounds. Engineers dug 32
feet down into the desert ground to install it; it provides a
force of 150 pounds per square foot and can raise the huge stage
at a speed of a foot per second.
All Cirque productions stress that the safety of the artists and
crew is the primary concern. To that end, the larger set
elements are monitored by a specially designed encoder system
that confirms that the moving piece is precisely where it needs
to be when it needs to be there. If anything onstage strays by
so much as millimeters, the movement cuts out and the show
stops.
If a less serious problem arises in the show, the crew has
invented a secret code to alert the cast and staff.
"If you see the show, and you hear the classic Beatles line--the
repeated chant of 'number nine, number nine,' that's the code
that something needs to be corrected," Wegis said. "Whatever the
technical problem is is fixed as the show continues. But we have
to stop the show if any element goes out of position. Safety is
everything for Cirque du Soleil, no matter what show you're
seeing."
In the rafters grid 87 feet above the stage and the audience,
eight automated tracks and trolleys run from one end of the
theater space to the other. They can simultaneously move 24
props, set elements, or performers and provide the production
with 140 different ways to send a performer into the air. The
trolley system is dexterous enough to act as a massive puppeteer
of huge paper creations during the show's "While My Guitar
Gently Weeps" number.
The theater also utilities a ventilation system that can alter
the temperature, density, and even the scent within the space.
For example, during the Eastern meditation-themed "Here Comes
the Sun" segment, the theater smells of flowers and faint
incense. During the show, artists use a fiberglass piano filled
with a soapy solution to send huge dancing bubbles around the
theater. The designers quickly realized the dry desert air of
Las Vegas was unfriendly to soap bubbles, so the ventilation
system controls the density and airflow in the theater to make
the dance possible.
Amid all of this movement and technology, Wegis revealed a
special secret during the tour. Near the sound-mixing offices
backstage, an elevated, black-walled vault sits tucked away--a
chamber hiding in plain sight. If Wegis didn't point it out, no
one would ever see it. But it's one of only two places on Earth
where every Beatles track is housed.
"The original tapes are still stored at Apple Records in the
U.K.," Wegis said. "But when George Martin and his son did the
remix for the show, the trackers were carefully digitized for
mixing. We have the direct digital versions of every track
stored here. The vault is climate-controlled and has a waterless
fire suppression system. Only a few of us can get access to that
room."
As the tour wrapped up, the most surreal aspect of this
backstage world became clear. When the tour concludes, the
backstage exit opens out onto the casino floor. You step from
the world of "Eleanor Rigby" and "A Day in the Life" out into
the neon-lit world of hard-core Vegas. The massive "Love" stage
and all of the engineering behind it hides behind the casino
facade, providing a musical escape from the hyperactive hedonism
around it.
{SOURCE: C|Net}
The Zarkana Sundae?
{Jun.22.2011}
-------------------------------------------------
To celebrate the World Premiere of Zarkana, the major new
acrobatic spectacle from Cirque du Soleil at Radio City Music
Hall, Serendipity 3 has created the unique and over-the-top
Zarkana Sundae, available exclusively at Serendipity 3 for a
limited time.
The delightfully grand Zarkana Sundae begins with a red "deco"
style goblet filled with vanilla and chocolate ice cream
drenched in both white and milk chocolate sauces. A fantastical
mountain of whipped cream, dusted in edible pixie dust props up
a black & white Zarkana cookie encrusted with sugar rubies. A
red sugar rose and life-sized gummy eyeballs further embellish
this delightfully twisted sundae. A gummy snake more than two
feet long enwraps this over-the-top concoction that is topped
with a black balloon cloud.
Zarkana is currently in previews at Radio City Music Hall and
the World Premiere is June 29, 2011, with performances
continuing through October 8, 2011.
SERENDIPITY 3 is located at225 East 60th Street, between 2nd and
3rd Avenues.
{SOURCE: BroadwayWorld.com}
=======================================================================
ITINÉRAIRE -- TOUR/SHOW INFORMATION
=======================================================================
o) BIGTOP - Under the Grand Chapiteau
{Corteo, Koozå, OVO, Totem & Varekai}
o) ARENA - In Stadium-like venues
{Saltimbanco, Alegría, Quidam, Dralion
& Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour}
o) RESIDENT - Performed en Le Théâtre
{Mystère, "O", La Nouba, Zumanity, KÀ, LOVE,
ZAIA, ZED, Believe & VIVA Elvis}
o) VENUE - Venue & Seasonal productions
{Iris & Zarkana}
NOTE:
.) While we make every effort to provide complete and accurate
touring dates and locations available, the information in
this section is subject to change without notice. As such,
the Fascination! Newsletter does not accept responsibility
for the accuracy of these listings.
.) Dates so marked (*) are not official until released by Cirque
du Soleil.
For current, up-to-the-moment information on Cirque's whereabouts,
please visit Cirque's website: < http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/ >.
------------------------------------
BIGTOP - Under the Grand Chapiteau
------------------------------------
Corteo:
Valencia, ES -- Jun 16, 2011 to Jul 17, 2011
Alicante, ES -- Jul 28, 2011 to Aug 28, 2011
Sevilla, ES -- Sep 8, 2011 to Oct 9, 2011
Paris, FR -- Nov 4, 2011 to Dec 31, 2011
Barcelona, ES -- Jan 19, 2012 to Mar 18, 2012
Amsterdam, NL -- Mar 30, 2012 to Jun 3, 2012
Gijón, ES -- Jul 25, 2012 to Aug 26, 2012
Zurich, CH -- Sep 7, 2012 to Oct 14, 2012
Antwerp, BE -- Nov 2, 2012 to Dec 23, 2012
Koozå:
Tokyo, JPN -- Feb 2, 2011 to Jul 18, 2011
Osaka, JPN -- Aug 4, 2011 to Oct 10, 2011
Nagoya, JPN -- Nov 23, 2011 to Jan 22, 2012
Fukuoka, JPN -- Feb 9, 2012 to Apr 1, 2012
Sendai, JPN -- Apr 19, 2012 to Jun 3, 2012
Ovo:
Chicago, IL -- Jun 29, 2011 to Aug 21, 2011
Calgary, AB -- Sep 7, 2011 to Sep 25, 2011
Mexico City, MX -- Oct 30, 2011 to Nov 20, 2011
Santa Monica, CA -- Jan 20, 2012 to Mar 25, 2012
Portland, OR -- TBA
Brisbane, AU -- TBA
Sydney, AU -- TBA
Melbourne, AU -- TBA
Totem:
Montreal, QC -- Jun 15, 2011 to Jul 31, 2011
Toronto, ON -- Aug 11, 2011 to Sep 4, 2011
San Francisco, CA -- Oct 28, 2011 to Dec 18, 2011
London, UK -- Jan 6, 2010 to Jan 29, 2012
San Jose, CA -- Mar 2, 2012 to Apr 1, 2012
Varekai:
Manila, PH -- Jun 22, 2011 to Jul 24, 2011
São Paulo, BR -- Sep 15, 2011 to Nov 27, 2011
Rio De Janeiro, BR -- Dec 7, 2011 to Jan 8, 2012
Belo Horizonte, BR -- Jan 18, 2012 to Feb 12, 2012
Brasilia, BR -- Feb 22, 2012 to Mar 18, 2012
Recife, BR -- Mar 29, 2012 to Apr 22, 2012
Salvador, BR -- May 3, 2012 to May 27, 2012
Curitiba, BR -- Jun 7, 2012 to Jul 1, 2012
Porto Alegre, BR -- Jul 11, 2012 to Aug 5, 2012
Buenos Aires, AR -- Aug 17, 2012 to Sep 16, 2012
Santiago, CL -- Sep 28, 2012 to Oct 28, 2012
------------------------------------
ARENA - In Stadium-Like Venues
------------------------------------
Saltimbanco:
Asia-Pacific
------------
Brisbane, AU -- Jul 8, 2011 to Jul 17, 2011
Newcastle, AU -- Jul 20, 2011 to Jul 24, 2011
Sydney, AU -- Jul 27, 2011 to Aug 14, 2011
Wollongong, AU -- Aug 17, 2011 to Aug 21, 2011
Auckland, NZ -- Aug 25, 2011 to Sep 4, 2011
Russia & Beyond
----------------
Shanghai, CN -- Sep 25, 2011 to Oct 4, 2011
Ekaterinburg, RU -- Oct 15, 2011 to Oct 23, 2011
Kazan, RU -- Oct 26, 2011 to Oct 30, 2011
Moscow, RU -- Nov 3, 2011 to Nov 13, 2011
St. Petersburg, RU -- Nov 16, 2011 to Nov 21, 2011
Kiev, UA -- Nov 26, 2011 to Dec 4, 2011
Vilnius, LT -- Dec 15, 2011 to Dec 17, 2011
Riga, LV -- Dec 21, 2011 to Dec 23, 2011
Tallin, EE -- Dec 28, 2011 to Dec 30, 2011
Graz, AT -- Feb 22, 2012 to Feb 26, 2012
Alegría:
North American Tour
-------------------
Jacksonville, FL -- Jun 29, 2011 to Jul 3, 2011
Raleigh, NC -- Jul 6, 2011 to Jul 10, 2011
Florence, SC -- Jul 13, 2011 to Jul 17, 2011
Sunrise, FL -- Jul 20, 2011 to Jul 31, 2011
Charlotte, NC -- Aug 3, 2011 to Aug 7, 2011
Estero, FL -- Aug 10, 2011 to Aug 14, 2011
European Tour
-------------
Oberhausen, DE -- Sep 7, 2011 to Sep 11, 2011
Leipzig, DE -- Sep 14, 2011 to Sep 18, 2011
Stuttgart, DE -- Sep 21, 2011 to Sep 25, 2011
Munich, DE -- Sep 28, 2011 to Oct 2, 2011
Salzburg, AT -- Oct 5, 2011 to Oct 9, 2011
Berlin, DE -- Oct 12, 2011 to Oct 16, 2011
Bremen, DE -- Oct 19, 2011 to Oct 23, 2011
cologne, DE -- Oct 26, 2011 to Oct 30, 2011
Frankfurt, DE -- Nov 2, 2011 to Nov 6, 2011
Mannheim, DE -- Nov 9, 2011 to Nov 13, 2011
Malaga, ES -- Dec 1, 2011 to Dec 4, 2011
Santiago, ES -- Dec 7, 2011 to Dec 11, 2011
Zaragoza, ES -- Dec 14, 2011 to Dec 18, 2011
Lisbon, PT -- Dec 21, 2011 to Jan 8, 2012
Granada, ES -- Jan 11, 2011 to Jan 15, 2012
Bilbao, ES -- Jan 18, 2012 to Jan 22, 2012
Toulouse, FR -- Jan 25, 2012 to Feb 29, 2012
Nantes, FR -- Feb 1, 2012 to Feb 5, 2012
Lyon, FR -- Feb 22, 2012 to Feb 26, 2012
Toulon, FR -- Feb 29, 2012 to Mar 4, 2012
Nice, FR -- Mar 7, 2012 to Mar 11, 2012
Montpellier, FR -- Mar 14, 2012 to Mar 18, 2012
Strasbourg, FR -- Mar 21, 2012 to Mar 25, 2012
Manchester, UK -- Apr 4, 2012 to Apr 7, 2012
Glasgow, UK -- Apr 11, 2012 to Apr 15, 2012
Birmingham, UK -- Apr 18, 2012 to Apr 22, 2012
