Copy Link
Add to Bookmark
Report
Fascination Issue 196
=======================================================================
______ _ __ _ __
/ ____/___ ___________(_)___ ____ _/ /_(_)___ ____ / /
/ /_ / __ '/ ___/ ___/ / __ \/ __ '/ __/ / __ \/ __ \/ /
/ __/ / /_/ (__ ) /__ / / / / /_/ / /_/ / /_/ / / / /_/
/_/ \__,_/____/\___/_/_/ /_/\__,_/\__/_/\____/_/ /_(_)
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
------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.CirqueFascination.com
------------------------------------------------------------
=======================================================================
VOLUME 20, NUMBER 5 May 2020 ISSUE #196
=======================================================================
Welcome to the latest edition of Fascination, the Unofficial Cirque
du Soleil Newsletter.
* * * A BATTLE ROYALE FOR CIRQUE DU SOLEIL? * * *
These last two months - from founder Guy Laliberté cashing out his
last 10% and the company having to shut down due to COVID-19, to
talks of bankruptcies and financial rescues - Cirque du Soleil has
been on one hell of a wild ride. And it doesn't appear that it's going
to be over any time soon
As deep-pocketed private equity funds and Quebecor, Inc. weigh offers
for the financially-strapped Cirque (and making their fight for the
company a very public affair - see within), Guy Laliberté himself
weighed in on the matter, saying he is considering whether or not to
jump into the looming fight for the circus troupe he founded. "As the
Cirque faces the biggest challenge of its existence we're about to see
a wrestling match involving a number of players," Laliberté said on
Tuesday, May 12th. "From my point of view, we're in for a battle
royale. ... I am deciding whether or not I'm going to jump into that
wrestling ring."
Cirque du Soleil saw its revenue drop to nearly zero overnight as its
live shows were put on hold due to COVID-19. Some 4,700 employees have
been laid off, while a core group tries to plot how to get operations
going again. As of now, the company has launched a formal search for
new capital. Existing shareholders TPG Captial LP, Fosun Capital, and
the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec recently put an additional
$50-million USD into Cirque this month to help the company pay its
obligations that include interest on loans, giving the company a bit
of breathing room until it can find a more permanent solution.
The Globe and Mail reported that Cirque recently hired the National
Bank of Canada and U.S. investment bank Greenhill & Co. to advise its
board of directors on either selling the company or negotiating a
significant cash injection from its existing owners. The two investment
banks have set a June 8th deadline for initial bids for the Cirque.
Bloomberg reported on May 13th that Cirque du Soleil was in talks to
borrow as much as C$500 million ($355 million USD) from the government
of Quebec in order to remain solvent. But Cirque is attracting outside
interest too, and must make a deal that satisfies its creditors, who
are owed $900-million. Quebecor announced May 2nd it made a preliminary
offer for the business. The telecom and media company said it is
willing to put several hundred million dollars into Cirque, but so far
there have been no formal talks between the two sides. (More about this
within.) Private equity fund Providence Equity Partners LLC is also
expected to make an offer.
The battle for Cirque du Soleil and its soul has only just begun. More
about this battle can be found in our news section within.
* * * CIRQUE RESCHEDULING SOME SHOWS * * *
While a storm rages outside the creative walls of Cirque du Soleil's
HQ in Montreal, over the last few weeks, the company has quietly begun
to reschedule a number of its touring shows. ALEGRIA's 2020 stop in
Washington DC has been replaced with KOOZA in 2021 for instance. With
the company's future still in doubt (and all involved gearing up for
a battle), it's uncertain if Cirque du Soleil will be able to execute
on these tour stops, however, they've been included in the ITINERAIRE
section this month for reference.
* * * QUARANTINE: THROUGH THE EYES OF CIRQUE ARTISTS" * * *
Meanwhile, Director Mukhtar O. S. Mukhtar has put together a fantastic
look into the quarantined lives of Cirque du Soleil artists (past and
present) - Claudio Carneiro, Alberto del Campo, Brittany Gee-Moore,
Eliana Girard, Aleksei Goloborodko, Bill May, Neguinism, Spencer Novich,
and Uzeyir Novruzov - in a beautiful 23-minute video he shared via
YouTube on May 9th. "Witness how hope and wonder inspires thrm to cope
one step at a time in their own unique ways. To be inspired and come
out of thissituation stronger than ever, love and unity is what we all
need right now."
SEE THIS MAGNIFICENT VIDEO HERE:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Cl4yhvmzsk
More? Keep reading!
/----------------------------------------------------\
| |
| 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
* La Presse -- General News & Highlights
* Q&A -- Quick Chats & Press Interviews
o) Outreach -- Updates from Cirque's Social Widgets
* Webseries -- Official Online Featurettes
* Videos -- Official Peeks & Noted Fan Finds
o) Fascination! Features
* "A Peek into the Eccentric Worlds of AXEL"
By: Richard Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA)
* "Australian Acrobat to Sue Cirque du Soleil"
By: Alice Matthews as Published in SBS's The Feed
o) Copyright & Disclaimer
=======================================================================
CIRQUE BUZZ -- NEWS, RUMOURS & SIGHTINGS
=======================================================================
***************************************************************
LA PRESSE -- General News & Highlights
***************************************************************
----------------------------------------------------------
Cirque Discusses Loan With Co-Owner TPG
{Apr.16.2020}
----------------------------------------------------------
Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group is in talks with its private
equity backer TPG regarding a loan after the coronavirus pandemic
forced it to close shows globally, bringing the famed live performance
brand to its knees.
The Montreal-based company is discussing a $50 million loan secured by
Canadian intellectual-property assets, according to people familiar
with the matter. The borrowing would give the company time to explore
options including potential government assistance, the people said,
asking not to be identified because the matter is private.
Representatives for Cirque and TPG, its majority owner, declined to
comment.
Entertainment companies that depend on large crowds were among the
first business casualties of the virus. Cirque announced temporary
layoffs of 4,679 employees on March 19 after shutting down 44
productions to comply with government orders around the world.
The company, which grew from a troupe of Quebec street performers into
a global entertainment giant, is also in talks with Caisse de Depot et
Placement du Quebec for rescue funding, Bloomberg previously reported.
Cirque, which has shows in Las Vegas including "Mystere" and "Michael
Jackson ONE," needs to address about $900 million of senior loans.
S&P Global Ratings cut Cirque's rating to D on April 3. The company
failed to make principal and interest payments due March 31 on its
first-lien credit facility and an interest payment on its second-lien
facility. The first-lien loan is quoted at just over 52 cents.
{ SOURCE: Bloomberg }
----------------------------------------------------------
New Dates Announced for "Under the Same Sky"
{Apr.20.2020}
----------------------------------------------------------
In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Cirque du Soleil has taken the
decision to reschedule the opening of its new Big Top show production,
Under the Same Sky, originally planned to take place on April 23,
2020. The show will premiere under the Big Top in Montreal's Old Port,
starting April 22, 2021.
The changing situation amidst the coronavirus pandemic across the
world and the cancellation of all public events through August 31st
announced last week by the Quebec government, have likewise brought
the new production of Under the Same Sky to a standstill and suspended
the touring schedule temporarily.
"As the world is still greatly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, we
have no choice but to reschedule the opening of Under the Same Sky to
next year. We look forward to presenting the World Premiere in
Montreal, as Cirque du Soleil has always done for all Big Top
productions in the past", says Daniel Lamarre, President and CEO of
Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group.
Cirque du Soleil is also happy to announce changes to its tour plan by
adding the city of Gatineau, Quebec, at the Place des festivals Zibi,
as the second stop of the Under the Same Sky tour.
This 51st original production for Cirque du Soleil and 20th Big Top
show will bring a bold new visual approach to the Big Top; high-level
acrobatics will be woven within a striking and disruptive imagined
universe. Spectators will be touched by uplifting choreography and
startling physical theatre, and moved by the vibrant musical score,
all infused with the warmth of human interconnection. The show's
visionary approach will wow fans with vibrant color and light,
bringing Cirque du Soleil on an exciting whimsical journey.
Current ticket holders will be contacted directly by a Cirque du
Soleil representative to receive updated tickets for the same week,
same day in 2021. Tickets can be purchased online at
www.cirquedusoleil.com/under-the-same-sky
{ SOURCE: Cirque du Soleil }
----------------------------------------------------------
Ex-Cirque star develops COVID-19 fashion line
{Apr.20.2020}
----------------------------------------------------------
Pandemic fashions are a snap for Wassa Coulibaly.
The Baobab Stage proprietor and former "Zumanity" artist has launched
a new line of COVID-19 pieces. They feature hooded dresses with face
covers, which are fitted with snaps so you can cover your face in
public.
"You can wear these in a variety of ways," Coulibaly says. "You can
even wear them after the pandemic is over."
Coulibaly, who is originally from Dakar, Senegal, immigrated to the
United States as a teenager and earned a role in Cirque du Soleil's
"Zumanity" as the show opened in August 2003. She left the cast in
October 2013, devoting all of her time and energy to Baobab Stage at
Town Square.
Coulibaly has presented shows in the theater, opened a cafe and sells
her fashions from an adjoining shop.
She came up with the idea when she walked into a market last month and
was reminded to cover her face. Coulibaly pulled her hood across her
head. That day, she was working on the fashion line.
Find Coulibaly's work at wassaboutique.com, where you can order and
then pick up the items curbside. You can also have your order
delivered.
Her business temporarily shut down by COVID-19, Coulibaly has spent
most of her downtime with her daughter, Mariam, who turns 3 in May. As
the artist says, "We are having fun gardening, planting trees, hiking
and creating."