Dublin, IE -- Apr 25, 2012 to Apr 29, 2012
Quidam:
St. John's, NL -- Jul 6, 2011 to Jul 10, 2011
Saint John, NB -- Jul 13, 2011 to Jul 17, 2011
Halifax, NS -- Jul 20, 2011 to Jul 24, 2011
Providence, RI -- Jul 27, 2011 to Jul 31, 2011
Hershey, PA -- Aug 18, 2011 to Aug 21, 2011
Baltimore, MD -- Aug 24, 2011 to Aug 28, 2011
Hartford, CT -- Aug 31, 2011 to Sep 4, 2011
Amherst, MA -- Sep 7, 2011 to Sep 11, 2011
State College, PA -- Sep 14, 2011 to Sep 18, 2011
Fort Wayne, IN -- Sep 21, 2011 to Sep 25, 2011
Hartford, CT -- Sep 28, 2011 to Oct 2, 2011
Reading, PA -- Oct 5, 2011 to Oct 9, 2011
Pittsburgh, PA -- Oct 12, 2011 to Oct 16, 2011
Milwaukee, WI -- Oct 19, 2011 to Oct 23, 2011
Washington, DC -- Nov 16, 2011 to Nov 20, 2011
Fayetteville, NC -- Nov 23, 2011 to TBA
Greenville, SC -- Nov 30, 2011 to TBA
Hampton, VA -- Dec 7, 2011 to TBA
Worcester, MA -- Dec 14, 2011 to TBA
Toronto, ON -- Dec 20, 2011 to TBA
Dralion:
Victoria, BC -- Jun 22, 2011 to Jun 26, 2011
Penticon, BC -- Jun 29, 2011 to Jul 3, 2011
Edmonton, AB -- Jul 6, 2011 to Jul 10, 2011
Saskatoon, SK -- Jul 13, 2011 to Jul 17, 2011
Winnipeg, MB -- Jul 20, 2011 to Jul 24, 2011
Frisco, TX -- Jul 27, 2011 to Jul 31, 2011
Indianapolis, IN -- Aug 3, 2011 to Aug 7, 2011
Atlanta, GA -- Aug 25, 2011 to Aug 28, 2011
Duluth, GA -- Aug 31, 2011 to Sep 4, 2011
Tupelo, MS -- Sep 6, 2011 to TBA
Huntsville, AL -- Sep 10, 2011 to Sep 11, 2011
New Orleans, LA -- Sep 14, 2011 to Sep 17, 2011
Orlando, FL -- Sep 21, 2011 to Sep 25, 2011
Tallahassee, FL -- Sep 28, 2011 to Oct 2, 2011
Birmingham, AL -- Oct 5, 2011 to Oct 9, 2011
Gainesville, FL -- Oct 11, 2011 to Oct 13, 2011
San Juan, PR -- Oct 18, 2011 to Oct 23, 2011
Cypress, TX -- Nov 17, 2011 to Nov 20, 2011
Beaumont, TX -- Nov 23, 2011 to Nov 27, 2011
Houston, TX -- Nov 30, 2011 to Dec 4, 2011
Richmond, VA -- Dec 7, 2011 to TBA
Kitchener, ON -- Dec 13, 2011 to TBA
Montreal, QC -- Dec 21, 2011 to Dec 30, 2011
Quebec, QC -- Jan 3, 2012 to Jan 8, 2012
Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour:
2011
----
Montreal, QC -- Oct 2, 2011 & Oct 3, 2011
Ottawa, ON -- Oct 7, 2011 to Oct 8, 2011
Hamilton, ON -- Oct 12 & Oct 13, 2011
Detroit, MI -- Oct 15 & Oct 16, 2011
London, ON -- Oct 18, 2011
Toronto, ON -- Oct 21, 2011 to Oct 23, 2011
Winnipeg, MB -- Oct 26, 2011
Saskatoon, SK -- Oct 29, 2011
Edmonton, AB -- Nov 1 & Nov 2, 2011
Vancouver, BC -- Nov 4, 2011 to Nov 6, 2011
Seattle, WA -- Nov 9 & Nov 10, 2011
Spokane, WA -- Nov 12 & Nov 13, 2011
Euguene OR -- Nov 15 & Nov 16, 2011
Portland, OR -- Nov 18 to Nov 20, 2011
Salt Lake City, UT -- Nov 28, 2011
Las Vegas, NV -- Dec 3, 2011 to Dec 27, 2011
Phoenix, AZ -- Dec 30 & Dec 31, 2011
2012
----
Boise, ID -- Jan 3 & Jan 4, 2012
Denver, CO -- Jan 6 to Jan 8, 2012
Sacramento, CA -- Jan 10 & Jan 11, 2012
San Jose, CA -- Jan 13 to Jan 15, 2012
Oakland, CA -- Jan 17 & Jan 18, 2012
San Diego, CA -- Jan 21 & Jan 22, 2012
Anaheim, CA -- Jan 24 & Jan 25, 2012
Los Angeles, CA -- Jan 27 to Jan 29, 2012
St. Louis, MO -- Feb 7 & Feb 8, 2012
Houston, TX -- Feb 10 to Feb 12, 2012
New Orleans, LA -- Feb 15 & Feb 16, 2012
Tulsa, OK -- Feb 18 & Feb 19, 2012
Kansas City, MO -- Feb 21 & Feb 22, 2012
Indianapolis, IN -- Feb 24 & Feb 25, 2012
Miami, FL -- Mar 2, 2012
Milwaukee, WI -- Mar 16, 2012 to Mar 18, 2012
Montreal -- Mar 20, 2012 to Mar 22, 2012
Quebec City, QC -- Mar 24 & Mar 25, 2012
Minneapolis, MN -- Mar 27 & Mar 28, 2012
Newark, NJ -- Mar 30 & Apr 1, 2012
New York City, NY -- Apr 3, 2012 to Apr 5, 2012
Uniondale, NY -- Apr 7 & Apr 8, 2012
Philadelphia, PA -- Apr 10 & Apr 11, 2012
Pittsburg, PA -- Apr 13, 14 & 15, 2012
State College, PA -- Apr 24 & 25, 2012
Worcester, MA -- May 16, 2012
Dayton, OH -- Jun 6 & Jun 7, 2012
Columbus, OH -- Jun 9 & Jun 10, 2012
Austin, TX -- Jun 15, 2012
San Antonio, TX -- Jun 23, 2012
Atlanta, GA -- Jun 29, 2012
Montreal, QC -- Jul 6 & Jul 7, 2012
Washington, DC -- Jul 13, 14 & 15 2012
Cleveland, OH -- Jul 17 & 18, 2012
---------------------------------
RESIDENT - en Le Théâtre
---------------------------------
NOTE: (*) Prices are in United States Dollars (USD) unless otherwise
noted.
(*) Ticket prices exclude the 10% Live Entertainment Tax, the
$7.50 per-ticket processing fee, and sales tax where
applicable.
Mystère:
Location: Treasure Island, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Saturday through Wednesday, Dark: Thursday/Friday
Two shows Nightly - 7:00pm & 9:30pm
2011 Ticket Prices (adult) / (child 5-12):
o Category 1: $109.00 / $54.50
o Category 2: $99.00 / $49.50
o Category 3: $79.00 / $39.50
o Category 4: $69.00 / $34.50
o Category 5: $60.00 / $30.00 (Limited View)
2011 Dark Dates:
o July 6
o September 3-7
o November 2
2011 Added Performances:
o July 14th
o December 30th
"O":
Location: Bellagio, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Wednesday through Sunday, Dark: Monday/Tuesday
Two shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:00pm
2011 Ticket Prices:
o Orchestra: $150.00
o Loggia: $130.00
o Balcony: $99.00
o Limited View: $93.50
2011 Dark Dates:
o June 12
o August 10-14
o October 9
o December 5-18
La Nouba:
Location: Walt Disney World, Orlando (USA)
Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday
Two shows Nightly - 6:00pm and 9:00pm
2011 Ticket Prices (adults) / (child 3-9):
o Category 0: $120.00 / $97.00
o Category 1: $105.00 / $85.00
o Category 2: $85.00 / $69.00
o Category 3: $69.00 / $56.00
o Category 4: $55.00 / $45.00
2011 Dark Dates:
o July 26
o September 20-24
o November 22
Zumanity:
Location: New York-New York, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Friday through Tuesday
Dark: Wednesday & Thursday
Two Shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 10:00pm
2011 Ticket Prices (18+ Only!):
o Duo Sofas: $129.00
o Orchestra Seats: $105.00
o Upper Orchestra Seats: $79.00
o Balcony Seats: $69.00
o Cabaret Stools: $69.00
2011 Dark Dates:
o June 21
o August 26-30
o Septembre 2-6
o October 17-18
o December 16-20
2011 Added Performances:
o November 23rd
o December 31st
KÀ:
Location: MGM Grand, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark Sunday/Monday
Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm
2011 Ticket Prices (adult) / (child 5-12):
o Category 1: $150.00 / $75.00
o Category 2: $130.00 / $65.00
o Category 3: $99.00 / $49.50
o Category 4: $69.00 / $34.50
2011 Dark Dates:
o May 31 - June 4
o July 12
o August 30 - September 7
o November 15-16
2011 Added Performances:
o November 27
o December 26
o December 31
LOVE:
Location: Mirage, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Thursday through Monday, Dark: Tuesday/Wednesday
Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm
2011 Ticket Prices:
o Lower Orchestra: $150.00
o Upper Orchestra: $130.00
o Lower Balcony: $99.00
o Middle Balcony: $93.50
2011 Dark Dates:
o June 6
o August 4-8
o October 3
o December 1-12
2011 Added Performances:
o December 28th
o December 31st
ZAIA:
Location: Venetian, Macao (China)
Performs: Every Day, Dark: Wednesday
One to Two Shows Daily - Times Vary
2011 Ticket Prices (adult) / (child 2-11):
o VIP Seating: MOP$ 1288 / MOP$ 1288
o Reserve A: MOP$ 788 / MOP$ 394
o Reserve B: MOP$ 588 / MOP$ 294
o Reserve C: MOP$ 388 / MOP$ 194
ZED:
Location: Tokyo Disneyland, Tokyo (Japan)
Performs: Varies
One to Two Shows Daily - Showtimes vary
2011 Ticket Prices (Non-Peek / Peek Time):
o Category 1 ("Premium"): ¥15,000 / ¥16,000
o Category 2 ("Stage-Side"): ¥12,500 / ¥13,500
o Category 2 ("Center"): ¥12,500 / ¥13,500
o Category 3 ("Wide View"): ¥9,500 / ¥10,500
o Category 4 ("Value"): ¥7,500 / ¥8,500
BELIEVE:
Location: Luxor, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Friday through Tuesday, Dark: Wednesday/Thursday
Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 10:00pm
NOTE: Children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by
an adult. Children under the age of five are not permitted
into the theater.
2011 Ticket Prices (all):
o Category 1: $160.00
o Category 2: $130.00
o Category 3: $109.00
o Category 4: $89.00
o Category 5: $59.00
2011 Dark Dates:
o June 7-14
o September 6-10
o December 6-17
VIVA ELVIS:
Location: Aria, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday
Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm
2011 Ticket Prices
o Category 1: $175.00
o Category 2: $150.00
o Category 3: $125.00
o Category 4: $99.00
2011 Dark Dates:
o July 5-16
o September 13-14
o November 8-12
2011 Added Performances:
o May 29th
o November 27th
o December 26, 31
--------------------------------------
VENUE - Venue & Seasonal Productions
--------------------------------------
IRIS:
Location: Kodak Theatre, Hollywood, CA (USA)
Performs: Opens July 22, 2011
Times: TBA
ZARKANA:
Location ///
New York, NY -- Jun 9, 2011 to Sep 4, 2011
Madrid, ES -- Nov 9, 2011 to Jan 1, 2012
Moscow, RU -- Feb 4, 2012 to Apr 8, 2012
Performances ///
2011 Dark Dates:
o June 13-15, 20-22, 27-28
o July 4, 11, 18, 25
o August 1, 8, 15, 22, 29
======================================================================
COMPARTMENTS -- A PEEK BEHIND THE CURTAIN
=======================================================================
------------------------------------
HISTORIA: Cirque du Soleil History
------------------------------------
* Jul.01.1990 -- Cirque Réinventé (Vol 2) CD Released (Nâga)
* Jul.02.2002 -- La Nouba Boutique pepper spray incident forces evacuation
* Jul.03.2009 -- Koozå opened Minneapolis/St-Paul
* Jul.04.2007 -- Cirque named top Canadian Brand by Brand Finance Canada.
* Jul.05.1984 -- 1984 Tour opened Rimouski
* Jul.05.1985 -- 1985 Tour opened Québec [Vieux-Port de Québec]
* Jul.05.1986 -- Le Magie Continue opened Québec
* Jul.05.1990 -- Nouvelle Expérience opened Seattle
* Jul.05.1996 -- Quidam opened Ste-Foy
* Jul.05.2007 -- Koozå opened Quebec City
* Jul.05.2007 -- Varekai opened Adelaide, Australia
* Jul.06.2000 -- Saltimbanco 2000 opened Seattle
* Jul.06.2006 -- Quidam opened Philadelphia
* Jul.06.2008 -- René Dupéré named "Chevalier" in the Order de la Pléiade
* Jul.07.1987 -- Cirque Réinventé opened Québec
* Jul.07.2010 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Dublin, IE
* Jul.08.2004 -- Alegría opened Philadelphia
* Jul.09.2009 -- Quidam opened Recife, Brazil
* Jul.09.2009 -- Varekai opened Gijon, Spain
* Jul.10.2002 -- Saltimbanco opened Vienna
* Jul.10.2003 -- Alegría opened Vancouver
* Jul.10.2009 -- Dralion opened Auckland
* Jul.10.2009 -- La Nouba celebrated 5,000th performance [9:00pm]
* Jul.11.1990 -- Cirque Réinventé opened Montréal
* Jul.11.1997 -- Alegría opened Berlin
* Jul.11.2008 -- LOVE celebrated 1000th performance [Friday]
* Jul.11.2009 -- La Nouba celebrated 5000th performance
* Jul.11.2010 -- Quidam opened Santiago, CL
* Jul.12.1984 -- 1984 Tour opened Saint-Jean-Port-Joli
* Jul.12.1994 -- Alegría opened San Francisco
* Jul.13.2003 -- Cirque nominated for 1 Emmy - 55th Emmy Awards
Outstanding Nonfiction Program Alternate - Fire Within
* Jul.14.1992 -- Fascination opened Osaka
* Jul.14.1992 -- Saltimbanco opened San Francisco
* Jul.14.2006 -- Alegría opened Amsterdam
* Jul.14.2006 -- Corteo opened Chicago
* Jul.16.2003 -- Varekai opened Chicago
* Jul.17.2008 -- Dralion opened Sydney, Australia
* Jul.18.2002 -- Cirque nominated for 2 Emmys in 54th Emmy Awards
Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special - Alegría
Outstanding Choreography for 74th Academy Awards - Debra Brown
* Jul.19.1984 -- 1984 Tour opened Baie-Saint-Paul
* Jul.19.2003 -- Quidam opened Osaka
* Jul.20.2004 -- Varekai CD released in Canada (CDS Musique)
* Jul.20.2004 -- Alegría CD released in Canada (CDS Musique)
* Jul.20.2007 -- Corteo Nominated for Emmys
o) Category 6: Art Direction for a Variety,
Music Program or Special
o) Category 28: Picture Editing for a Special
(Single of Multi-Camera)
* Jul.21.1995 -- Saltimbanco opened Berlin
* Jul.21.1999 -- Saltimbanco opened Adelaide
* Jul.21.2005 -- Dralion opened Oostenede
* Jul.21.2010 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened Nottingham, UK
* Jul.22.1998 -- Alegría opened Antwerp
* Jul.22.1998 -- Quidam opened Chicago
* Jul.22.2010 -- Kooza opened Vancouver, BC
* Jul.22.2010 -- OVO opened Boston, MA
* Jul.22.2010 -- Totem opened Québec City, QC
* Jul.22.2010 -- Alegría Arena opened Winnipeg, MB
* Jul.23.1988 -- Cirque Réinventé opened Toronto
* Jul.23.2006 -- Varekai NAT 1 Ends (2002-2006)
* Jul.24.1992 -- Fascination opened Sapporo
* Jul.24.2003 -- Saltimbanco opened Oostenede
* Jul.24.2003 -- Dralion opened Columbus
* Jul.24.2008 -- Quidam opened Alicante, Spain
* Jul.25.2002 -- Quidam opened Boston
* Jul.25.2007 -- Dralion opened Osaka, Japan
* Jul.26.1984 -- 1984 Tour opened Québec
* Jul.26.1985 -- 1985 Tour opened Toronto [Harbour Front]
* Jul.26.1991 -- Nouvelle Expérience opened Toronto
* Jul.26.1995 -- Alegría opened Chicago
* Jul.26.1996 -- Saltimbanco opened Angers
* Jul.26.2001 -- Quidam opened Copenhagen
* Jul.26.2007 -- Alegría opened Gijon, Spain
* Jul.27.2004 -- Varekai opened Boston
* Jul.27.2004 -- Varekai CD released in US (CDS Musique)
* Jul.27.2009 -- LOVE celebrated 1,500th performance [7:00pm]
* Jul.27.2010 -- Alegría Arena opened Regina, SK
* Jul.28.1993 -- Saltimbanco opened Chicago
* Jul.28.2010 -- Saltimbanco Arena opened London, UK
* Jul.29.1999 -- Dralion opened Toronto
* Jul.29.2009 -- Corteo opened Osaka
* Jul.29.2010 -- Varekai opened Oostende, BE
* Jul.29.2010 -- La Nouba celebrated 5500th performance [9:00pm]
* Jul.30.2009 -- OVO opened Quebec, QC.
* Jul.31.1990 -- Cirque Réinventé opened London
* Jul.31.1997 -- Quidam opened San Jose
* Jul.31.2003 -- Zumanity Begins Preview Performances
* Jul.31.2004 -- Quidam celebrated 3000th performance [Sat, 1:00pm/Calgary]
* Jul.31.2008 -- Corteo opened Calgary, AB, Canada
* Jul.31.2008 -- Varekai opened Oberhausen
=======================================================================
FASCINATION! FEATURES
=======================================================================
o) "Creation: The Driving Force"
By: Cirque du Soleil Press Room Materials
o) "ZARKANA: An Irrestibly Odd Escape..."
By: Cirque du Soleil Press Room Materials
o) "My Thoughts on Zarkana"
By: Ricky Russo - Orlando, Florida (USA)
o) "Ray Wold, Burning Clown" [EXPANDED]
A Special Reprint from The Las Vegas Review-Journal
o) "Reviews for ZARKANA are In!" [EXPANDED]
A Special Collection of Reviews in the Press
---------------------------------------------------------
"Creation: The Driving Force"
By: Cirque du Soleil Press Room Materials
---------------------------------------------------------
June 16, 2011 marks the 27th anniversary of Cirque du Soleil. From its
beginnings on June 16, 1984, this young Quebec company has never
stopped growing, and creation has been the key driving force behind
this growth. Cirque du Soleil pays tribute to the creators who have
contributed over the years to the creation of 31 unique shows through
their imagination, creativity and desire to explore unknown
territories. Today, Cirque du Soleil continues to bring wonder and
delight to spectators around the world.
2011 is an important year for creation. In 2011, Cirque continues to
push the boundaries of creation. The company is launching three major
productions in North America that bear witness to the originality and
boldness of its creation teams:
Zarkana
Written and directed by world-renowned director and filmmaker François
Girard (The Red Violin, Silk), Zarkana opened on June 9 at New York
Citys legendary Radio City Music Hall. This acrobatic rock opera
blends circus arts with the surreal to create a world where physical
virtuosity rubs shoulders with the strange. The story follows Zark, a
magician who has lost the love of his life-and with her, his powers-in
an old abandoned theatre populated by a motley collection of off-the-
wall characters and incomparable acrobats. Afterwards, Zarkana will be
presented in the largest theatres in the world, including the Grand
Kremlin Palace in Moscow and the Madrid Arena in Spains capital city.
IRIS
IRIS is written and directed by director-choreographer Philippe
Decouflé, who is the founder and artistic director of the acclaimed
French dance troupe Compagnie DCA. IRIS takes spectators on a
fantastic voyage through the history of cinema and its genres, into
the very heart of the movie-making process. From illustration to
animation, black and white to colour, silent films to talkies, fixed
shots to swooping camera movements, spectators witness the poetic
construction/deconstruction of this art as an object and as a way of
transcending reality. IRIS opens on July 21 exclusively at the
Hollywood & Highland Centers Kodak Theatre-home of the annual Academy
Awards
Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL World Tour
Written and directed by Jamie King, THE IMMORTAL World Tour is a
riveting fusion of visuals, dance, music and fantasy that immerses
audiences in Michaels creative world. THE IMMORTAL World Tour unfolds
Michael Jacksons artistry before the eyes of the audience, and
literally turns his signature moves upside down. Aimed at lifelong
fans as well as those experiencing Michaels creative genius for the
first time, the show captures the essence, soul and inspiration of the
King of Pop, celebrating a legacy that continues to transcend
generations. The show will begin its world tour at Montreals Bell
Centre on October 2, 2011.
The magic of Cirque du Soleil in Montreal
By the end of 2011, Cirque du Soleil will be presenting 22 different
productions worldwide, each bringing to stage the worlds imagined by
prominent creators.
Starting June 16, spectators in Montreal can attend performances of
TOTEM under the blue-and-yellow Grand Chapiteau on the Quays of the
Old Port of Montreal.
Written and directed by Robert Lepage, TOTEM traces the fascinating
journey of the human species from its original amphibian state to its
ultimate desire to fly. The characters evolve on a stage evoking a
giant turtle, the symbol of origin for many ancient civilizations.
Inspired by many founding myths, TOTEM illustrates, through a visual
and acrobatic language, the evolutionary progress of species.
Somewhere between science and legend TOTEM explores the ties that bind
Man to other species, his dreams and his infinite potential. Tickets
are on sale at www.cirquedusoleil.com/totem.
Cirque du Soleil
From the 20 or so performers the company featured when it all began in
1984, Quebec-based Cirque du Soleil has become a leading provider of
quality entertainment with 5,000 employees, including more than 1,300
artists who hail from some 50 different countries.
Cirque du Soleil has brought wonder and delight to over 100 million
spectators in nearly 300 cities on six continents.
---------------------------------------------------------
"ZARKANA: An Irresistibly Odd Escape..."
By: Cirque du Soleil Press Room Materials
---------------------------------------------------------
ZARKANA CIRQUE DU SOLEILS SURREAL ACROBATIC SPECTACLE
Written and Directed by François Girard
PREMIERED WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29
AT RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL IN NEW YORK
Cirque du Soleil premiered its major new acrobatic spectacle, Zarkana,
at the legendary Radio City Music Hall in New York City on Wednesday,
June 29. Proudly presented by iShares, the limited engagement will run
through October 8, 2011. Zarkana is written and directed by acclaimed
film and theatre director François Girard (The Red Violin, Silk).
ABOUT FRANCOIS GIRARD
---------------------
One of Quebecs most highly regarded creators, François Girard is
equally at ease in cinema (Silk, The Red Violin), opera, visual arts
and theatre and has earned an enviable international reputation over
the years. A keen music lover, he is particularly known for the hybrid
worlds he creates in which music plays a predominant role. His works
are recognized for their great musicality, both in terms of sound and
image. This will be his second creation for Cirque du Soleil,
following ZED, the Tokyo resident show.
THE CREATIVE TEAM
-----------------
o) Guy Laliberté Artistic Guide
o) Gilles Ste-Croix Artistic Guide
o) François Girard Writer and Director
o) Line Tremblay Director of Creation
o) Stéphane Roy Set and Props Designer
o) Alan Hranitelj Costume Designer
o) Nick Littlemore Composer and Musical Director
o) Debra Brown Choreographer
o) Jean-Jacques Pillet Choreographer
o) Alain Lortie Lighting Designer
o) Raymond St-Jean Image Content Designer
o) Steven Dubuc Sound Designer
o) Florence Pot Acrobatic Performance Designer
o) Danny Zen Rigging & Acrobatic Equipment
o) Eleni Uranis Makeup Designer
ABOUT THE SHOW
--------------
Zarkana is an acrobatic rock opera that blends circus arts with the
surreal to create a world where physical virtuosity rubs shoulders
with the strange. The story follows Zark, a magician who has lost his
powers and the love of his life - in an abandoned theatre populated by
a motley collection of off-the-wall characters and incomparable
acrobats. He runs into the Mutants, four sirens as sinister as they
are fabulous, who are determined to divert him from his quest. Zarkana
is a visual vortex set in a slightly twisted musical and acrobatic
fantasy universe where, little by little, chaos and craziness give way
to festivity and love regained. The diverse cast of more than 75
international artists transports the audience into a fantastical and
suspenseful world, blurring the boundaries between the real and
imaginary.
THE MAIN CHARACTERS
-------------------
Zark is a magician who returns to the abandoned theatre where he was
successful several years earlier. His friends the White Clowns come
out of hiding to try and help him put a show together, but nothing
works the way he wants: His magic powers are out of control because
Lia is missing. Lia was Zarks assistant, but above all, she was the
love of his life. Without her, there can be no magic.
The Mutant Ladies are four women - The Pickled Lady, Mandragora,
Kundalini and Tarantula - who each in their own way try to seduce
Zark.
The Pickled Lady is the result of one of the Mad Scientist's
experiments that went wrong: Helped by ladder specialists, Sleepy
Child opened the lid of the Pickle Jar into which she had dropped her
teddy bear. To the dismay of the Mad Scientist, she fell in too and
turned into a creature with six arms.
Mandragora is the incarnation of the ivy that has spread throughout
the theatre. When Zark turns her down she pulls back, closing her
medallion forever.
Kundalini is a snake woman. The most sensual of the Mutant Ladies, she
in turn tries to seduce Zark, using all her charms.
Tarantula is the spider woman in her web. More determined than her
predecessors, she will be the last to try to win the heart of Zark.
Fifteen White Clowns are part of a small gallery of eclectic
characters that populate the world of Zarkana, including:
The Mad Scientist, assisted by his apprentice, is dedicated to
experiments that are strange, to say the least: His Pickle Jar gives
birth to the Pickled Lady, and his cannon sends Pokus on a flight to
another planet. And then theres his quantum machine
.
Ti-Boss is a spoiled little girl. She has a whip and behaves like a
veritable "clown tamer."
The Jovians are the extraterrestrial creatures who live on the planet
Jovia.
The Oracle communicates with the past and the future.
ACTS & PERFORMANCES
-------------------
Juggling
While the White Clowns keep the beat and the whole theatre comes to
life, a juggler tosses balls in the air and bounces them off the
ground and a variety of surfaces to create sounds - which she even
accompanies with tap-dancing steps!