CHECK OUT HER FASHIONS HERE:
http://www.cirquefascination.com/?p=13668
{ SOURCE: John Katsilometes, Las Vegas Review-Journal }
----------------------------------------------------------
LaPresse: Many workers among Cirque's creditors
{Apr.21.2020}
----------------------------------------------------------
{ Translated from the original French using Google Translate }
Not only has Cirque du Soleil been unable to keep its employees
employed, but people working under contract for Cirque du Soleil have
still not been paid for work performed before the announcement of the
massive layoffs on last month.
Cirque has adopted a policy of suspension of payments and obligations
towards its suppliers, in particular consultants or freelancers, who
have agreements with Cirque. Some of them told La Presse that Cirque
did not pay the invoices sent before the massive layoffs announced in
mid-March. In some cases, these are invoices for the winter months. In
other cases, the invoices date from the fall months, which causes them
financial stress.
One of these suppliers, who does not want to be identified because he
is afraid of the repercussions on his career, fears that a
restructuring will occur "quickly" and that the debts towards "several
hundreds" of workers will be "blocked" or renegotiated at the
discount. "We are talking about circus craftsmen here: directors,
lighting designers, choreographers, artistic coordinators, trainers,
etc. "He says. For some of these people, Cirque is their only client.
You should know that the Cirque employs many of these craftsmen full
time, but also hires many by contract, according to its needs.
Depending on the projects, freelancers in marketing, technology,
programming and design can also obtain contracts. It was not possible
to obtain details of the overall amount of claims owed to suppliers or
the precise number of workers affected. "The Circus is a private
enterprise," said spokesperson Caroline Couillard simply.
Cirque explains that the COVID-19 crisis led to a "sudden and total"
paralysis of its activities. "Consequently, we were forced to adopt
drastic measures to preserve our remaining liquidity and ensure the
sustainability of the Cirque du Soleil Group," said an internal note
obtained by La Presse. "Our liquidity is under enormous pressure due
to this unexpected and unprecedented event, and unfortunately, the
duration of the pandemic and its impact on the future of the Circus
remain unknown at this time," we can read.
"Unfortunately, we have no alternative but to temporarily suspend the
payment of our obligations to our suppliers and partners while we are
working to get through this crisis and stabilize the situation. We are
aware that this action, which is necessary in the circumstances, could
have repercussions on your operations, and rest assured that we
sincerely regret it, "he said.
Cirque du Soleil announced on March 19 the layoff of 95% of its
workforce, or 4,679 employees.
Cirque has only a very small team still in place and the salary of the
CEO, Daniel Lamarre, has just been reduced by 50%. "It was he who made
the proposal to the board of directors," says Caroline Couillard. For
the time being, no other employee or officer still in office has
suffered a drop in salary.
Last week, La Presse revealed that the Cirque is in a difficult
financial position, to the point that the organization maintains that
it does not even have the "means" to take help from the federal
government to rehire the workers laid off in March.
Management explains the situation by the fact that Canada's emergency
wage subsidy program requires proof of payment for the 75% portion of
employee wages to be given before being eligible to receive federal
funding. "Although we would very much like all of our employees to
benefit from this program, our current cash situation puts us in a
position where we do not have the capacity to make such payments in
advance," said a document obtained by The Press.
Cirque has about 1 billion in debt. The main shareholders of Cirque
are the American fund TPG, the Chinese group Fosun and the Caisse de
depot et placement du Quebec. Given the situation in which Cirque
finds itself, placing the organization safe from its creditors is one
of the options being considered by management, sources confirmed to La
Presse this spring.
Cirque du Soleil in six dates
o) April 2015: A group led by TPG Capital, of San Francisco, concludes
an agreement to acquire Cirque du Soleil for approximately 1.75
billion US dollars.
o) June 2019: La Presse reveals that the Cirque du Soleil Group is
considering going public.
o) November 2019: CEO Daniel Lamarre confirms that the stock market
listing project is on the ice "for the moment", arguing that the
stock market is not favorable.
o) February 2020: The Caisse de depot et placement du Québec buys the
remaining 10% stake from Guy Laliberté in Cirque.
o) March 2020: Cirque announces the layoff of 95% of its 4,679
employees.
o) April 2020: Sources confirm to La Presse that one of the three
options considered by Cirque is to place the company safe from its
creditors.
{ SOURCE: LaPresse }
----------------------------------------------------------
The Last Days of Cirque: How COVID-19 Brought
Down an Entertainment Empire
{Apr.22.2020}
----------------------------------------------------------
The slow-motion shutdown of Cirque du Soleil should have been an early
warning of the disaster to come. The novel coronavirus was still
considered a local problem in late January, when the world's largest
circus producer canceled performances of The Land of Fantasy, its
first and only permanent offering in China. Within two months, the
virus had spread to every corner of the world.
"Everything was going very well," recalls Diane Quinn, Cirque's chief
creative officer, who had visited the show in Hangzhou, near the
epicenter of the outbreak in Wuhan, just a few weeks earlier.
The abrupt cancellation of The Land of Fantasy was a serious blow to
profits, but a manageable one. Cirque still had 43 other shows around
the world. COVID-19 would not have an official name for a few more
weeks, and even as late as early March, the idea that it could grind
the entire world to a halt seemed unimaginable.
An outbreak in Italy was an inflection point for the company. Cirque
had a show set to open in Romeits tent was already erected and
tickets were being soldwhen the event's promoter called it off. The
show would have gone on to Milan, but that would clearly be impossible
after the Italian government locked down the country on March 9.
One by one, the dominos fellmore cancellations, more travel
restrictions, more bad news. "As the virus spread across Europe and
ultimately into North America, we realized, boy, we're going to have a
problem on our hands," Quinn says.
Las Vegas, which accounted for some 35% of Cirque's revenue and is the
company's most important market, was the final straw. On March 14, CEO
Daniel Lamarre received a call from MGM Entertainment in Las Vegas,
informing him that all of the city's casinos and other tourist
destinations would be shut down.
"I woke up the day after, Sunday morning, and I had no more shows, no
more revenue," Lamarre says. The world had come to a halt, and Cirque
du Soleil with it. For the first time in 35 years, the show wouldn't
go on.
"NOBODY HAS A CRYSTAL BALL"
---------------------------
For performers like AJ Anaya, the shutdown has been devastating. Not
long ago, Anaya could be seen twirling through the air on his BMX
bicycle in a nightly spectacle of acrobatic mastery and gravity-
defying stunts. He'd be hamming it up for thousands of cheering fans
in Chicago, Atlanta, or Los Angeles, under the glittering big top in a
high-octane show called Volta, a touring production by Cirque du
Soleil that featured a wild array of extreme sports. For more than
three years, Anaya has been among the show's star attractions.
These days, the 34-year-old BMX performer lives a much more sedentary
existence. Like thousands of his fellow performers, Anaya has been
sidelined since March 13, when the famed circus brand announced the
suspension of its touring shows in response to the coronavirus
pandemic. Ten days later, he was laid off along with 95% of the
company's other employees, who are not represented by a union.
Anaya still communicates regularly with his fellow Cirque performers
his extended family, he calls themthrough a Facebook group where they
offer each other emotional support, trade tips about training and
exercise routines, and discuss the day when they'll once again feel
the adrenaline rush of performing live with the world's most famous
circus.
"It's been quite an adjustment going from 10 shows a week to just kind
of being at a standstill," says Anaya, who lives in Denver with his
wife and newborn son. "Everybody's excited to kind of get back on the
road and do what we do."
But with economies in free fall and no vaccine in sight, it remains to
be seen how Cirque can reopenand if it will be the same company when
it does.
In hindsight, there were few companies as vulnerable to COVID-19 as
Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group. Since its inception in 1984,
it's played shows in 1,450 cities in 90 different countries, and large
gatherings are their lifeblood. Its vast army of 1,800 artists relies
on international travel to get from show to show, regularly crossing
borders, performing on cruise ships, and interacting with fans. Daily
training regimens require constant physical contact. The entire
operation depends on an intricate logistical network of cargo ships,
trucks, hotels, and food-service businesses, all of which have ground
to a halt.
In effect, government bans on large gatherings are a ban on Cirque
itself, leaving a company that generated an estimated $950 million
last year with essentially "zero revenues," according to Lamarre.
A former public relations guru, Lamarre exudes optimism that Cirque du
Soleil will survive the pandemic, even if he admits to not knowing
when or how it will happen. In a way, that's been the hardest part.
"The uncertainty of when it's going to end, it's just kind of rough,"
Lamarre says. "Nobody has a crystal ball, right?"
That hasn't stopped financial analysts from spinning their gloomy
prognostications. In a recent credit assessment, analysts at Moody's
downgraded Cirque's credit rating to junk territory, citing its
"excessively high leverage" and limited investment capacity for 2020.
"Weak liquidity, soft show demand and challenging economic conditions
will further pressure Cirque du Soleil's operating flexibility and
capacity for growth capital investments once shows resume," the
analysts wrote. S&P Global Ratings offered a similarly dire outlook,
downgrading Cirque to its lowest rating and citing "missed principal
and interest payments."
Avoiding bankruptcy may be a high-wire act. Reuters reported in March
that all options are on the table as Cirque explores plans to
restructure its debt and repair its balance sheet.
Lamarre did not deny that bankruptcy is a possibility, though he calls
the report "overstated." Cirque has a wealthy patron in TPG Capital,
the private equity giant that purchased a majority stake in the
company five years ago, spurring a new wave of expansion and
diversification for the brand. (Cirque's portfolio now includes Blue
Man Group and the Illusionists franchise, among others.) Perhaps even
more substantial, Lamarre says, is support from another major
shareholder, Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, a Canadian
manager of pension funds that doubled its stake in February. "They're
very eager to keep us alive," Lamarre says.