Ladder Trio
A cry rings out: Sleepy Child is imprisoned on her perch. The White
Clowns, aided by three ladder specialists with a confusing mastery of
balance, come to her rescue. Too late... Sleepy Child turns into the
Pickled Lady in front of our eyes.
Rope Duet
Two artists perform a graceful duet of fantastic moves on ropes while
Mandragora sings from the top of the arch to attract Zarks attention.
Flags
Witnessing Zarks distress, the Latin Lovers juggle flamboyantly
colored flags and toss them high in the air in an attempt to attract
Lias attention and signal to her that her lover has returned.
Russian Bar
The White Clowns come charging back on stage while the Russian Bar
performers show off their skills. Projected high into the air from a
single bar supported on the shoulders of powerful porters, the
vaulters perform complex acrobatic movements with multiple somersaults
and twists before landing back on the bar to spring into their next
takeoff.
High Wire
While Kundalini sings, accompanied by a chorus of fire-breathers, a
quartet of high wire artists with amazing balance and precision move
at high speed on their wire, running, performing breathtaking
somersaults and creating column formations. Sometimes perched on a
pole held by two partners, sometimes skipping or dancing on one foot,
the tightrope walkers execute their routines with incredible self-
control.
Cyr Wheels and Cerceaux
Pokus is being chased through a strange world by the extraterrestrial
Jovians! Seven artists perform a group number on Cyr wheels while
others hang in the air, twisting and turning through hoops to create a
dizzying tableau that fills the stage.
Sand Painting
The Oracle, a character played by an accomplished sand painter,
summarizes the events of the first half of the show in pictures and
gives a brief preview of the story that is about to unfold next.
Flying Trapeze
When Tarantula appears in the middle of her enormous web, clowns
emerge from cocoons to invade it. Acrobats launch themselves off
platforms in acrobatic flight formations and are then caught by the
skillful hands of the porters. This unique number with a classical
aesthetic involves 12 performers in three aligned corridors, allowing
simultaneous criss-crossing flights to create an incredible visual
effect.
Wheel of Death
The Mad Scientist wants to test his quantum machine, but his
experiment will yield unexpected results. Two Wheel of Death artists,
one of them wearing a full headmask at one point, leap into action on
their apparatus to perform jumps with amazing speed, control and
teamwork. The wheel at the front of the stage is powered solely by
their physical strength.
Hand Balancing
In a moment of poetry and grace, an artist performs a series of
elegant figures, seemingly effortlessly transferring his weight from
one arm to another as he smoothly twists and swirls on a slippery
surface.
Banquine
In a number that showcases the amazing agility of the human body, 15
artists perform acrobatics and create human pyramids in a spectacular
sequence of perfectly synchronized aerial crossovers.
SETS & VIDEO CONTENT
--------------------
In the lyrical, fantastic world of Zarkana, the setting - an abandoned
theatre - is a character in its own right. The walls breathe, move and
sing. The main set elements consist of three sweeping arches - all
sculpted by hand - representing three of the four mutants who try to
divert the magician Zark from his quest.
The first arch represents Kundalini the Snake Lady, whose world is
populated by dozens of slithering snakes. Its the largest of the
three arches and is decorated with more than 150ft of handpainted
resin "snakes" which started out as styrofoam sculptures that were
used to create molds for the liquid resin.
The second arch, which also serves as a video screen, harbors
Mandragora, a plant-like creature that comes to life with "arms"
extending out like scissors nearly 100 feet. The third represents the
Pickled Lady, a video-based creature with six arms who lives in a
large pickle jar.
Set Design
The overall aesthetics were inspired by the Art Nouveau movement of
the last century, as well as the works of Gaudí and Klimt, while many
of the organic shapes in the set elements are a nod to the master
French glassmaker and jeweler René Lalique. More perceptive observers
will notice these influences in the design of the acrobatic equipment
- especially in the lines at their extremities.
Keen observers will also note that the shape of the hole through which
Zark makes his first entrance reproduces the outline of Manhattan,
while the moon above the stage marks the exact position of Radio City
Music Hall.
Image and Video Content
The complex video content of the show was developed with a cinematic
approach and plays an integral role in the storytelling. The goal was
to bring maximum credibility to this strange parallel world through
lifelike moving images on an enormous LED wall at the rear of the set,
and projections on the second of three arches that react to the
movements of the performers.
There are more than three million pixels of LEDs on the 90ft by 40ft
light wall upstage and the LED arch made of of 118 separate panels.
This setup allows for the larger-than-life cinematic tableaux that
lend the surreal world of Zarkana a heightened sense of reality.
From the audiences point of view, the divisions between live action,
stage effects, lighting and projections are seamless. The Zarkana
stage consists of a sliding platform that retracts like a huge drawer
to allow for rapid set and equipment changes, and the lighting is
designed to make these transitions practically unnoticeable, almost
invisible.
Zoom on a few details
o) No alterations could be made to the structure of the Radio
City Music Hall - a national landmark since 1978 - so the
entire Zarkana set sits on top of the stage. Not a single
bolt was attached to the structure.
o) The cradle stations used in the flying trapeze act do not
employ steel cables to keep them in position. They rely
entirely on "hanger tubes" for their rigidity. The structure
of the high wire number installed on the floor of the
theatres orchestra pit is freestanding, without any anchor
points.
o) The walls on either side of the stage are covered with a
representation of a patchwork of 1ft ceramic tiles, each one
different and hand painted with gold leaf on a fabric that
allows for transparency and onto which images can be
projected. The patterns of the tiles evoke the works of
Gustav Klimt and the Art Deco style.
o) During the high wire act the video arch is gradually invaded
by writhing snakes that pay close attention and react to the
artists movements. This effect is created with infrared
cameras. Flames shooting up from the stage are reflected on
the undulating forms of the snakes using the same technique.
o) The 60ft x 33ft curtain of ropes that Zark conjures up in a
failed attempt to use his powers suddenly drops onto the
stage like a Kabuki curtain.
o) The two Eagles-head bandstands that house the musicians on
either side of the stage are 28ft tall and weigh more than
9,000 pounds each.
COSTUMES
--------
A modern twist on the 1920s and 1930s
The characters in Zarkana inhabit a surreal world inspired by the
American circus sideshows that flourished in the 1930s and the spirit
of the golden age of Coney Island. The overall visual aesthetic of
their costumes - 250 in all - is a modern take on the look of the
1920s, the 1930s and the Art Deco movement.
In addition to his own vast experience, intuition and knowledge, Alan
Hranitelj drew inspiration from various sources and artists of that
era, including Catalan artist Joan Miró and Russian/French designer
Erté. These references provided a departure point for his far-ranging
and resolutely modernist approach to the look of the shows
characters.
The color palette - an exercise in nuance and subtlety
One of the biggest challenges Alans team faced was to give a major
emphasis to the traditional white of circus clowns in the costumes of
the 15-artist house troupe - called "Movers" - and to integrate it
with the wider overall color spectrum of the show.
The Movers are not in fact completely dressed in white. Their costumes
incorporate a hint of color associated with one of the shows numbers,
each of which has been assigned a distinct color. As each number plays
out, the color associated with the subsequent number is subtly
signaled by its nuanced presence on their costumes, creating an almost
imperceptible bond that runs throughout the whole show.
Red and pink - symbols of love and passion
Flowers are important to the overall color scheme and design motifs of
the costumes, and the reds and pinks of roses play a particularly
significant symbolic role in the show, representing the love and
passion between Zark and Lia - the only characters dressed
predominantly in red.
There are rose patterns on Zarks hat and the printed images of roses
on his cape have been enlarged more than 200 times. Zarks roses blend
thematically with the projections at the shows finale, when thousands
of roses fill the stage. There is also a suggestion of red in the
costumes of the artists who perform the Banquine number, because they
are the characters who reunite the lovers.
Fabrics and printing
To create the costumes for Zarkanas quirky crew of oddball characters
and acrobats, Alan worked with a wide range of synthetic fabrics such
as polyester, and neoprene, and specialized color printing techniques
such as sublimation, many of which were developed by the innovators in
the Cirque du Soleil costume workshop.
Costume Closeups
o) The Mutant characters who try to seduce Zark have some of the
most distinctive costumes in the show. The mutant Mandragora
borrows her visual identity from the pistil - the
reproductive organ - of the mysterious and magical mandrake
plant, long associated with erotic love and physical desire.
o) Kundalini, the dangerous snake-woman mutant, meshes religious
symbolism with her sinuous serpentine character and costume.
Because she performs close to fire-eaters her costume had to
be made fireproof.
o) Tarantula, the spider-woman mutants costume suggests all of
the perceived danger in her arachnid identity. Her spider
legs are extensions to her costume that are attached to the
mechanism that allows her to descend to the stage from the
ceiling.
o) The costume of the Oracle, a mystical character played by a
sand painting specialist, was directly inspired by Erté, the
Russian/French artist and designer who created evening gowns
made with exotic fabrics from India.
o) The costumes of the extraterrestrial Jovians were originally
inspired by a fictitious tribe that lived off the bounty of
the sea. When they went fishing, they wore costumes that made
them look like fish to fool their prey. The Jovians costumes
are made of double-laminated Lycra and decorated with bubbles
that represent the foam excreted by the fish.
o) The lead singer, who plays three of the four mutants, had
her entire body, together with the harness she wears
throughout the show, scanned with 225 precise measurements.
The data were used to produce a cast that minimized the need
for in-person costume fittings.
---------------------------------------------------------
"My Thoughts on Zarkana"
By: Ricky Russo - Orlando, Florida (USA)
---------------------------------------------------------
On Sunday, June 26, 2011, I took the opportunity to see one of the
last few preview performances of Cirque du Soleil's new venue show -
Zarkana - now taking up temporary residence at Radio City Music Hall
in mid-town Manhattan.
Joining me for this viewing were friends and fellow Cirque du Soleil
fans Douglas Metzger, his wife Mary, and a small contingent of their
friends and kids. We went in to our experience blind, meaning, little
of the shows content (acts, music, and theme) was known to us;
therefore, we hoped to reserve judgment of the show on its merits
rather than prior expectations.
But even keeping that in mind, Zarkana at times was a little hard to
swallow.
Zarkana is one part acrobatics and one part rock opera with a penchant
for the macabre (floating eyeballs that follow the action on stage,
anyone?), which seems more attune to the early dark inklings of Criss
Angel Believe than a classic acrobatic Cirque du Soleil show, as some
pre-staging interviews led us to believe.
Although comparing and/or contrasting each new show to those who came
before it isn't perhaps the best way to review a new production. As a
fan of Cirque du Soleil for more than a decade, and one who has seen
virtually every show the company has produced in one form or another,
drawing conclusions and comparisons from past endeavors is,
unfortunately, inescapable. And though I welcome the new, the bizarre,
the untried... the concept of macabre meets acrobatics here doesn't
mix most of the time.
And generally speaking: there's too much atmosphere too little new
skill.
THE CONCEPT
-----------
Zarkana is a visual vortex set in a slightly twisted musical and
acrobatic fantasy universe where, little by little, chaos and
craziness give way to festivity and love regained.
The story follows Zark, a magician who has lost his powers and the
love of his life - in an abandoned theatre where he was successful
several years earlier, finding the theater populated by a motley
collection of off-the-wall characters and incomparable acrobats.
His friends, the White Clowns, come out of hiding to try and help him
put together a show, but nothing works the way he wants: His magic
powers are out of control because Lia, Zark's assistant, is missing.
Without her, there can be no magic - she is the love of his life!
But also within the theater are the Mutants, four sirens as sinister
as they are fabulous - The Pickled Lady, Mandragora, Kundalini and
Tarantula - and they are determined to seduce him, diverting him from
his quest.
THE SHOW
--------
In the lyrical, fantastic world of Zarkana, the setting - an abandoned
theatre - is a character in its own right. The walls breathe, move and
sing. The main set elements consist of three sweeping arches - all
sculpted by hand - representing three of the four mutants who try to
divert the magician Zark from his quest.
The first arch represents Kundalini the Snake Lady, whose world is
populated by dozens of slithering snakes. Its the largest of the
three arches and is decorated with more than 150ft of hand painted
resin "snakes" which started out as Styrofoam sculptures that were
used to create molds for the liquid resin. The second arch, which also
serves as a video screen, harbors Mandragora, a plant-like creature
that comes to life with "arms" extending out like scissors nearly 100
feet. The third represents the Pickled Lady, a video-based creature
with six arms who lives in a large pickle jar.
The overall aesthetics were inspired by the Art Nouveau movement of
the last century, as well as the works of Gaudí and Klimt, while many
of the organic shapes in the set elements are a nod to the master
French glassmaker and jeweler René Lalique. Upon this setting a number
of acrobatic feats are staged, they are: Juggling, Ladder Trio, Rope
Duet, Flags, Russian Bar, High Wire, Cyr Wheel & Cerceaux in the first
half; Sand Painting, Flying Trapeze, Wheel of Death, Hand Balancing,
and Banquine in the second.