Still, the relationship with TPG is complicated. The 2015 deal that
made Cirque du Soleil co-founder Guy Laliberté a billionaire also
saddled Cirque with nearly $900 million in leveraged debta common
practice among private equity firms to generate higher profits. That
high-risk debt was later packaged into collateralized loan obligations
and sold to global investors. Now, with that debt reduced to junk
status, Bloomberg reports that Cirque has discussed a $50 million loan
from TPG, using its Canadian intellectual property rights as
collateral to buy time while seeking government assistance.
Cirque declined to comment on the loan, but Lamarre told me that
Cirque has indeed been negotiating a short-term rescue plan with the
Canadian government. "Having support from the government would be
helpful," he says, referring to Cirque as a "Canadian ambassador" that
represents the country all over the world. "It's kind of intriguing
right now because we have no shows, we have no revenues, but we have
an amazing brand."
The company later added, "we are confident that when the day comes
when we can reopen our shows, we will get back to profitability."
Between Caisse and TPG, and with an additional leg up from the
governmentCirque's "three buddies," as Lamarre calls themthe company
may be in a better position than many entertainment and performing
arts organizations, some of which have already announced permanent
closure in the wake of the pandemic. And while Lamarre may not have
that crystal ball, he is confident enough to make a prediction: "One
thing's for sureif you called me this time next year, Cirque du
Soleil will be open."
ENTER THE SWAT TEAM
-------------------
In the weeks since Cirque laid off its 4,679 employees, the company
has been operating with a skeleton crew of administrative personnel
and executivesLamarre calls them the "SWAT team"to mitigate the
damage and plot a path forward. Discussions have already begun to
reopen Cirque's show in China, although how or when that would work is
unclear, especially as Cirque performers would usually need to travel
to and from China to keep the show operating.
The fraught logistical puzzle underscores one of the most frightening
challenges that live-entertainment companies such as Cirque du Soleil
are facing. Even after cities and countries begin to get their
coronavirus outbreaks under control, life will not return to normal
all at once. It will drip back incrementally. And even with the best
of possible outcomes, large gatherings will be one of the last aspects
of pre-pandemic life to return.
Every day that goalpost gets pushed further into the future for
industries across the live-entertainment sector. Broadway producers
had been eyeing July 4 weekend as a possible reopening date, but
producers are now saying they'll be lucky to be open by September.
Disney and other theme park operators are quickly losing hope that
they can salvage the summer. Some experts say we should not expect
major live events to resume until fall 2021 at the earliest.
Cirque du Soleil has survived other downturns. It took years for the
company, which began as a humble group of 20 street performers, to
become a global phenomenon. After exploding growth in the 1990s and
2000s, Cirque suffered a massive round of layoffs in 2013 and was seen
as past its prime when TPG took a controlling stake two years later.
It's grappled with high-profile performer fatalities that have called
its safety record into question. And it's struggled to find a winning
formula in cities such as New York that take their live entertainment
seriously.
Through it all, Cirque has thrived thanks to a multi-generational base
of support that seemingly never tires of its unique brand of
theatricality, daredevil acrobatics, and wonder. Even during the
worldwide lock-down, die-hard fans tuned in to watch streamed excerpts
from three shows on places like Facebook and YouTube. The result
across platforms during one test was an audience of 14 million people,
Lamarre says, a number that far exceeded even his most ambitious
expectations.
"You know, internally we were betting about how many people we would
reach. I was the highest bidder and I was looking for 2 million
viewers," he says. "I was totally off and so were my colleagues. That
was such an encouragement in the middle of a crisis."
Back in Costa Mesa, California, where Cirque du Soleil's "Volta" was
supposed to be up and running by now, AJ Anaya is still hunkering
down, his custom BMX bike in tow, ready for when the lights of the big
top are shining again. Performing with Cirque is a dream job, he says,
and looking on the bright side is part of the gig, even in the darkest
of times. "It's such a crazy, crazy thing that we're going through,
but honestly I think it's all gonna work out for the better," Anaya
says. "We're going to return to normal, and hopefully better than we
were before."
{ SOURCE: Christopher Zara, Fast Company }
----------------------------------------------------------
Cirque du Soleil Controlled from a Tax Haven
{Apr.29.2020}
----------------------------------------------------------
{Text has been translated from the original French using Google
Translate}
Cirque du Soleil is owned by the limited partnership "Société à
Gestion Cirque du Soleil SEC" which has its head office in Montreal,
since the founder, Guy Laliberté, ceded control of his empire in 2015.
The problem? Who holds the controlling position of said limited
partnership? It is the US mega private fund TPG, from Texas, with 55%
of the shares. How does it exercise control? Through "CDS Luxembourg
Holdings S.à rl, Société à responsibility", which company is located
in Luxembourg, recognized worldwide as a haven for light taxation.
That said, you will not find "CDS Luxembourg Holdings" in the list of
sponsors of the Cirque du Soleil Limited Partnership. Officially, the
shares that the American fund TPG holds in Cirque du Soleil are
registered in the name of the company "TPG VII CDS Holdings, LP". But
when the transaction was sealed on July 8, 2015, TPG transferred (with
effect two days later, July 10, 2015) all of the Cirque shares it owns
through "TPG VII CDS Holdings" to "CDS Luxembourg Holdings".
OTHER PARTNERS
There are two other limited partners of the limited partnership
"Société à Gestion Cirque du Soleil SEC", the Chinese group Fosun
International Limited, with 25% of the shares, and the Caisse de depot
et placement du Québec, with 20% of the shares. The first 10% tranche
was acquired in July 2015, and the other 10% tranche comes from the
recent purchase of the remaining shares held by Guy Laliberté.
THE CALL FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
Cirque du Soleil's request for government assistance has raised
suspicion. As my colleague Jean-François Cloutier pointed out, it is
billionaire groups, TPG from the United States and Fosun from China,
who are asking Quebec's help to pay Cirque du Soleil employees and
suppliers. To top it all off, Cirque du Soleil's third partner is our
Caisse de depot et placement, with assets of $340 billion.
Among the lobbyists who represent Cirque du Soleil with the Quebec
government in its request for financial assistance, there is the
wealthy Mitch Garber, chairman of the board of directors of Cirque du
Soleil and the federal agency Invest in Canada.
Under what pretext would the Legault government grant public funds to
a company owned by a consortium of billionaire funds, while being
controlled by the American fund TPG through a company established in a
tax haven?
After insistence, TPG and Cirque du Soleil confirm the existence of
CDS Luxembourg Holdings. They claim that this company does not hold
any interest in the Gestion Cirque du Soleil limited partnership. Note
that "TPG VII CDS Holdings" (owner of CDS Luxembourg) is the official
sponsor of Cirque du Soleil.
{ SOURCE: The Journal of Montreal }
----------------------------------------------------------
Felix & Paul to Release Alegría A Spark
Of Light This Week
{Apr.29.2020}
----------------------------------------------------------
Felix & Paul Studios has a long illustrious history creating live-
action immersive content, especially when it comes to working with
Cirque du Soleil. The studio has now revealed its latest collaboration
Alegría A Spark of Light due for release in a couple of days.
The sixth virtual reality (VR) production Felix & Paul Studios and
Cirque du Soleil have made together Alegría A Spark of Light
promises to be the studios' most ambitious to date.
Offering a 14-minute experience of Cirque du Soleil's iconic
production, it was created with an elaborate set of over 100 cameras
and mirrors; Felix & Paul Studios using its latest camera system and
post-production platform. As well as several camera designs custom-
built for this experience, its latest camera the Gen4 was employed for
the first time on a Cirque du Soleil production.
This is also the first time the pair have used CGI effects in a
project, creating objects like the floating crystal seen below to
increase the visual spectacle.
"From the mind-bending amount of VR cameras that were used on set to
create realistic reflections of the performers and acrobats, to the
elaborate post-production process our team devised and forged through
to produce the various tableaux of this piece, this project raises the
bar for what can be accomplished through an immersive cinematic
experience," said Paul Raphaël and Félix Lajeunesse, co-founders and
creative directors of Felix & Paul Studios in a statement.
Alegría A Spark of Light will be made available on Thursday 30th
April on the U+VR platform in South Korea, while fans around the rest
of the world can use Oculus Go or Samsung Gear VR.
{ SOURCE: VR Focus }
----------------------------------------------------------
Felix & Paul Release "Alegría A Spark of Light"
{May.01.2020}
----------------------------------------------------------
Felix & Paul Studios announced today the release of a brand new
virtual reality experience created and produced through their EMMY
award-winning collaboration with Cirque du Soleil. Utilizing Felix &
Paul Studios' proprietary 3D 360° camera platform, this new experience
entitled Alegría A Spark of Light takes the viewer inside the iconic
Cirque du Soleil show. Powered by LG Uplus, the new production is
available today on the U+VR platform in South Korea, and on Oculus Go
and Oculus Gear for fans around the world.
Using the power of VR to immerse audiences in the world of the show,
the 14-minute virtual reality experience is a re-imagining of Cirque
du Soleil's most iconic production, providing a truly fresh vantage
point and unique way to internalize the wonder of Alegría. A timeless
tale of resilience and hope, Alegría A Spark of Light whisks
spectators away to a disintegrating kingdom on the brink of chaos,
shaken to the core by an invigorating movement borne from the street.
The production was created with an elaborate set of cameras and
mirrors, with over 100 cameras employed on set to create stunning
visual illusions. The piece was directed by François Blouin, Paul
Raphaël and Félix Lajeunesse, with immersive sound design and mix by
HeadSpace Studios.
"From the mind-bending amount of VR cameras that were used on set to
create realistic reflections of the performers and acrobats, to the
elaborate post-production process our team devised and forged through
to produce the various tableaux of this piece, this project raises the
bar for what can be accomplished through an immersive cinematic
experience." remarks Paul Raphaël and Félix Lajeunesse, co-founders
and creative directors of Felix & Paul Studios.
Alegría A Spark of Light is the sixth virtual reality production by
Felix & Paul Studios with Cirque du Soleil. The two Montreal-based
companies began their VR collaboration with Zarkana and then produced
the critically acclaimed Inside the Box of Kurios, which won a 2016
Emmy Award in the Outstanding Interactive Media Original Daytime
Program or Series category. In October 2016, KÀ The Battle Within was
introduced at the Oculus Connect 3 conference in San Jose, California
and was featured at the Toronto International Film Festival as part of
the Official Selection of the festival's Cutting Edge POP VR line-up.
In January 2017, Cirque du Soleil and Felix & Paul Studios unveiled
DREAMS OF O' to critical acclaim at CES in Las Vegas, and the
groundbreaking VR experience has since won an Outstanding Technical
Achievement Award at SXSW 2017 and earned a Webby Award nomination.
This was followed by the release of the experience Through the Masks
of LUZIA and the Cirque du Soleil VR App.
{ SOURCE: Globe Newswire }
----------------------------------------------------------
Quebecor Eyeing Cirque du Soleil
{May.02.2020}
----------------------------------------------------------
{Translated from the original French via Google Translate}
On Friday, a lawyer representing Cirque du Soleil sent a formal notice
to Quebecor, asking it to withdraw or correct information published
this week on its media platforms. This document, which La Presse
obtained, criticizes the Journal de Montréal in particular for having
published on Wednesday a text indicating that Cirque is controlled
from a tax haven which Cirque denies.
However, according to Cirque, this text is part of a campaign by
Quebecor aimed at harming the company and its shareholders in the hope
of obtaining an "unfair advantage", considering that Quebecor has
twice demonstrated last month his interest in Cirque du Soleil, which
he would like to "acquire". By "undue advantage", Cirque means
Quebecor seeks to thwart the company's recovery plans to acquire it at
a better price, according to two sources. These sources, well aware of
Cirque's approach, do not wish to be identified because they are not
authorized to speak publicly.
Quebecor did not answer questions from La Presse regarding its
interest in the Circus and did not intend to comment on the formal
notice.
Cirque is going through difficult times: almost all activities have
stalled due to the pandemic and the debt is weighing on the finances
of the company, which must examine its strategic options. The
entertainment group is asking for help from governments. The option of
sheltering from creditors is still on the table.
In his April 29 text, Journal de Montréal columnist Michel Girard
questions the relevance of governments helping the Cirque because the
main shareholder, the American fund TPG, controls the company through
CDS Luxembourg Holdings, a company registered in Luxembourg, a tax
haven.
Cirque claims that this text contains "false and misleading"
information. Cirque accuses Quebecor of having a hand in that
article's publishing, while also denying the information reported
within.
The columnist also reiterated his comments on LCN on Le Québec matin,
then on Politiquement incorrect, hosted by Richard Martineau on QUB
Radio.
According to the formal notice, the chronicler's "declared objective"
was to "hinder [Cirque's] efforts in its efforts to obtain financial
assistance or financing on market terms from the governments of Canada
and Quebec in the context of the current crisis."
"Besides, there is reason to question Quebecor's intentions, as its
subsidiaries published no less than five articles on Cirque du Soleil
in less than a week, which clearly aim to disparage Cirque du Soleil
and its sponsors."
the publication by the Quebecor subsidiaries of no less than five
chronicles or articles on Cirque du Soleil in less than a week, which
clearly aim to disparage Cirque du Soleil and its sponsors."
QUEBECOR "KEEN INTEREST"
Still according to Cirque, the texts are part of a context where
Quebecor expressed its "keen interest in acquiring Cirque du Soleil",
in particular in two letters sent to Cirque financial advisers on
April 5 and 10.
Cirque says it has "serious reasons" to believe that Quebecor,
"through its media platforms, is currently seeking to undermine the
process of maximizing Cirque's value for the benefit of its
stakeholders, including its creditors, lenders and employees, and to
exclude interested parties from participating in "the long-term
solution" [described by Quebecor], all in order to gain an unfair
advantage from it."
Such illegal and abusive maneuvers are marked by obvious bad faith.
Guy P. Martel, lawyer for Cirque du Soleil
Friday afternoon, Quebecor director of public affairs, Marie-Josée
Duhamel, told La Presse that the company had still not received a
formal notice. "We will not make any comments if such a formal notice
was addressed to us," she said. Mme. Duhamel has not responded to
questions about Quebecor's interest in Cirque du Soleil. La Presse
asked Quebecor again at the end of the day, without receiving any
further response.
Cirque confirmed to La Presse that the formal notice had been sent.
In an interview with La Presse , the Cirque spokeswoman denied that
the company was controlled from a tax haven. "The Cirque du Soleil
Group does not do tax avoidance and does not use any tax structure to
avoid some taxes whatsoever in Canada and in other jurisdictions where
Cirque presents shows," said Caroline Couillard.
It also maintains that Cirque is not controlled by CDS Luxembourg
Holdings, that this entity is a management company which has made
financial losses in the past years and that it has been in the process
of liquidation for "several" months.
SHAREHOLDERS INJECT 50 MILLION MORE
The three main shareholders of Cirque du Soleil are ready to inject an
additional 50 million into the organization. Official confirmation of
this investment is expected to come in the next week, La Presse
learned. According to our information, this capital injection aims to
allow Cirque to continue on its path until a decision is made about
its future.
The financing must be made in proportion to the shares held by each of
the three largest shareholders, which are the American fund TPG
Capital (55%), the Chinese group Fosun (25%) and the Caisse de depot
et placement du Quebec (20%). TPG therefore releases 27.5 million,
Fosun commits 12.5 million, while the Caisse adds 10 million. (Caisse
de depot doubled its stake in Cirque in February by buying the
remaining 10% stake from founder Guy Laliberté.)
Cirque has about $1 billion in debt and no longer receives any income
since its activities were paralyzed by the COVID-19 crisis. The 44
shows in representation in the world were stopped. Cirque management
laid off 95% of its workforce on March 19, or 4,679 employees.
Placing the organization safe from its creditors is still one of the
options contemplated by management, a source familiar with the matter
confirmed to La Presse. This source cannot be identified because it is
not authorized to speak publicly.
In a report dated March 18, the credit rating agency Moody's mentions
a risk of default described as "high" by the end of the year. The
concentration of the company's activities in Las Vegas, where it
generates around 35% of its revenues, is one of the main risks facing
the Circus, it said.
For the 12-month period ended last September, Cirque generated
revenues of US $950 million, according to Moody's. For the next year,
the company will need at least US $165 million, estimates the New York
agency, while the Circus had access to US $120 million (including a
credit facility) at the end of 2019.
OPTION UNDER STUDY
Three main options are being explored at Cirque, La Presse reported in
late March.
The preferred option is government assistance. Cirque management has
taken steps in this direction with Quebec and Ottawa. No specific aid
has yet been announced for the Circus.
The second avenue is an injection of additional capital by existing
shareholders, while the third avenue is the protection of creditors.
The situation is so critical that the Cirque management maintains that
it cannot even afford to take advantage of the wage subsidy program
set up by Ottawa. Management says that it cannot afford to pay its
employees even if the federal government will reimburse part of it.
People with contracts with Cirque have still not been paid for work
done even before the layoffs were announced in March. In some cases,
these are invoices for the winter months. In other cases, the invoices
date from the fall months.
The Cirque had been sold in 2015 for around US $ 1.75 billion to a
group led by TPG. La Presse revealed last summer that Cirque was
considering going public. Last fall, CEO Daniel Lamarre confirmed that
this project was on the ice "for the moment", arguing that the stock
market was not favorable.
{ SOURCE: Richard Dufour, La Presse }
----------------------------------------------------------
Statement by Quebecor on Cirque du Soleil "Rescue"
{May.04.2020}
----------------------------------------------------------
The management of the Cirque du Soleil (the Cirque) has regrettably
decided to make public the proposals it has received from Quebecor,
which had been sent in confidence to the various stakeholders,
including numerous ranks of creditors and shareholders. This move
comes at a time when the Cirque faces considerable uncertainty.
Indeed, the company itself has raised the possibility of initiating
proceedings to place itself under the protection of the Companies'
Creditors Arrangement Act (C-36). Under the circumstances, Quebecor
has no choice but to publicly clarify its desire and determination to
help save the Cirque, a creative powerhouse which is an economic
engine for Montréal and all of Québec, and an ambassador for Québec
talent on the international stage.
Like all Quebecers, we were surprised to learn of the extent of the
Cirque's difficulties. Though it was known before the current health
crisis that the Cirque had problems, there was no reason to suspect
they were so serious that the Cirque would be unable to pay its
employees and artists, who are the sinews of the company and are now
being left stranded. The fact that a business of this size did not
have enough cash on hand to cover the essentials is cause for concern,
especially in view of the opinion issued by Moody's, which downgraded
the Cirque recently: The company's financial policy that favors
shareholders has increased credit risk, which together with the recent
deterioration in performance has resulted in a weaker financial
profile.
It was against this backdrop that Quebecor decided it wanted to help
save the Cirque and would, as a first step, consider extending short-
term financing of several tens of millions of dollars to cover payroll
for thousands of employees and meet various obligations, such as the
outstanding bills of suppliers who have not been paid for months.