THOUGHTS
--------
At this stage of the show's development, much of its first-half is
rather weak acrobatically.
I personally enjoyed opening the show with the juggler, something
simple; however, much of the routine is similar to other juggling acts
I have seen inside and outside of Cirque du Soleil. There was nothing
new presented here. And though the Flags piece was rather interesting
in a Cirque setting, it might have been more appealing had it not
given off a strong BLAST vibe. Even the Russian Bar routine (performed
by a single female) was a nice diversion, but little in the way of
innovation.
To be quite honest the show actually held my attention until the
tight-rope number, the second-to-last act in Zarkana's first-half.
During the set-up for this piece, the background became more projected
than it had previously been (or I hadn't noticed much up to this
point) and turned into a serpent's layer of sorts. The arches and
columns of the inner proscenium turned into vestiges of snakes whilst
rising from the middle of the stage, in an image I would have thought
belonged in some other kind of Broadway production, the female
singer... as a snake.
"Snake lady" then "serenades" us in the most whiny, god-awful screech
whilst the guys of the tight-rope turn a rather lack-luster
performance on the wire.
As a seasoned veteran of Cirque performances, I know it's hard to turn
a more inspired performance than the boys from Kooza, but could you
have at least made it look like you were enjoying yourself?
This particular number is a great example of the jarring mix that
Zarkana is trying to project, in my opinion. Neither the acts
staging nor its accompanying music made any sense to each other. The
two contrasted harshly rather than being complimentary, which you
desperately need in order to have a successful presentation. And
because the act didn't seem to have it, the performers had nothing to
work with - their performance was out of tune (no pun intended and no
thanks to the screeching wretch) with what was going on around them.
The mess that is the Tight Wire, the kind of WTF moment - that's
Whisky Tango Foxtrot - that unfortunately bleeds over into the next
number, a combination Cyr Wheel / Aerial hoops piece that is neither
one or the other. The echo of the previous number still prevails here
and it ruins what should be an explosive and triumphant ending to the
first half of the show. Rather than keeping us spellbound for the
restart of the show some twenty minutes later, we sat in confusion
wondering what we were taking part in.
Its presentation, much like the ladder, rope and Russian bar didn't
raise the bar - if you'll pardon the pun - of numbers Cirque has
employed (and created) in the past. Meaning: it's nothing I haven't
seen before, and better, in other shows. This leads me to another
point I've harped on before - innovation. If you look over Cirque du
Soleil's catalog, for the most part you'll find innovation in the acts
it presents.
For example, the Russian Swing. The first time Cirque audiences were
introduced to the apparatus was in 1992's Saltimbanco, a single-form
piece with little degree of difficulty. We saw the apparatus again in
1998's "O" and not only did Cirque double the number of apparati,
Cirque also included water rather than a firm stage. Cirque upped the
ante in 2002's Varekai when performers not only tossed themselves into
huge canvas screens but also tossed themselves from swing to swing.
But there is a silver lining here.
Much of the pain of the first half of Zarkana was washed away by the
awesome performances of the Sand Painting, Flying Trapeze, and
Banquine numbers (our performance didn't have Hand Balancing and Wheel
of Death as presented here was lackluster compared to Kooza's), so the
show did end on a high note, relatively speaking.
Otherwise, weve seen juggling of this caliber before, a ladder act
(aka Corteo, and its done much better there), a Spanish Rope duet (in
Ovo, also done better there, and in Corteo), an anemic High Wire (good
god, could these guys have any less stage presence and energy?), Cyr
Wheel & Hoops (a mash-up of both disciplines at the same time that
does neither justice, or anything new), and a single Russian Bar piece
which is better than everything else in the first half of the show,
but still lacking.
The clowns, to me, were not funny. And the music... it's just average.
There's nothing remarkable about it.
In the end I fear without a number of significant changes, retooling
and hard decisions, Zarkana will go the way of Banana Shpeel in New
York City - to the place where failed shows end up. Cirque du Soleil
has a lot riding on this shows success, especially if it wants to
capture the New York City market, but alas I dont feel present-day
Zarkana has what it takes to capture New Yorkers imagination.
Or the fans.
With that said, if youre in New York City before the shows
temporary-final curtain call, give Zarkana a chance. You may find it
to your liking way more than I did and in reality thats all it takes.
---------------------------------------------------------
"Ray Wold, Burning Clown" [EXPANDED]
A Special Reprint from The Las Vegas Review-Journal
---------------------------------------------------------
The hobo sits on his chair, casually reading a newspaper, seemingly
oblivious that his shoe has caught fire. Movement is almost
imperceptible as the flames spread from his foot to his legs, and then
to his arms.
Life has beaten him down so far that he no longer feels the pain.
The flames burn orange and blue, and it's funny how he doesn't notice.
Now, in the vernacular of firefighters, he is fully involved. He rises
from the chair and slowly walks away, tipping his cap.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Clowning is in the genes, like brown eyes or big noses.
Or addiction.
Maybe one day you realize that you've got the gene so you try a little
juggling. Balls at first, those are easy. When that's not enough, you
move on to bowling pins. Then come the dangerous things.
Knives. Machetes. Flaming torches.
Next thing you know, you're eating fire until even that no longer
satisfies and you've just got to go for the hard stuff, the one thing
that means you're a serious clown and willing to prove it: Self-
immolation.
Meet Ray Wold, burning clown.
Oh, at first it was all white greasepaint, rainbow hair and unicycles.
Just like any other clown. But Wold yearned to stand out. To be
amazing and unforgettable. For that, one needs a dramatic flair.
Or flare.
"I fell into it," says Wold, 51. "After I learned to juggle, I wanted
to learn everything. Someone told me about fire-eating. One night,
there was a fire going in the fireplace and I had read a little
something."
How did he do it? How did he work up the nerve to put fire in his
mouth?
"I just did it. I'm lucky I didn't burn myself."
* * * * * * * * * * *
It starts, like all fires do, with an accelerant.
Coleman camping fuel saturates Wold's fire-resistant Kevlar suit. It
burns clean, with none of that choking, black smoke other accelerants
produce.
Smelling like a kerosene wick, Wold waits in the wings for his cue; in
moments, he will be aflame in front of a packed house at Cirque du
Soleil's "O."
* * * * * * * * * * *
Joining the circus was not an option in Wold's family.
He knew this even as he told his father that he, at age 19, was
dropping out of his college forestry program to attend clown school.
No matter that it was Ringling Bros. Clown College, the Harvard of
clowning.
To his father Elton, a real job was a stable one, preferably in
government, with a pension and benefits. Clowning, if anything, was a
hobby.
The third of eight children, Ray Wold was expected to be practical,
like his older brother who worked for the FBI. But Wold was a natural
clown, born to entertain.
His mother, Corrine, remembers how 6-year-old Ray was fascinated with
the clowns in the Shriner's circus that visited their small South
Dakota town.
But clowning as a profession never occurred to him until the day, in
1979, that he started juggling.
Wold had just met with his advisor at Humboldt State University and
learned that the job outlook in forestry was not good. Depressed and
questioning his future, he stopped to watch some jugglers on campus.
"They asked me if I wanted to try. I did and realized I had a knack
for it," he says.
He joined the troupe and soon after decided to leave college.
Money was important to Wold's father, who grew up during the Great
Depression. It brought stability. A future. The family had suffered
dangerously lean years with Dad eking out a hardscrabble living as a
plumber in South Dakota farm country.
One day, the family packed up and moved to San Diego, where Elton got
a job with the U.S. Border Patrol at $1.50 an hour. Life was better,
but just barely.
Wold credits his father for shaping him into the decent man he is
today. But even the threat of his father's disappointment couldn't
stop him from going to clown college. And the $1.75 he made from his
first performance? Didn't matter.
Six weeks after he first juggled, Wold joined 6,000 people applying
for clown college. He was one of 60 accepted.
Wold remembers breaking the news at home. His father put his head in
his hands and offered a warning:
"You'll never make any money."
* * * * * * * * * * *
Ray Wold pulls his shoulders forward and hunches his back, protecting
his bare face from the heat of the flames as they dance high around
him. A red hat covers his hair but the only thing on his face is a
clown's greasepaint.
By the time his first body burn concludes -- he does two each show --
he has been on fire for nearly three minutes.
The world record for a full body burn is four minutes and 45 seconds,
set last year by a stunt man on a German movie set. Before that, Wold
says the record was two minutes, 30 seconds, so his nightly
performances came close.
But who cares about world records when you're setting yourself on
fire?
You're. On. Fire.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Life is not all hijinks and pratfalls for a circus clown.
Even after reaching the clowning pinnacle, the Ringling Bros. Circus,
Wold earned only about $100 a week. Subtract $35 to the circus for
room and board, and he was right where his father warned he'd be:
Broke.
One day, while Wold swept up circus trash, legendary clown Lou Jacobs
pulled him aside and told him the circus was no place for a great
clown.
"Hey Clownie," Jacobs said to Wold, "you should take your talents and
go somewhere. Don't stay here. You're never going to make good money
in the circus."
To hear that from a master clown, Wold says, "was great, great
advice."
After his 1980-81 contract ended, he headed home to San Diego. Balboa
Park had a rich history of supporting the performing arts, and people
lined up every day as early as 4 a.m., hoping to land one of the
coveted spots for street performers.
It was a risky proposition but Wold had the invincible attitude of a
22-year-old and an unshakable belief in himself.
His first day's earnings reinforced that faith as it equaled his
weekly circus pay. Still, Wold struggled for a few years, living out
of his van. He showered at a local gymnasium during the day and spent
his nights in a parking lot near the Naval base. There were no days
off, no sick leave. When he fell off his unicycle and broke his right
arm, he still performed.
"I had to do all my tricks with my left hand," Wold remembers. "I was
juggling three machetes with my left hand and that's pretty hard and
dangerous, especially when it's your only functioning hand.
"But I had to make a living."
* * * * * * * * * * *
A crew, often including his wife, Chrissie, meets Wold backstage to
extinguish him. They spread out two fire blankets, one for his props
and one for him. He lies facedown as a stagehand folds him up like a
burrito.
They are so practiced their actions seem almost casual. But they are
not; the cast and crew has a clean safety record for a reason. It
helps that they have done this four times a night, five days a week
since 1998.
Six thousand shows and counting. More than 12,000 times Wold has been
ablaze. He has never missed a show.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Ron Severini, former dean of clowns at Ringling Bros. Clown College,
taught a slew of clowns in the 1980s. One went on to become a human
cannonball; others have done some amazing clown things.
Then there's Ray Wold.
Of all Severini's graduates, he's the only clown who sets himself on
fire.
Wold, the guy whose wife has to peel a boiled egg because it's too hot
for his fingers. The same Wold who eventually had to quit performing
on cruise ships, not because he had a bigger gig but because he
sunburns too easily.
"It was all sun and beaches and I can't take sun and beaches," Wold
says. "I'm too fair-skinned."
So how does a clown go from squirting seltzer and squeezing into tiny
cars to setting himself on fire?
Try desperation.
In 1990, Wold was still on a cruise ship, where the entertainers
depend on audience feedback to keep their jobs. Problem was that
passengers were staying away in droves from "The Juggling Antics of
Ray Wold." The star of the show knew his onboard future was bleak.
He needed something big, something different. No, make that something
wild.
Maybe if he set his tie or his handkerchief on fire, people might find
that hilarious. So, with then-girlfriend Chrissie's help, he tested
the flames.
There was no "ah ha" moment for him. Wold's whole career had been a
series of gradual breakthroughs and this was no different. He simply
thought of the most difficult thing he could do. If he did it well, he
was confident audiences would love it.
"So many people are trying to be entertainers out there," Wold says in
a soft voice. "They try to take the easy road and copy what others are
doing. To be original, to be unique, that's the hardest road. The only
thing that was really in my mind was how to entertain people and be a
success. I was willing to do just about anything.
"Even above my own safety, I wanted to entertain."
* * * * * * * * * * *
Cirque creators first saw Wold on fire in 1997 at a major circus
festival in the real Monte Carlo, where only the best and most unusual
acts perform. He would become a star, one of but a few performers
featured by name in a Cirque production.
Then again, most performers don't set themselves on fire.
Temperatures outside Wold's suit climb to 900 degrees when he is
ablaze. While the materials protect him from being cooked, the heat is
still overwhelming.
"Walk in front of me, I walk real slow with this suit on," he says to
an observer as he exits the stage.
He walks to a special corner backstage where he puts on and takes off
his fire suit. A stage hand reaches up and angles a fan over Wold's
head as he peels off the steaming fire suit. Wold reaches into the "O"
pool and splashes cool water on his face and neck.