In phase two, Quebecor would be prepared to inject several hundred
million dollars to enable the Cirque to resume its activities and
ensure its sustainability. To do so, however, we need access to a
detailed analysis of Cirque's financial position, which we have been
unable to obtain to date because our attempts have been rebuffed by
Cirque management.
We fail to understand the lack of urgency on the part of Cirque
management. With every passing day, the company's future is being
dangerously compromised and its creative forces, which involve
thousands of jobs, are suffering significant harm. The time to act is
now, before legal proceedings are initiated under the Companies'
Creditors Arrangement Act (C-36). Such proceedings would result in a
loss of control and could lead to an outcome that political
authorities will regret. If the Cirque goes to the highest bidder, and
no other considerations are taken into account, the presence of its
head office in Montréal and the associated economic activity could
disappear in the medium term, following many other Québec companies
that have suffered the same fate.
Quebecor wants to secure the future of the Cirque's activities in
Montréal and in Québec, and we have all the assets and expertise
required to do so. Quebecor is well capitalized and has the
substantial financial resources required for the revival of the
Cirque. Quebecor management will deploy all necessary means to close
this sad episode, which is affecting the thousands of artists and
cultural workers who are responsible for the Cirque's success, and
ultimately to restore the self-assurance, dynamism and enthusiasm that
are part of the Cirque's DNA.
The time to act is now, before it is too late.
{ SOURCE: Quebecor Press Release }
----------------------------------------------------------
Cirque Gets US$50 Million in Emergency Funds
{May.05.2020}
----------------------------------------------------------
The Cirque du Soleil has received an emergency injection of US$50
million from its three main shareholders to try to keep it afloat,
chairman Mitch Garber said.
The shareholders are American private equity investment firm TPG
Capital, Chinese investment company Fosun and the Caisse de dépôt et
placement du Québec.
Garber said each put in cash equal to their ownership percentages.
That would mean TPG ponied up $27.5 million (55 per cent), Fosun $12.5
million (25 per cent) and the Caisse $10 million (20 per cent).
In late March, the Cirque du Soleil shuttered nearly all of its
operations and laid off 95 per cent of its staff, which adds up to
4,679 employees around the world. All of the Cirque's shows around the
globe have been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Around the same time, Moody's Investors Service cut the Cirque's
credit rating into junk territory, saying there was a "high risk" the
Montreal-based company would default on its debt. The Cirque has debt
in the range of US$900 million, a figure confirmed by Garber.
In an interview Tuesday, Garber said the company is exploring all
options, including possibly seeking bankruptcy protection.
"The next phase is likely that the Cirque is going to be seeking
additional capital," Garber said. "It could come in an offer to
purchase the Cirque. It could come in the form of an offer to finance
the Cirque, and I can confirm to you that the existing shareholders
will be among those that want to continue to fund and own the Cirque
du Soleil. I would say that everything is on the table (in terms of
options), given the uncertainty and the length of time of the
uncertainty."
On Monday, Québecor announced in a statement that it was interested in
trying to "help save the Cirque" and that it would "as a first step,
consider extending short-term financing of several tens of millions of
dollars to cover payroll for thousands of employees and meet various
obligations, such as the outstanding bills of suppliers who have not
been paid for months. In phase two, Québecor would be prepared to
inject several hundred million dollars to enable the Cirque to resume
its activities and ensure its sustainability."
But Québecor added that to do so, it would need to examine the
Cirque's financial files and that attempts to see the books "have been
rebuffed by Cirque management."
Garber said the Cirque wouldn't allow Québecor executives to see the
numbers because Québecor refused to sign a non-disclosure agreement.
Garber has been very public in his criticism of Québecor CEO Pierre
Karl Péladeau in the past, but sounded a conciliatory note Tuesday.
"I think my personal feelings about Pierre Karl Péladeau are well
known, and I shouldn't let them enter into a process where I owe a
fiduciary duty of governance to a board of directors that has
shareholders and creditors," Garber said.
"So, to the extent that Québecor will be a fair player in any process
that might come in the not-too-distant future, then I'm going to do my
job and govern over that process and look at whatever anyone is going
to offer, including Québecor. Of course, I won't appreciate the
process being fought in the newspapers, but we'll cross that bridge
when we come to it."
On Friday, the Cirque sent Québecor a letter warning of legal action
if the company didn't retract comments made in a column in the
Québecor-owned Journal de Montréal. The comments alleged the TPG
subsidiary that owns shares in the Cirque has its legal headquarters
in Luxembourg, considered to be a tax haven. The Cirque's letter
alleged that Québecor was publishing this information to try to drive
down the sale price of the Cirque.
Garber didn't deny the subsidiary is based in Luxembourg, but said the
Cirque pays all applicable taxes in the countries it operates in,
including Canada and the U.S.
The Cirque has also been slammed by critics and many laid-off
employees and artists who say the company should have had enough cash
on hand to help unemployed staffers. Garber said that when the new
investors bought the Cirque from founder Guy Laliberté in 2015 for a
reported US$1.5 billion, the owners decided to go into expansion mode.
According to Garber, the Cirque has spent around US$550 million since
2015 on new show creation, buying companies like the Blue Man Group,
and on refreshing existing shows, like the ones in Las Vegas.
"So there was huge investment in the Cirque, and a lot of it was going
to come to fruition at the end of (the) 2020-2021 fiscal year," Garber
said. "Then COVID came and country by country, day after day, we were
closing down show after show.
Before long, 100 per cent of the
Cirque's business was shut down. So we go from selling 15 million
tickets and over $1 billion of revenue for the Cirque to zero.
"Our salary costs for the Cirque du Soleil annually are $400 million
Canadian. So of course we can't afford to pay the employees, sadly,
when the business is completely shut down."
{ SOURCE: Brendan Kelly, The Montreal Gazette }
----------------------------------------------------------
Reinventing Cirque du Soleil
{May.06.2020}
----------------------------------------------------------
{Translated from the original French via Google Translate}
The buyer, with his deep pockets, will take "the business to new
heights", we promise. Which is unfortunately not often the case!
In 2015, when Guy Laliberté sold 90% of the shares of his company for
a sum estimated at 1.5 billion, the founder of Cirque du Soleil knew
that, since 2005, efforts to stretch the sauce had not produced
results. convincing.
GOLDEN AGE
The 20 years that followed the shows of the Échassiers de Baie-Saint-
Paul in 1984 were the golden age of the Circus. A team of creators has
reinvented the magic of the circus by moving away from European
(Zavatta, Pinder, Bouglione) and American (Barnum & Bailey) formulas.
Twenty shows and no notable failures. The Cirque's trademark was to
give meaning to the work of acrobats, jugglers and equilibrists who
performed in a unique theatrical setting. We bet that the public could
do without tigers and elephants tired of spinning balloons on their
noses ...
Opera magic and Cirque du Soleil became a major global brand in the
entertainment field. Like Céline Dion, the Circus was present at
planetary events.
CLEVER MANAGERS FOLLOWED THE CREATORS TO COLLECT INCOME FROM
DERIVATIVE PRODUCTS AND THE COMPANY'S ACTIVITIES
Everything Guy Laliberté received became profitable. In 2000, the
businessman went to the Caisse de depot to borrow for the redemption
of his partner Daniel Gauthier; he flatly refused to file his personal
bankruptcy. It was that or no transaction
As Bombardier has noted, it is a tour de force to climb the coveted
list of world giants, but the challenge is to stay there as long as
possible.
Creators from here and elsewhere were bubbling with ideas. Cirque
showed that Quebecers could succeed in one of the most sophisticated
and competitive markets in the world: Las Vegas. Until the recent
cessation of activities, half of the major shows in the city of games
carried the icon of the Montreal group.
In search of new ideas, Cirque du Soleil managers looked for sources
of inspiration in all directions. We wanted to use the great
characters of the American and international scene (Elvis, Michael
Jackson, the Beatles). The Cirque landed in New York to get closer to
Broadway.
To exploit its magical image, we signed agreements with major cities,
but also with Quebec and Trois-Rivières. For American families, the
formula of the ice show was resumed without much success. The
management teamed up with the creation of a thematic village in Nuevo
Vallarta. The China tour did not meet expected expectations. For baby
boomers children, was offered a show hot with motorbikes, but RUN not
walk either. Then, still in a 101 management approach, we launched
into partnerships (media, theater) and the new Cirque du Soleil bosses
went to look for ideas elsewhere by acquiring businesses at high
prices. But the public still did not find the magic of Alegría.
THE STRATEGY PURSUED SINCE 2015 DOES NOT WORK
With a debt of more than 1 billion, the company must carry a huge cost
structure and must generate income by repeating memorable shows for
decades. The company issued bonds to private investors who were not at
all reassured by Moody's comments on the "continuing difficulties" in
its operation.
MANAGING THE DECLINE?
Unless you simply manage the decline of Cirque du Soleil's still
profitable brand, the future must rest on a new business model. A new
conductor must instill, after 35 years of existence, a new vision for
Cirque du Soleil, which, after confinement, the explosion of digital
communication technologies and a certain prudence regarding the
Chinese market, will have to reinvent itself .
This success will have created a cluster of the performing industry in
Quebec. It is essential to maintain these lungs and this heart of the
entertainment world. The Caisse can play a certain role, but Cirque du
Soleil can only be controlled by financial investors.
It is essential to count on the presence of a strategic operator who
knows both the complexity of a global industry and theQuebec creative
community. Recall that the entertainment industry is now controlled by
firms elsewhere after the purchase of Just for Laughs by ICM Partners
and control of Evenko by Live Nation.
Before signing a check, the Minister of Economy and Innovation, Pierre
Fitzgibbon, and the President of the Caisse de depot et placement,
Charles Émond, will need to ensure that a new business model is in
place and includes a strong local presence, but also one or more
interested partners, for example MGM and its Vegas casinos.
Saint-Michel's business needs less money and management than creative
ideas and remarkable talents that will make the crowd grow in the big
tent.
By proposing to us, every two years, a new princess with the flavor of
the month, Disney has shown that a cultural enterprise can withstand
the wear and tear of repeated wonder. But it is not easy to amuse,
dazzle and surprise an audience that has become more demanding due to
the prowess of digital fiction. Keeping children's eyes wide open is
not easy. This is why clowns are often sad.
{ SOURCE: LaPresse }
----------------------------------------------------------
Las Vegas favorite Cirque du Soleil in financial battle
{May.12.2020}
----------------------------------------------------------
Cirque CEO Daniel Lamarre mapped the company's ongoing revenue
challenges during a phone chat last week. Most recently, the company
has been thrown a lifeline from ownership partners TPG Capital,
Chinese investment company Fosun and the Canadian government pension
fund Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CPCQ). All are
multibillion-dollar entities.
Classified as "emergency funds," $50 million split among those three
interests was a message to the international entertainment community
that the company plans to be back, beginning with its six shows in Las
Vegas.
"The good news, though, for the Vegas situation, compared to our
touring situation, is about 100 percent of our artists, the cast and
crew of each show, lives in Las Vegas," Lamarre says. "At least in Las
Vegas we don't have to deal with trying to regroup our touring people
from a different side of the world."
Lamarre says Cirque shows would be able to return to performance after
three or four weeks of rehearsals, provided its theaters practice all
COVID-19 safety measures implemented by their host hotels.
Cirque is following the reopening plans at Treasure Island (home of
"Mystere") and MGM Resorts International, its primary partner in Las
Vegas. MGM Resorts has announced plans to start reopening on the Strip
in early June. Acting CEO and President Bill Hornbuckle said in the
company's most recent earnings call that Bellagio (home of "O"), New
York-New York (home of "Zumanity") and a third unspecified property
would be first to begin returning to business.
MGM's theaters, such as those staging Cirque shows, would open later
as properties gradually restart room reservations, then segments of
the casino floor and smaller food and beverage areas.
Treasure Island has moved its phased-in reopening to Memorial Day
weekend.
When asked if the general timeline across the Strip meant it Cirque
could conceivably be back on stage in August or in the fall, Lamarre
said, "That is reasonable, yes."
Meantime, the company's 4,700 cast and crew around the world,
including 1,300 in Las Vegas, remain out of work. The company's
current financial strategy is to build an environment where the
company can put its shows back on stage.
"The fact that our actual shareholders put back $50 million in the
company to go through the refinancing process
that was to send a
clear signal to the market and to our partners and employees that they
want to remain owner of the company," said Lamarre, who joined Cirque
in 2001.
Lamarre qualified that the money has actually bought time.
"Right now we're going to go through the process to see all the
options that we have ahead of us, to bring sustainable financing,"
Lamarre said, "because $50 million is quite a bit of money, but it's
far from enough to make our organization sustainable."
The new revenue infusion was announced last week, just after the
Canadian telecommunications conglomerate Québecor Inc. went public
with its plans to "help save the Cirque." The company said its plan
included tens of millions of dollars to cover the payrolls for
thousands of sidelined employees, along with paying vendors past-due
money.
Then, in a second phase, Québecor said it was ready to invest several
hundred million to allow Cirque to resume its operations. This has not
been a smooth negotiation, complicated by Québecor's public statements
that is actively planning to rescue the company, while claiming Cirque
has blocked a formal review of its finances.
Lamarre and Cirque du Soleil Chairman Mitch Garber both counter that
Québecor is not permitted to look at the books because it has declined
to sign a confidentiality agreement during the talks. But Québecor is
not alone among potential Cirque suitors. Lamarre says there are
companies interested in buying Cirque that have signed confidentiality
agreements.
"There are other parties that are interested, big companies as well,"
he says. "So, right now we're going to go through the process to see
all the options that we have ahead of us.
But unfortunately, the
reason you're only hearing about Québecor is because they haven't
signed yet the confidentiality agreement."
Lamarre adds, "They didn't sign it because I think they wanted to get
some publicity before they do and that is their strategy, but all the
others bidders that are interested that signed the NDA so therefore I
cannot unveil their identity."
While reviewing possible investors, Cirque since late March has been
investigating Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to renegotiate its $900
million debt load.
"Yes, it is possible we will go with that option," Lamarre says. "I
cannot tell you what percentage odds are, to use the Las Vegas
terminology, but it's a scenario. It's one of a few scenarios that we
are exploring."
The company's financial standing has also taken a hit from Moody's
Investors Service, which cut Cirque's credit rating into "junk"
designation, claiming a "high risk" the company would have to default
on its debt.
Lamarre says that rating can and will be improved.
"One day I will come to them with refinancing in place that is robust
and solid," he says. "Obviously they will review and hopefully upgrade
the rating of the company."
Lamarre says restarting the company and putting its nearly 5,000
employees back to work "gives me a lot of energy." He still believes
in Cirque's du Soleil's commercial appeal and artistic equity.
"The reasons why I'm not anxious or nervous is that because the brand
is so, so strong," Lamarre says. "We have a lot of interest from a lot
of people that want to make sure that Cirque will come back with a
financial situation that is going to ensure not only next month, but
ensure many years to come."
{ SOURCE: John Katsilometes, Las Vegas Review-Journal }
----------------------------------------------------------
Opinion: Ensuring a bright future for Cirque du Soleil
{May.12.2020}
----------------------------------------------------------
(By Guy Laliberte)
The paralysis of Cirque du Soleil's activities due to the pandemic has
been making waves, and for me, has triggered a flood of emotions. Even
though I'm no longer the company's owner, I will always be its
founder; I have devoted half of my life to Cirque, and its success
will always be close to my heart. As we head into a period that could
be crucial for Cirque's future, I have decided to share my thoughts,
driven by the desire to protect the Cirque family and to give back
after having received so much, in the hope that these reflections will
help ensure the best possible future for the company and its
stakeholders
The audience's love for Cirque is the company's raison-d'être, and few
true ambassadors of Quebec culture can pride themselves on shining as
Cirque has done throughout the world. Two months after operations
ground to a halt, as Cirque faces the biggest challenge of its
existence, we're about to see a wrestling match involving a number of
players. From my point of view, we're in for a battle royal:
o) At the front of the ring are the current shareholders (TPG, Fosun
and the Caisse de dépôt), led by my friend Mitch Garber, for whom I
have tremendous respect. My heart goes out to them.
o) In the left corner, the debt holders, who took the risk of
financing Cirque.
o) In the right corner, the different levels of government, sitting in
an interesting strategic position, watching the events unfold,
analyzing the situation, and wishing to keep the headquarters and
jobs in Quebec. They want what is best for Cirque
and rightly so!
o) A little further away, some of the major players in the
entertainment industry, both from here and abroad, are weighing the
opportunities. In Cirque, they see the possibility of expanding
their content portfolio and/or securing priority access to Cirque
performances once they can reopen their halls and theatres. But for
the most part, they're more or less in the same predicament as
Cirque. Will they make our Quebec icon their priority and give all
the love and energy needed to bring it back to life?
o) Standing right beside them are the sharks, who have no knowledge of
the entertainment industry and dream of buying Cirque for a song.
o) And at the very back of the ring are the others
Those who have no
skills or experience in managing cultural organizations of this
scale. Those are the ones who pose the greatest threat to Cirque's
future.
What is at stake in this fight? What do we want for Cirque? What does
the company's future look like? Does the pandemic provide an
opportunity for Cirque to rise from its ashes, like the phoenix?
Cirque is a living organism with a heart, a soul and a spirit that
lives, grows and recharges through its artists, its audience and its
employees. It's a tightly woven community built little by little,
through hard work, commitment and honest relationships. Cirque's
social involvement is an integral part of the pride that artists and
employees take in their work, and it's reflected in the way the public
rallies behind its creations. That's why the discussion should not
only take place on the financial level, but on the human level as
well. And the nature of the beast should not be underestimated. Cirque
has its own personality and ways of reacting. It feeds off the love
and support of the audience as well as the creative strength and pride
of its artists and employees. Of course, long-term financial viability
is necessary for its survival, as well as a good mix of experience and
know-how from the veterans, combined with the creative and managerial
forces of the future.
It's clear to me that Cirque's future will depend on patient investors
who will step into the ring and be in for the long haul. Creators will
have to be given leeway to reinvent themselves so they can put out
shows that touch people and capture the imagination. Investors who
want to jump into the ring driven only by the urge to set the wheels
in motion again too quickly will have to be avoided at all costs.
Patience will lead to victory that's my prediction. You can't win
the Stanley Cup 36 years in a row, but with patience, heart and hard
work, you can dream of holding it in your hands once again.
A few days before the registration deadline for the battle royal, I am
deciding whether or not I'm going to jump into that wrestling ring.
{ SOURCE: Montreal Gazette }
***************************************************************
Q&A -- Quick Chats & Press Interviews
***************************************************************
----------------------------------------------------------
Fayolle, the High-Flying Freestyler
{Apr.30.2020}
----------------------------------------------------------
For Gautier Fayolle, everything began online. A football fanatic, his
passion for all things freestyle was fired by the videos he used to
watch. "I taught myself, training for hours and hours on my own with a
ball outside my house," the Frenchman told FIFA.com.
"I wasn't much of a natural to begin with. I worked at it and was more
motivated than anything else," said the Paris Saint-Germain fan, who
drew inspiration in his younger years from master entertainer
Ronaldinho. "I really got a kick out of it and when I started out I
wasn't necessarily the best. But with a bit of patience and passion, I
was able to keep progressing."