* * * * * * * * * * *
His lower leg was a seeping, raw mess, the skin gone.
For weeks after the burn, Ray Wold endured pain like none before. Not
when he burned his shoulder while narrowly escaping a flaming
straightjacket. Not when a flaming chef's hat slipped from his head
and into his face, turning it into something resembling a blood-
swollen strawberry.
You can't work with fire for 20 years and not get burned, but this was
the first time the pain forced Wold to his knees. Like all his bad
injuries, this one happened during a freelance gig a few years ago.
Aside from some singed hairs and blisters, Wold has never been injured
during "O."
"I've never seen him cry," says his wife, Chrissie, 64. "But there
were days he had tears in his eyes, it hurt so much. He was always on
his hands and knees trying to alleviate the pain."
For weeks after the burn, he crawled from bed to bathroom in the
mornings. Standing was a gradual act because the blood rushed right to
his wound and rudely awakened every damaged nerve ending. Still, he
suited up twice a day, five days a week, lighting himself on fire
every time.
"It was awful. I don't know how he did it," Chrissie says.
Such dedication is a family trait, says his mom, Corrine. Wold had
perfect attendance in school, too.
"Our family, they're all real workers. They put work first, it doesn't
matter what it is," she says. "But Ray goes a little extreme, he goes
whether he's sick or hurt."
* * * * * * * * * * *
Wold strips down to his clown outfit -- green pants and red vest --
preparing for his next scene. It doesn't involve fire.
He looks exhausted, like he's been locked in a sauna all day.
When he's on fire, Wold explains, it feels soothing, like a heated
massage. One day, he thinks, what he does may become a form of physio-
therapy. That's just how relaxing if feels.
Right now, however, Wold looks dazed. Pensive. And when the stagehands
finish with him, he is alone on his bench.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Setting himself on fire is the easy part of Ray Wold's day.
That's a little burning man humor. But even as he says it, you know
there's some truth to it.
The hard part?Balancing the successful performer driven to leave a
circus legacy with the simple man haunted by his childhood.
Despite holding one of the premier circus jobs in the world, Wold was
restless with the simple fact he was fulfilling someone else's
creative destiny.
He needed to make his own mark, so he and Chrissie started Amazing
Clowns. The business, replete with its own clown headquarters,
provides everything someone needs to throw a rocking kids' party --
entertainment, bounce houses, games, cotton candy machines. You name
it, they likely have it.
They average about 30 events each weekend, and while he's not at every
one, he's responsible for them all.
Financial security played a big part in Wold's freelance career; it's
hard to escape the lessons learned when each day brought the threat of
being on the street with nothing.
"I wanted a second job because where I come from," Wold says, leaving
his thought unfinished. Unsaid is that a man can never work enough;
that's what his father Elton taught him.
"I don't want to put all my effort into Cirque. It only takes them
saying we're not going to renew your contract and it's over."
If nightly and weekend jobs weren't enough, the Wolds are featured
each Wednesday at Town Square's literacy program. Ray promotes reading
by donning clown gear and entertaining kids and parents with his sweet
personality and cool juggling tricks. Chrissie reads the books and
leads sing-alongs.
Children and animals flock around Ray "like bees on honey," Chrissie
says. "Even the kids who are afraid of clowns, they all come around to
him."
Come July, an Amazing Clown television show will debut on Vegas TV,
KTUD 25 Cable 14.
Ray, who has also authored a children's book, simply will not stop.
Once, fed up with his insistence on working despite injuries, Chrissie
wondered what he was trying to prove.
"Is this for your father that you work so hard?" she asked.
His reply: "Maybe."
* * * * * * * * * * *
Wold sits for a few minutes on his bench, waiting for his next cue.
He's more than a flaming hobo in "O," showing off his amazing juggling
and cool hat tricks.
He stares into space, rubbing his hands methodically. Right around the
knuckles. It's like they hurt from the heat, but he later he explains
that he's just getting old. He massages his hands to stay limber for
juggling.
He is, after all, a clown.
---------------------------------------------------------
"Reviews for ZARKANA are In!" [EXPANDED]
A Special Collection of Reviews in the Press
---------------------------------------------------------
And they are decidedly mixed-to-negative... Check them out here:
'Zarkana' unveiled in New York with mixed results
FROM: Beaumont Enterprise
--------------------------------------------------
That Cirque du Soleil still doesn't have a permanent home in New York
is somewhat bizarre.
New York is already a circus town: It supports two Ringling Bros.
and Barnum & Bailey and the Big Apple Circus. Plus, anyone riding the
subway during rush hour will appreciate a good contortionist. And
clowns? This city has plenty of `em.
Yet Cirque's presence has been spotty, consisting mostly of traveling
shows such as "Kooza" and "Wintuk," even though their permanent shows
have thrived in Las Vegas and Los Angeles. An attempt to create
"Banana Shpeel" here as an annual event last year fell flat.
So it's with a dash of brashness that Cirque opened "Zarkana" on
Wednesday at Radio City Music Hall, hoping its 12-act, $50 million
"acrobatic rock opera" might become a summer staple, the equivalent of
warm weather Rockettes.
Its ambition is evident in its location the hulking, 6,000-seat
Radio City Music Hall with one of the largest stages in the world and
a far cry from the more intimate venues Cirque has used before in the
city. The massive size offers "Zarkana" the ability to have three
trapeze artists swinging abreast, but threatens to swallow up smaller
acts, such as the solitary hand-balancer or the juggler.
The biggest, most muscular acts the acrobats rolling around inside
Cyr wheels, the frightening Wheel of Death and the demanding trapeze
give visitors the red-meat experience of the circus, while softer acts
such as a sand painter, an aerial rope duet by two graceful performers
and eight men tossing around flags have the feel of an Olympic opening
ceremony.
Overall, this may not be the homerun that Cirque was hoping for. The
show, which leaves for Moscow and Madrid in October and hopes to
return to New York next summer, seems to suffer from franchise
fatigue. There's nothing gasp-worthy here for a jaded city where
Broadway is just a few blocks away. Few veterans of Cirque will be
stunned.
"Zarkana," written and directed by Francois Girard, has a very loose
plot that tries to connect the acts without much success. It centers
on a magician (the Canadian singer Garou, doing his best Tom Waits
impression) who is trying to find his lost love and thereby his
professional mojo in an abandoned theater. There's also a screechy
original score the melds elements of rock opera, electronica and world
beat by Nick Littlemore.
There are some clunky notes, and not just in the music: An act focused
on three family members using ladders was scary at a recent
performance, and the ladder shook so much it was robbed of its
slickness; the high wire act was oddly paired with a singer who was
supposed to resemble a snake and whose too-loud song was punctuated by
bursts of fire; the use of digital acrobats to enhance those using the
Cyr wheels felt like cheating.
One of the most unexpected sights yet strangely reassuring was
that some of the male acrobats were noticeably paunchy.
No Cirque show is complete without whimsical clowns, and this one is
lousy with them. They are mostly naughty and dressed in white costumes
with stupid hats, and they quickly get on one's nerves as they wander
around creating mischief. (One young woman in pigtails and a tutu
snaps a whip and babbles like an infant for reasons that are not
immediately apparent.) There is also the use of an electric chair,
which begs the question: Why are they using an electric chair in a
show appealing to families?
Some nods to New York are somewhat clever. The two lead clowns Hocus
and Pocus are seen with the humble pretzel, that Big Apple staple, and
one of them takes a slow-motion ride over the audience displaying his
allegiance to the Yankees. He also goofs on another expensive rock-
opera stunt-heavy extravaganza going on in the city "Spider-Man:
Turn Off the Dark."
Actually, it's either a coincidence or an intentional knock that the
trapeze act has a strong Spider-Man feel to it. A spider-woman (the
Canadian singer Cassiopee) sings suspended within a web of ropes as 13
acrobats twist and fly between four platforms and a swing a
thrilling act that probably should be the big finale but instead is
near the top of Act 2.
Stephane Roy's sets do a marvelous job of respecting the Radio City
Music Hall stage, using a series of three progressively smaller,
intricately carved arches that frame the action, as well as
projections of everything from roses to snakes.
The finale is the banquine 13 male and three female gymnasts who do
a balancing and acrobatic act not dissimilar to competitive
cheerleading performances. They create human pyramids and launch each
other high into the sky, at one point creating two towers of four
people standing on each other's shoulders.
Interestingly, some of the biggest cheers were reserved for an act
that was very light on muscle and also decidedly low-tech: Erica Chen
stood over a lightbox and drew beautiful pictures projected onto a
screen using only her fingers and nails.
Sometimes the most thrilling thing can be deceptively simple, as
Cirque du Soleil is no doubt already learning as this multimillion-
earning Canadian outfit tries to again charm New York.
Theater review: 'Zarkana' -- 1.5 stars
FROM: AM New York
--------------------------------------
Radio City Music Hall kicked out the Tony Awards in order to stage
this?
"Zarkana," a new $50 million Cirque du Soleil spectacle, manages to
make "Spider-Man" - which also has a pop-rock score, a female spider
character and an actor catapulted over the audience - look somewhat
good by comparison.
The touring show will play Radio City through November and then travel
to Madrid and Moscow.
In case you were wondering, the title is a combination of "bizarre"
and "arcana." The show has a circus theme, established before the
curtain even rises, when an army of clowns in white attire fills the
lobby and the auditorium. Once the show begins, they look lost.
Perhaps they were held over from a different Cirque du Soleil show?
At the opening, Zark, a magician played by the Canadian singer Garou,
starts out in an abandoned theater and enters a strange fantasy world
in order to find his lost love. Singing pop opera selections and
awkwardly holding out his arms, he looks and sounds as if he came out
of a bad "Jesus Christ Superstar" revival.
It is difficult to do a circus show on a massive proscenium stage
instead of a circular arena. Anyone who is not sitting in the first
few rows is bound to feel far away. In a poor attempt to compensate
for this, video graphics are projected onto tall LED screens.
Of course, the 71-member cast still pulls off traditional stunts
involving juggling; balancing on ladders, trapezes and aerial ropes;
flag throwing; the Russian bar; sand painting; and a massive "Wheel of
Death."
New Cirque du Soleil show is sensory overload
FROM: Reuters / Hollywood Reporter
---------------------------------------------
A branding phenomenon with few equals in global entertainment, Cirque
du Soleil needs no help from critics in finding its audience.
With seven shows currently running in Sin City alone, there are
possibly more employees of the Montreal-based behemoth than slot
machines in Vegas. But in good conscience, this review must begin with
a full disclosure. I don't get the whole Cirque thing. I never have,
and I get it even less after the company's new show at Radio City
Music Hall, the chronically busy acrobatic spectacular Zarkana.
If you're a fan of Cirque's patented and by-now familiar aesthetic,
feel free to ignore this highly subjective review. If not, be warned:
You might already overdose on Quebecois whimsy and start plotting
carnage during the preshow. That's when a gaggle of white-clad
performers pose and strut around the deco foyers, staircases and
balconies of Radio City Music Hall, wearing funny hats and doing cute
things with umbrellas. At times, they squawk, cackle and jabber in
nonsense language, an irksome forewarning of a lot more of that to
come. For some of us, this is like being thrust into a mime hell
jammed with inescapable street performers. For the gawking mob
snapping away on their phone-cams, it clearly spells extravaganza.
Aside from touring tent spectacles on New York's outskirts, Cirque's
Manhattan penetration has been limited to the kid-targeted holiday
show Wintuk, which played seasonal engagements at Madison Square. A
more recent attempt to gain a foothold with the vaudevillian clown
act, Banana Shpeel, was a rare flop for the company. In creating a $50
million show specifically designed for this large proscenium theater,
Cirque has reverted to its traditional formula.
About a dozen legitimate circus acts -- from the standard-issue to the
more exotic, several of them genuinely impressive -- get stretched,
padded and often distractingly undermined by copious dollops of
performance filler. This involves more twee cavorting, clowning,
posing and noise-making from the eccentrically outfitted ensemble
(see: preshow, above).
Zarkana was written and directed by Francois Girard, who staged
Cirque's ZED in Tokyo and whose credits range across opera, theater
and film (The Red Violin, Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould).
Supposedly, there is a story. A magician named Zark (Garou), whose
powers are on the fritz, gets trapped in a tenebrous realm that comes
to life as he embarks on an odyssey to find his lost love, Lia
(Cassiopee). Or something.
Billed as a rock opera, Zarkana has a cheesy score by Nick Littlemore
that intersperses tinkly-winkly Danny Elfman-esque strains: There are
a lot of bombastic ballads for Zark and torchy numbers of dark
deception for Lia's various sinister underworld incarnations, among
them a witchy serpent in a towering funnel dress and a spider woman
suspended in a massive web. Canadian vocalist Garou's songs veer
across an '80s retro spectrum that spans brooding Brit pop, Michael
Bolton-style syrup and blustery hair metal. The lyrics, however, are
too bland to serve as anything more than aural wallpaper.