It has proved to be a winning combination for Gautier, who is now one
of the world's top freestylers and the winner of seven straight world
titles in the Routine category. The YouTube channel of his Footstyle
collective has amassed nearly 800,000 subscribers and chalked up tens
of millions of views.
Last year saw him embark on a new chapter in his life by joining Le
Cirque du Soleil as one of the stars of its Messi 10 show, which tells
the story of the Argentinian star. "I've put my competitive career on
hold to fulfil this dream," he explained. "It was a bit out of the
blue too: a show on Lionel Messi! He was there at the opening night
and I had the pleasure of being on the red carpet with him. He was
very emotional and moved to get a standing ovation at the end of the
show too."
FREESTYLE IN LOCKDOWN
"There were a lot of technical demands involved when in my playing
career, so it was a big release for me to be able to work on my skills
at the very highest level, doing live shows and circus work. I hope it
goes on for as long as possible."
Sadly for Gautier and Cirque du Soleil, the tour, which should have
reached its conclusion in Buenos Aires during the Copa America, has
been put on hold because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Having played to
3,000 people a night, he now finds himself in lockdown at home, a
situation that is perhaps less frustrating for a freestyler like him
than it is for football players.
"Yes, there's no doubt that freestyle is a very practical sport right
now," he said with a smile. "A lot of people have been doing
challenges, doing around the worlds' with toilet rolls and the like.
All you need to do freestyle is a ball and bit of flat ground. I'm
training on the terrace at the moment. It's only two metres by two but
it's big enough for me to practice."
So in these days of lockdown, what would his advice be to anyone
looking to take up freestyle? "There are lots of really good online
tutorials but my best piece of advice would be to have confidence in
yourself and to stick at it. I know it's very easy to give it a try
and then to say that it's difficult and that you need to have a gift
for it, but a lot of it is about working at it. Everyone can learn a
trick or two with a bit of training."
Gautier's career, which has taken him the world over and has seen him
meet some of the biggest stars in world football, is glittering proof
of that.
THE LOWDOWN ON GAUTIER FAYOLLE
Q. You've met a few famous players. Which ones have stood out for you?
"I've met the Barcelona players twice at events and meeting Zinedine
Zidane was another highlight for me. I was eight when France won the
World Cup in 1998 and he was a childhood hero of mine. I also met
Kylian Mbappe at the unveiling of his waxwork statue at the Musee
Grevin in Paris. It was the day the France squad for the 2018 World
Cup was announced."
Q. Which players make the best freestylers?
"You might not have guessed it but two Bayern Munich players in
particular have impressed me: Franck Ribery and Robert Lewandowski.
Then there's Neymar, of course. He's really interested in freestyle
and he's got a feel for the whole culture. If you ask me, he's a bit
like Ronaldinho's spiritual heir when it comes to entertaining on the
pitch."
Q. What do you feel when you play football?
"When you're a freestyler and you pull on your shoes, you have a lot
of fun doing things a footballer can't do. People get blown away when
they see something like this, though I don't really like to show off.
That's not my style. I prefer to pass the ball and play as a team
(laughs). Obviously, my skills help when it comes to controlling the
ball, passing and moving around. The fact you can use any part of your
body to control the ball creates some pretty unusual situations."
{ SOURCE: Fifa.com }
=======================================================================
ITINÉRAIRE -- TOUR/SHOW INFORMATION
=======================================================================
o) BIGTOP - Under the Grand Chapiteau
{Alegria, Bazzar, Koozå, Kurios, Luzia, Totem, Under the
Same Sky, and Volta}
o) ARENA - In Stadium-like venues
{OVO, Crystal, Corteo, AXEL, Messi10}
o) RESIDENT - Performed en Le Théâtre
{Mystère, "O", Zumanity, KÀ, LOVE, MJ ONE, JOYA, Paramour
X: The Land of Fantasy, Drawn to Life, and NYSA }
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.
For current, up-to-the-moment information on Cirque's whereabouts,
please visit Cirque's website: < http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/ >,
or for a more comprehensive tour listing, visit our Itinéraire
section online at: < http://www.cirquefascination.com/?page_id=6898 >.
------------------------------------
BIGTOP - Under the Grand Chapiteau
------------------------------------
Alegría-In a New Light:
Portland, OR -- Jun 4, 2021 to Jul 18, 2021
Denver, CO -- Aug 6, 2021 to Sep 12, 2021
Bazzar:
Not Currently Scheduled
Koozå:
Zurich, CH -- Sep 4, 2020 to Sep 27, 2020
Brussels, BE -- Oct 22 2020 to Nov 27, 2020
Washington, DC -- Jul 21, 2021 to Sep 19, 2021
Kurios:
Not Currently Scheduled
Luzia:
Valencia, ES -- Sep 11, 2020 to Sep 27, 2020
Madrid, ES -- Oct 22, 2020 to Nov 22, 2020
Barcelona, ES -- Jan 21, 2021 to Feb 21, 2021
Totem:
Prague, CZ -- Jul 17, 2020 to Aug 2, 2020
Rome, IT -- Mar 17 2021 to Apr 25, 2021
Milan, IT -- May 5, 2021 to Jun 20, 2021
Under the Same Sky:
Montreal, QC -- Apr 22, 2021 to Aug 15, 2021
VOLTA:
Not Currently Scheduled
------------------------------------
ARENA - In Stadium-Like Venues
------------------------------------
OVO:
Beijing, CN -- TBA
Shanghai, CN -- TBA
Shenzhen, CN -- TBA
Guangzhou, CN -- TBA
CRYSTAL - A BREAKTHROUGH ICE EXPERIENCE:
Paris, FR -- Sep 1, 2020 to Sep 6, 2020
Lausanne, CH -- Sep 9, 2020 to Sep 13, 2020
Hanover, DE -- Sep 16, 2020 to Sep 20, 2020
Leipzig, DE -- Sep 23, 2020 to Sep 27, 2020
Florence, IT -- Oct 1, 2020 to Oct 4, 2020
Stuttgart, DE -- Oct 7, 2020 to Oct 11, 2020
Nuremberg, DE -- Oct 14, 2020 to Oct 18, 2020
Munich, DE -- Oct 22, 2020 to Oct 25, 2020
Frankfurt, DE -- Nov 13, 2020 to Nov 21, 2020
Cologne, DE -- Nov 25, 2020 to Nov 29, 2020
Oberhausen, DE -- Dec 2, 2020 to Dec 6, 2020
Bologna, IT -- Dec 17, 2020 to Dec 20, 2020
Seville, ES -- Dec 25, 2020 to Jan 3, 2021
CORTEO:
Palma de Mallorca, ES -- Aug 7, 2020 to Aug 16, 2020
Nice, FR -- Aug 20, 2020 to Aug 23, 2020
Dublin, IE -- Jul 21, 2020 to Jul 26, 2020
Trondheim, NO -- Sep 18, 2020 to Sep 20, 2020
Oslo, NO -- Sep 25, 2020 to Sep 27, 2020
Helsinki, FI -- Oct 1, 2020 to Oct 4, 2020
Turku, FI -- Nov 18, 2020 to Nov 22, 2020
Vilnius, LT -- Nov 26, 2020 to Nov 29, 2020
Toulouse, FR -- Dec 17, 2020 to Dec 20, 2020
Pamplona, ES -- Dec 25, 2020 to Dec 30, 2020
Vienna, AS -- Jan 2, 2021 to Jan 9, 2021
London, UK -- Jun 30, 2021 to Jul 11, 2021
AXEL:
Not Currently Scheduled
Messi10:
Buenos Aires -- Being Rescheduled
---------------------------------
RESIDENT - en Le Théâtre
---------------------------------
All Resident Shows Currently Closed
=======================================================================
OUTREACH - UPDATES FROM CIRQUE's SOCIAL WIDGETS
=======================================================================
o) CIRQUECONNECT SPECIALS
Enjoy a front-row seat to awe-inspiring moments of the larger-
than-life shows, with never-before seen angles that can only be
experienced on your screen.
- SPECIAL #1: KURIOS, "O", and LUZIA {Mar.27}
https://youtu.be/nQ5eUJNXrMw
- SPECIAL #2: AMALUNA, BAZZAR, and VOLTA {Apr.03}
https://youtu.be/allVFq3P-48
- SPECIAL #3: ALEGRIA: INAL, KOOZA, and KÀ {Apr.10}
https://youtu.be/VL0TG_nCqzE
- SPECIAL #4: ZED IN JAPAN {Apr.17}
https://youtu.be/3zuBpFgxDCI
- SPECIAL #5: SINGALONG {Apr.24}
https://youtu.be/1RDoJp1Sea8
- SPECIAL #6: ONE NIGHT FOR ONE DROP (2015/2017) {May.01}
https://youtu.be/BlTCkMMJM6o
- SPECIAL #7: BEHIND THE CURTAIN OF LUZIA {May.08}
https://youtu.be/NWjVaAvXWEo
o) OTHER SPECIALS & VIDEOS
- BEHIND THE CURTAIN OF LUZIA {May.08}
https://youtu.be/NWjVaAvXWEo
- LUZIA CAST AND CREW REIMAGINED THE SHOW TRAILER
https://www.facebook.com/LUZIAbyCirqueduSoleil/videos/790236041382103/
- FULL VERSION OF PERFORMANCE FOR STRONGER TOGETHER
https://www.facebook.com/CirqueduSoleil/videos/165867561386293/
=======================================================================
FASCINATION! FEATURES
=======================================================================
o) "A Peek into the Eccentric Worlds of Axel"
By: Richard Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA)
o) "Australian Acrobat to Sue Cirque du Soleil"
By: Alice Matthews as Published in SBS's The Feed
------------------------------------------------------------
"A Peek into the Eccentric Worlds of Axel"
By: Richard Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA)
------------------------------------------------------------
On May 22, 2019, Cirque du Soleil was proud to announce its return on
ice with a new creation that would spin us into a vibrant world. This
unique experience would showcase world-class acrobatic skating
performances set in fantastical universes combining full-spectrum
visual effects and awesome live music that seamlessly integrated
popular songs with new original scores. Cirque du Soleil AXEL.