"Acrobats and clowns, wake up, dance and fly," sings Zark. Among those
who comply are a juggler, a ladder-climbing balancing trio, another
three balance-bar virtuosos, high-wire walkers, hand-standers, flag
throwers, aerial hoop twirlers, a sand-painting artist and two
Ecuadorian brothers who stroll, jog, leap and tumble around a giant
contraption ominously called the "Wheel of Death" -- basically, twin
hamster treadmills on a spinning central axis. Their dexterity makes
this death-defying dance with high-speed machinery look effortless.
All these acts show remarkable precision, concentration and
discipline. The most beautiful of them are two Chinese rope aerialists
and a superb group of trapeze artists, mainly from Russia and the
Ukraine, who appear oblivious to the laws of gravity. Those graceful
balletic interludes are sufficiently captivating to block out the
freak-show frou-frou happening elsewhere onstage, but it's a
challenge.
At one point, a doll-like figure falls into a huge flacon of liquid
and turns into a mutant baby with six arms. Another chap gets shoved
into a pressure cooker and comes out transformed into Uncle Fester,
brandishing a glowing light bulb. A little of the two clowns that
appear at intervals goes a long way, though kids in the house appeared
to find them funny. And they get major laughs during a protracted bit
involving an electric chair and an audience volunteer. One of the
clowns gets shot out of a cannon in simulated slo-mo, and in a rare
sign of a sly sense of humor at work, he alludes midair to both
Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark and the Charlie Sheen tour.
But despite Girard's strenuous efforts to create a bewitching
atmosphere of mystery, enchantment and mischief, there just seems to
be a whole lot going on to no clear purpose. From the elaborate frames
that wrap the stage to the constant wash of imagery over the rear LED
wall (floating eyeballs, writhing snakes, you name it) to the
carnival-esque jumble of costumes and the bombardment of overbearing,
high-decibel music, Zarkana is burdened by inorganic clutter and
sensory overload. All of which just pulls focus from the undisputable
skill of the circus acts.
Cirque Brings Flying Spider-Woman to Radio City
FROM: Bloomberg
-----------------------------------------------
Web-scampering arachnids and a high-flying Spider-Woman are prominent
in Zarkana, Cirque du Soleils faltering attempt to lure New York
audiences out of the tent and into a theater.
At Radio City Music Hall, theres no cirque and no soleil. Nightmarish
imagery, lots of screeching music and blinding lights add a grating
layer of punkish silliness -- Cirques stock-in-trade -- to some
heart-in-mouth acts of athletic derring-do.
At one point during the trapeze act, a vaguely female spider-like
creature flew overhead, across the vast expanse of Radio Citys gilded
orchestra. It wasnt exactly Spider-Man versus the Green Goblin,
though it lasted several minutes longer than the vaunted battle scene
playing a few blocks away.
Cirque du Soleil dresses up circus acts and sideshow curiosities in
the clothes of Pop Art. It has become a global franchise with
permanent installations in apt spots like Las Vegas. While the tent
shows have done well on New Yorks Randalls Island, last years
attempt to move onto the stage -- Banana Shpeel, at the Beacon
Theatre -- was a humiliating, $20 million fiasco for Cirque founder
Guy Laliberte.
Zarkana isnt as bad as Banana Shpeel, and the sheer size of the
Music Hall lends a certain grandeur to what is essentially high-end
vaudeville. The show opens with Maria Choodu, a master juggler, and
the shows limitations are evident from the outset. No matter how any
balls she can keep in the air, shes still just one lone figure
working a stage the size of Rhode Island.
If writer and director Francois Girard is telling a story (chaos and
craziness give way to festivity and love regained, according to the
program), its lost in horrid amplification and the off-key singing of
an unidentified ringmaster, rendering every lyric unintelligible
(doubtless a good thing).
When Zarkana gets down to the business of stopping our hearts for a
few beats, its awesome. Trapeze artists soar, tightrope walkers
precariously pile on top of one another, two brothers defy gravity on
what appears to be the worlds biggest Wheel-O. Theres also some
deadly clowning.
You wont find sawdust or peanuts, let alone the weird contortionists
that used to give Cirque its quirky zing. Its freak-free. Maybe
thats a good thing, too.
BlogCritics Review of Zarkana
FROM: BlogCritics
-----------------------------
The juggernaut of human wonders and awe-inspiring promotional blitzes
that is Cirque du Soleil has conquered its biggest territory yet:
Radio City Music Hall, New York Citys vast and storied cavern of
theatrical magic.
One of the few theaters that is itself an attraction, Radio City might
have swallowed up Cirque. After all, despite its razzmatazz, Cirque du
Soleil remains at heart a circus composed of all human performers
human and thus human-sized. But Zarkana is, as Ed Sullivan might have
said, a really big show, designed especially for this really big
space.
Cirque shows always center on a theme, but this one is supposed to
have an actual storyline. Such as it is, the tale concerns a magician
named Zark (Garou) who has lost his powers, and is also searching for
his true love (played by a singer named Cassiopée). The story is
negligible and the singing doesnt impress; now and then it even
distracts from the cavalcade of wonders being performed behind and
above them by the shows over 75 artists.
Thats just a small quibble. Dazzling juggling, a stupendous high-wire
act, an eye-pleasing flag act, aerial hoops, surreal visuals, amazing
sand painting, a graceful rope dance, a ladder act displaying
incredible feats of balance and strength, and, of course, trapeze
artists and the famous acrobats of Banquine are just some of the
delights that comprise Zarkana.
The sets, backdrops, and projections evoke equal wonder, establishing
broad and deep three-dimensional worlds filled with background
performers climbing about, animated snakes, stars and planets, cosmic
spiderwebs, and much more. More than a visual feast, its that rare
show that can break through ones usual cynicism and raise in an adult
mind a childlike sense of wonder. The half-hearted attempt at a rock-
opera story falls flat, but everything else stays astonishingly aloft.
The high-flying wonder that is Cirque du Soleil soars on, bigger than
ever.
If youve got the time or the money for just one big, colorful show
featuring spiders this season, the choice is easy. Zarkana runs at
Radio City Music Hall through October 8, after which it packs up for
Madrid and Moscow. For more information and tickets, visit the Cirque
du Soleil website.
"Radio City Is Transformed Into a Cirque Tent"
FROM: The New York Times
----------------------------------------------
The hearty-voiced fellow in the cherry-red top hat and matching silk
cape obviously has a lot on his mind. Sweeping across the football-
field stage of Radio City Music Hall as the ring master of Zarkana,
the latest Cirque du Soleil spectacular, he sings incessantly of an
absent love, as if she could only be conjured by bombastic
synthesizer-rich balladeering, a whole iPod playlist of Celine Dion
songs delivered one after another.
For all the mans throbbing vocalizing its pretty hard to feel his
pain, Im afraid, or even pay much heed to his lyric lamentations.
Thats because you spend the usual amount of time at the new
extravaganza from this French-Canadian entertainment behemoth
trembling in dread for the aerialists, contortionists and other
daredevils plying their phenomenal wares onstage.
As has been the case at Cirque shows Ive seen in the past, more than
once I had to resist the urge to leap from my seat and holler, Get
down from there, you senseless girl! The tingly suspense generated by
the many feats of gravity-defying gymnastics draws on our instinctive
fear that at any moment someone could end up splattered across the
stage. (This uncomfortable pleasure is also, I suppose, among the
reasons audiences remain hungry for the much-derided Spider-Man: Turn
Off the Dark.)
Cirque du Soleil and its impresario, Guy Laliberté, belly-flopped
without a net last year with their ill-fated production Banana
Shpeel, in which the company attempted to forsake its trademark
formula and create a more narrative-driven show with a vaudeville
theme. Cirque has returned to home territory with Zarkana, written
and directed by François Girard, which is essentially a traditional
company presentation outfitted in extra layers of lavish digital
technology and lush, exotic art direction.
Careful attention to the song lyrics reveals a smidgen of
storytelling: that top-hatted magician, called Zark and portrayed by
the French-Canadian pop star Garou, is in love with a woman named Lia
(the similarly single-named Cassiopée), who remains stubbornly elusive
until the grand finale. (Perhaps shes off having a very elaborate
manicure?)
Also unusually, and I am tempted to add unfortunately, all the songs
in Zarkana (written by Nick Littlemore) are performed in English
instead of the usual fantasy Esperanto thats been a Cirque trademark.
But while the recipe has been tweaked here and there, this new
production plays to the companys core strengths: its basically a
series of familiar, reliably exciting old-school circus acts
embroidered in baroque, sometimes bewildering art direction. There is
also, of course, the requisite pair of jabbering, mugging, whimsical
clowns, as delightful or as tiresome as ever, depending on your age
and your tastes. (One of them is shot from a cannon and careers around
above the audience, brandishing what appeared to be a Spider-Man T-
shirt.)
Ill admit Im a sucker for quite a few of the aah-inspiring feats
performed by the companys roster of 75 acrobats and performers of
various nationalities. The young woman engaging in scary aerial feats
on a moving balance beam held by two men was pretty staggering. The
crack trapeze team conjured memories of big-top delights of my youth.
The contortions performed by Anatoliy Zalevskiy, twisting himself into
rubbery forms while standing on one hand, were amazing, even if he did
remind me of that irritating showoff in every yoga class who smugly
flips into a perfect headstand while the rest of us teeter and
experience uncalming thoughts about aneurysms.
What remains appealing about Cirque du Soleil shows is this emphasis
on the human ability to create excitement from sheer physical prowess
and perfectly drilled gymnastic feats. Even the Italian corps of flag-
throwers, while hardly the most physically perilous of acts, won my
admiration for the grace and skill with which they fling their batons
aloft, creating dizzying patterns that suggest swarms of butterflies
moving with the grace of champion synchronized swimmers.
The more oppressive aspect of the Cirque aesthetic is the heavy
layering of surging music, whimsical costuming and florid exotica.
These elements are amplified to steroidal levels in Zarkana, because
the massive arching stage of Radio City might dwarf many of the more
modestly scaled acts. And so while the oddly burly high-wire
performers are inching or somersaulting their way across the wire I
admire them for squeezing into those leotards more than anything
else, my companion said a cacophonous sound and light show is going
on behind them. Cassiopée, sheathed in a snake suit, hangs in the air,
impersonating Nina Hagen at her most outlandish. Digital snakes hiss
and flames flare after each spectacular feat.
Similarly elaborate digital video accompanies most of the acts:
cascading streams of feathers, roses, spinning planets, glaring
eyeballs. (Why the eyeballs?) At times this video wallpaper enhances
the excitement of the live acts, at other times merely confuses the
eye or distracts from them.
There is live wallpaper too. Other members of the cast, attired in
tattered white outfits suggesting ghosts of Cirque shows past, clamber
up and around the set or cavort in mocking imitation of the acrobats,
providing some human décor to fill the gaping stage space.
The design, by Stéphane Roy, evokes a grand theater slowly being
reclaimed by a ravaging jungle. Snakes twist up and around the largest
proscenium, and another is entwined in thick vines. One of the more
bewitching video effects shows a Manhattan skyscraper canyon as if
glimpsed through the decayed back wall of Radio City. Its an eerie,
unsettling image the glorious Radio City fallen into decrepitude!
But we neednt really worry. The whimsical ghosts and capering clowns
and dazzling aerialists of Zarkana will make way in the fall for the
theaters annual holiday extravaganza. And, really, as feats of
carefully coordinated physical prowess go, its pretty hard for even
the most fantastically talented gymnasts to top a stage full of
Rockettes flinging their legs skyward in unison.
Theater review: "Cirque du Soleil: Zarkana"
FROM: North Jersey Record
--------------------------------------------
The various editions of Cirque du SoleiI that I've seen over the years
have blurred together, merged through their similar ingredients:
lavish costumes and scenic designs, bland rock and New Age music,
superb circus acts and run-of-the-mill clowns.
Each one has a distinctive story, or so the shows' publicity material
tells us. In performance, the tales are impossible to decipher.
Take "Zarkana," which opened Wednesday night at Radio City Music Hall.
The official description: "The story follows Zark, a magician who has
lost his powers and the love of his life in an abandoned theater
populated by a motley collection of off-the-wall characters and
incomparable acrobats."
What I saw was a sinister-looking fellow wandering around the stage,
singing, mostly unintelligibly because of the fierce amplification. "I
want your body" was a lyric that seemed to pop out, although I
wouldn't swear to it. My story line was that he was auditioning for
Broadway's next vampire musical.
So, forget the narrative.
It's just part of the clutter that surrounds and sometimes distracts
from the wonder of the sublime acrobats, jugglers, balancers and other
circus artists who perform feats that life experience tells us are
impossible for the human body to achieve.
What's new about Zarkana is that, rather than being presented under
the usual Cirque big top, it's housed at the majestic Music Hall for a
run scheduled into October.
And writer-directorFrancois Girard has astutely incorporated the
possibilities offered by the huge stage and, especially, the theater's
vaulting height, into the show.
Rarely has the spectacle of the flying trapeze been more dazzling, as
the flyers soar and spin across the proscenium arch high above us.
The thrill they provide is not of danger there's a net beneath them
but of grace, balance, timing and visual beauty.
Unfortunately, their performance is accompanied by unnecessary
business going on around them: clowns in a corner of the stage, other
figures passing through, and, as a backdrop, performers perched in a
giant web.
(What I assume to be the "Spider-Man" effect is also present at
another point, when a clown glides slowly out over the audience. That
moment was actually rather neat.)
A few times, the act being performed and the background are
artistically blended, creating a strikingly imaginative effect that,
were it consistent throughout the show, would make "Zarkana" special,
indeed.
In one example, as performers inside giant hoops roll mesmerizingly
around the stage, a giant LED screen behind them displays companion
images drifting up and down like bubbles. They bring to mind
Magritte's painting "Golconda," with its multiple images of little men
in bowler hats and overcoats seeming to float down from the sky.
It's not a generic Cirque moment. It's something that I'll remember
was in "Zarkana."
"Cirque du Soleil Zarkana Review"
FROM: The Jet-Set Girls
----------------------------------
I had the pleasure of seeing Zarkana last night, three days before its
official opening on Wednesday. The show tells the story of Zark, a
magician who has lost his powers, on his quest to rescue his
girlfriend who was kidnapped. It was unclear who kidnapped her and who
the bad guys arewas it the witch in the tree? The Medusa-like snake
performer?Or the spider? Or are all three the incarnation of the same
woman? No matter. Plot in a Cirque de Soleil performance is about as
necessary as a storyline in pornit loosely helps to define the story,
but we're all there for the action.
On that action front, Zarkana doesn't disappoint. The show, which runs
through October 8 at New York City's Radio City Music Hall, features
some impressive reverse juggling, trapeze acts and a gorgeous sequence
of banquine (acrobats bouncing off of each other). While some acts
felt familiar, like the Cyr Wheel that was also in Kooza, and others
fell flat, like the Flags that were no better than your local high
school's flag corps, some like the Ladders had me holding my breath.
Just when I was thinking that the male performer who balances a ladder
using pure strength must be glad this his part in the show was over,
he came back and did something even more outrageous. Unfortunately on
the night we attended the Hand Balancing performer failed to perform.
From what I can tell, he came out on cue, then ran backstage never to
appear again. We didn't get an explanation and it was a big
disappointment that the penultimate act failed to show.
The setting at Radio City is one of the more gorgeous Cirque de Soleil
sets I've ever seen. The lighting designer, Alain Lortie, makes full
use of the ceiling and interior of the orchestra so you really do feel
as though you're transported into a creepy nether world.
For a show that is billed as a rock opera, the music is lackluster. It
was hard to make out what the singers were saying, which is a big
reason why the plot is indecipherable. Even if I could understand the
lyrics, the songs themselves fail to make an impression.
So would I recommend seeing Zarkana? Yes, if you're a Cirque de Soleil
junkie or a newbie or if you're looking for an entertaining show to
see. But if the $47+ ticket price is a stretch for you, you aren't
missing much if you sit this one out.
"Zarkana features musical, character and spectacle, no 'wow'"
FROM: The New York Daily News
-------------------------------------------------------------
Cirque du Soleil's new show "Zarkana" promises a musical and acrobatic
spectacle.
It makes good on that vow: Now in residence at Radio City through
early October, the production boasts brilliant eye candy and feats of
muscle and beauty to match.
What it lacks, though, is a consistent sense of wonder.
Even though there's always something to look at, the wow! factor comes
and goes like a traveling salesman. The acts, while polished, are
mostly familiar.
But after their vapid variety show "Banana Shpeel" and wan "Wintuk"
for kids, it is heartening to see a solid work by Cirque.
"Zarkana" showcases what the Quebec-based brand is famous for: the
intricate layering of ace circus acts into a beguiling atmosphere with
music.
The world here is a surreal one that takes cues from nature and
beyond. The music is pop-rock, both taped and performed live.
Quebec-born Francois Girard, who directed the films "Silk" and "The
Red Violin," wrote and directed the production. He knows how to create
brilliant stage pictures.
He uses projections and dozens of supporting characters and clowns to
make the cavernous Radio City stage a feast for the peepers. Like when
clowns float upside down, in a sort of topsy-turvy take on the
Rapture.
As usual for Soleil, the story line is thinner than the high wire
employed here in a daring family balancing act.
A magician, Zark (the growly-voiced Canadian pop singer Garou), has
lost his powers of prestidigitation and his lady love.
He searches and sings. At times, what he and others belt out is
obscured by a muddy sound system. In an intelligible moment, he asks:
"Who wants to cross the ocean on a ship made of nothing more than
light?"
Plenty of characters, it turns out. Among them, a trio of fantastical
females: a spider, a snake with silver claws (in Cirque, slitherers
have hands) and a flower placed 60-some feet above the stage. The last
is a real pistil.
These images provide texture and background for circus pros.
Fresh acts are the most fun, including four synchronized flag throwers
and a sand painter who swirls blue grit into works of art projected on
a huge screen.
Staples include a juggler who's trained tennis balls to walk upstairs;
a rope duo who spin so fast they look like egg beaters; the wildest
trapeze swingers I've ever seen, and the reliable crowd-pleaser, the
Wheel of Death, a terrifying spinning double-looped contraption.
Near the end of the two-hour (plus intermission) show, the handsome
hand-balancer Anatoly Zalevskiy provides poetry in motion. He ignores
the laws of logic and gravity as he poses, spins and bends into a
pretzel while supporting himself on one palm.
He may not make you want to run off to join the circus. But he'll
certainly make you think about getting to the gym.
"Zarkana Murky But Fun At Radio City"
FROM: The Huffington Post
-------------------------------------
The troupe Cirque du Soleil is a victim of its own success. Cirque
virtually reinvented the circus for modern audiences. But over the
years so many of their new shows have popped up all over the world
its inevitable that expectations have been raised and lowered many
times. Sometimes they come up with a genuinely fresh way of presenting
their acts that feels cohesive and original, that feels like a show.
Other times, it seems like Cirque has come to town and youve seen it
before.
But thats what the circus is like too. When Ringling Bros. comes to
town, youd dont expect some radical new experience. You expect
clowns and trapeze artists and animal acts and cotton candy. Sure,
they usually give each edition a special name and hype some particular
act, but its the circus and you know what that means.
The same is true for Cirque, especially after so many years of
innovation. Their latest spectacle is Zarkana, designed specifically
for the grand space of Radio City Music Hall. Go into it expecting
some fresh new experience and youll be disappointed. Go expecting to
see some world-class acts with Cirques usual Euro-pop trappings and
youll be fine.
This particular show Zarkana really is a load of nonsense. The
ringleader Zark stands around singing generic pop songs about his lost
girlfriend (and his lost magical powers) and by the end of the show
they reunite. Usually, Cirques songs are performed in a nonsense
language; this time they chose to use English lyrics, unfortunately,
so you have to hear all sorts of blather in between the acts.
Fortunately, those acts come tumbling one after the other. Cirque
makes good use of Radio City for some grand visuals (like snakes
crawling up the side of the proscenium; a spiders web and performers
seeming to dangle in the air way, way in the distance until you
realize its video projection. I loved how they used the video screens
to get the thousands of people focused on intimate acts like the
wonderful sand artist that opened act two. Act one began modestly with
a juggler who actually had quite a few bobbles; this was in fact a
nice reminder that these stunts dont come automatically and
unintentionally created an edge of suspense for the more daring feats.
Since even a juggler can mess up, how much more dangerous is it when
two men are jumping and whirling in the air both inside and outside
metal cages that spin over and under each other high above the stage?
Even more suspense of an unintended sort was created when a man who we
later discovered was an expert in hand balancing came out on stage,
felt the moment wasnt right for whatever reason, and simply walked
off again. The platform he abandoned stayed in the middle of the set
for a few minutes while the music continued and other performers stood
around expectantly until the show finally moved on. My guest said,
Im totally confused and laughed. It was another rare moment of
quirkiness and the human element.
Far more often, acrobats whirled across the stage without missing a
beat; men tossed flag-sticks high in the air and across the stage to
fellow performers, all of it in beautiful synchronicity; and artists
formed human pyramids or swung each other through the air high above
the stage and it all came off perfectly.
The tone might be a smidgen darker than usual. But the clowns are
always on hand ready to dispel any air of gloom after a six-limbed
baby in an aquarium rolls across the stage or snakes and spiders have
dominated the action for a few minutes. Sure, youve seen it all
before, at least when it comes to the specialty acts. But theyre
still daring and fun. Cirque cant reinvent the wheel any more. And
sometimes as with Zarkana they shouldnt try so hard to make it appear
as if they are.
"Review: Zarkana"
FROM: Stage-Rush
-----------------
Cirque du Soleil has swooped back into New York in its second attempt
to mount a successful semi-permanent showZarkana at Radio City Music
Hall. After the financial and critical disaster that was last years
Banana Shpeel at the Beacon Theater, the new spectacle, which opened
Wednesday night, shows signs of many lessons learned.
Banana Shpeel spun a ridiculous who cares? tale of a grouchy circus
ringleader whos had a bee in his bonnet for decades because of a past
romance gone sour. The irritating plot left little stage time for the
incredible contortionists, jugglers, and hand balancers that the
audience had paid money to see. In Zarkana, a magician named Zark (get
where the title comes from?) has lost his love and his magical powers.
(Dude, bummer.) He spends the show lamenting about it in dramatic,
rock-opera numbers, but leaves the stage for significant chunks of
time, allowing the amazing soldiers of Cirque to do their thing. Less
story, yes; but I could have done without Zark and his sad-sack story
completely. Why does Cirque du Soleil feel so compelled to add
narrative to their New York shows? Is it the presence of Broadway that
makes them feel they need to compete? Broadway shows and Cirque-du-
Soleil eye orgasms are apples and oranges. Cirque, leave the
storytelling to Sondheimshow us the wow.
And Zarkana does deliver on the wow factor. The show kicks off with a
perfect appetizera juggling act, which is small enough in scale, but
kicks into a whirlwind of high-speed coordination that was enough to
make my palms sweat. Next up is a gorgeous and romantic aerial duet,
in which the male and female performers fly around the expansive stage
entangled in a hanging rope. The rest of Act I includes some fun
tightrope walkers, but doesnt astonish. The true breathtaking moments
of Zarkana are saved for the second act.
Act II opens not with a stunner of physical feats, which is expected
of a Cirque show, but rather one of artistry. Working in a medium I
never knew existed, a woman draws intricate images in a basin filled
with blue sand; an overhead camera projects her gorgeous work on a
screen. From there, the elaborate acrobatic set is revealed, which
encompasses the entire air space of the Radio City stage. During a
sneak peak for the press in late May, the acrobats missed four of
their catches; however, the proceeding weeks of previews seemed to be
just what the performers needed to sharpen their routine. On opening
night, there were no falls and the stunts elicited delighted gasps
from the audience. By far the best act of the night is dubbed Wheel
of Death, which features two men, each fighting to escape the
confines of a torture machine thats a cross between a windmill and a
hamster wheel. The effect is of a chase scene from an action movie,
occurring live.
The performers arent the only visual candy on the Zarkana stage.
Stephane Roys set is an eerily beautiful castle dungeon with tiled
walls and an ornately framed proscenium. The score by Nick Littlemore
is an aural treat, but only half the work. The orchestrations are
grand, lush, and dark in tone, but the lyrics sung by Zark (played by
Canadian pop star Garou, with appealing rock-star edge) might as well
fall upon deaf ears. The lyrics are largely unintelligible, and from
what I could make out, were painfully literal.
Zarkana bests Banana Shpeel by leaps and bounds. Yet while
entertaining, the show falls short of astonishing as a whole piece.
Francois Girards direction often leaves the stage crowded and without
a focal point. The killer acts seem stop and go, largely due to
intervals of two clowns that attempt to distract the audience in front
of the curtain. Yes, I know they are most likely needed while the next
scene is being set into place, but its nonetheless a tedious
transition. Ultimately with this new show, Cirque du Soleil is well on
its way to repairing its New York reputation.
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COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER
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Fascination! Newsletter
Volume 11, Number 7 (Issue #90) - July 2011
"Fascination! Newsletter" is a concept by Ricky Russo. Copyright (c)
2001-2011 Ricky Russo, published by Vortex/RGR Productions, a
subsidiary of Communicore Enterprises. No portion of this newsletter
can be reproduced, published in any form or forum, quoted or
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{ Jul.11.2011 }
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