"The success of our first creation on ice (Crystal) has reinforced our
ambition to further explore the extensive creative possibilities of a
frozen playground," said Daniel Fortin, Vice President Creation. "With
Cirque du Soleil AXEL, we offer a truly electrifying experience to all
audiences, pushing the boundaries of creativity with the unique
approach that has forged the reputation of Cirque du Soleil."
AXEL would go on to previews on October 4, 2019 and hold its Gala
Premiere on December 19, 2019 in Montreal, and yet much of the show
has remained a mystery... until now. Thanks to a timely release of the
show's Press Kit, we can explore a bit about the show whilst we wait
for it to return to performances...
WHAT IS AXEL?
Axel is inspired by his first love, the mysterious Lei. She turns his
world upside down, creating an unreal space for him where she will be
his heroine. As the leader of a band of rebellious youngsters, The
Syndicates, Lei is the keeper of a precious talisman. Giving strength
and courage to whoever possesses its light, the Shining Star is
coveted by Vï, a super-villain supported by his gang, The Corporation.
Vï is focused on just one goal: stealing the legendary talisman's
light!
In this epic fantasy, Axel will realize that love is the source of the
light that will give him the courage and strength he needs to overcome
any obstacle and make his wildest dreams come true. AXEL is a truly
inspiring experience for the whole family, reminding each of us how
important it is to believe in our dreams. As well as stunning figure
skating and circus arts on ice, AXEL is a show set to an upbeat
musical score packed with original pop compositions and a handful of
unique takes on famous hits, all performed live by Axel and his band.
COSTUMES & CHARACTERS
---------------------
Collectively, the costumes for AXEL send a clear message: we are in a
colourful, modern world where different clans clash and mingle.
Whether worn by the good or the evil, AXEL's costumes are more than
simple clothes: they shape the characters and build strong
personalities for them, while clearly showing each one's affiliation.
Red dominates on the side of good (Lei and The Syndicates), while a
colour from the other end of the spectrum, green, is part of each
villain's costume (Vï and The Corporation). Wait, who?
o) AXEL - Axel is an introverted young artist with a passion for
drawing and music. He is the story's narrator, and the show
immerses us in his world and vision.
o) QUARTZ - Awkward, extraverted and over-confident, Quartz is a
superhero straight out of Axel's imagination.
o) LEI - The Keeper of a talisman called the Shining Star and leader
of The Syndicates, Lei is a young woman with mysterious powers.
Axel falls madly in love with her.
o) STEEL - Steel is a protective and very affectionate robotic dog
that Axel created to replace the real dog he lost as a child.
o) VI - Vi is an egomaniacal and malevolent character created by Axel.
He represents the dark side of the world. Like a black hole, he
feeds on our fears and energy. He is the leader of The Corporation.
He seeks to steal light to enhance his power.
o) THE SYNDICATES - The group of freestylers and Samurais who
accompany and protect Lei and the Shining Star
o) THE CORPORATION - Vi's army of stylish, narcissistic, power-hungry
henchmen.
o) KEEPERS OF THE LIGHT - The mystical keepers of the eternal light
are giants who live at the top of the world.
While the character of Axel grounded in the real world wears
jeans, a t-shirt, a leather jacket and a hat, other wardrobe choices,
like those associated with evil Vï, take us instead into a fantasy
world. The villain's pants, shirt, jacket and colourfully sequined
velvet cape recall a scaly snake his emblematic animal, often
reinterpreted on his different costumes, most notably as a print on
his black jacket. The rather glamorous eveningwear (in the GALA world)
seems to come from a futuristic runway show, complete with hats in the
form of bright fluorescent triangles.
The world of manga and the ethnic origins of the Lei character guided
the creative process. The result: there are many Asian references, in
several silhouettes and costumes. Consider, for example, Lei's floral-
print jacket, reminiscent of Japanese kimonos, while the costumes worn
by Lei's group evoke both Samurai armour and all-black ninja garb. The
colours used are similarly suggestive of Asian inspiration: red,
yellow and orange predominate.
Occasional subtle references to the world of music remind us of the
fact that Axel is also a musical epic inspired by big arena concerts.
For example, the lightning bolt on the Quartz's costume recalls David
Bowie's Ziggy Stardust character. The golden helmets worn by the
members of The Corporation can be seen as a nod to the masks worn by
the electronic music duo Daft Punk. There are also numerous references
to video games. For example, the flame print on the suits (MASTERS
CHALLENGE world) is rendered as a large-format pixilation.
Considerable effort went into carefully selecting materials that would
protect the artists from the cold and humidity of the arenas while
facilitating their performance. Acrobatic movements and circus arts
drove the final choices, and some of the costumes benefit from the
very latest innovations in textiles. For example, for the aerial
chains routine (MASTERS CHALLENGE world), the outfits were made with a
shock-resistant material that stiffens on impact. That feature allows
it to last longer before showing signs of wear.
The large dresses (GALA world) encapsulate the considerations that
come into play when making any costume for Cirque du Soleil: while the
dresses are grandiose on the ice, they go in an ordinary washing
machine and can be disassembled for easy packing for truck transport.
THE MUSIC
---------
The soundtrack to AXEL is almost a character in its own right, since
it plays such an integral part in this new show. With its symphonic,
pop, hip-hop and electronic music, AXEL's score does much more than
simply "set the mood": Philippe Brault's compositions and arrangements
provide substantial support for the story. The music's power resides
in the way it aptly accompanies the characters' adventures. AXEL's
music is multifaceted: it sweetly highlights emotions, amps up the
excitement of an aerial acrobatics routine, or punctuates an
astonishing plot twist.
In AXEL, music proves that it is possible to excite and captivate a
crowd, even in a cavernous arena. How? By taking inspiration from the
concerts put on by the world's biggest stars. Five musicians play and
sing live (drums, guitar, bass, keyboard, cello) and electrify the
crowd, amplifying the energy created by the action. In other words,
the music of Axel helps spectators make a strong connection with the
characters. It injects adrenaline into a celebration on ice that's
already bursting with energy.
SCENOGRAPHY
-----------
The scenography for AXEL breaks with the conventions usually
associated with ice shows. How is it possible to abandon the standard
format and push the envelope? By immersing the spectators, as soon as
they arrive, in a surprising and original ambiance, light years away
from conventional arenas.
The ice surface has been reshaped, rejecting the rectangular surface
used for hockey and conventional figure skating shows. By changing
their perception of the space from the moment of arrival, the
spectators immediately sense that the show and the journey are already
underway. Particular attention was also paid to the set, to ensure
that it would allow interesting views from the three sides of the ice
where the audience is seated. The result is unobstructed views not
only of the ice surface but of the entire performance space.
The other elements of AXEL's scenography are more like an art
installation than a traditional stage-set. Several slim, rectangular
LED screens are set up on each side of the ice, on the ground and in
the air. The monumental structure resembles two giant wings. It is an
ultramodern, even highly futuristic, scenographic device. It is a
minimalist setting that comes spectacularly to life through original
video projections. It also shows that the scenography and videos were
produced in close collaboration.
VIDEO PROJECTIONS
-----------------
Because Axel is an artist, the ice surface is conceived as a page in
his notebook. It is a blank page decorated, animated and drawn on with
colourful and intense contemporary video projections.
By turns playful and restrained, but always sublime, the projections
captivate the audience. The subtly blended and perfectly combined
projections enhance the artists' performances. The designers
understand that it is the artists who create the show's energy, and
the projections' role is to amplify it.
The video animations, both on the ice and on the LED screens, combine
genres: the black and white graphics seen at the beginning grow more
colourful and animated as the story progresses. Then, the colour
palette becomes dark and menacing when Vï appears, or subtler and
softer when Axel conveys his feelings for Lei to the crowd.
The visual animations in AXEL owe their success to their rhythm: the
projections were created to build a crescendo in sync with the main
characters' storyline. Without a doubt, these animations help make
AXEL a visually powerful and, especially, unique experience!
THAT UNIQUE EXPERIENCE
----------------------
AXEL comprises multiple worlds full of action and emotion. Imaginary
places take shape in the pages of Axel's sketchbook, some with an
arena-concert ambiance, others with a video game feel.
FIRST PART
MADWORLD -- Inspired by graphic arts and Japanese manga, AXEL draws
the world around him. As he sketches with his pencil, a city takes
shape and materializes: a bustling metropolis where good and evil do
battle every day. In a freestyle skating routine, The Syndicates pace
the action with thrilling acrobatics. In this wild world, Axel will
meet the mysterious Lei and the Shining Star. Love blossoms
but a
threat looms. {Freestyle Skating}
THE STORM -- Vï, the essence of evil and leader of The Corporation,
makes a cataclysmic entrance and tries to steal the talisman from Lei.
There's a chase and an ambush. There's a battle between The Syndicates
and The Corporation during which a powerless Axel witnesses the theft
of the Shining Star. The forces of nature are unleashed in a fearsome
tumult. Will Vï achieve invincibility? Will Axel save the day?
FAME -- To quell the storm created by Vï, Axel draws a character
called Quartz, an awkward superhero who comes to life in a colourful
and vibrant world. Set to catchy music, a diabolo routine on skates
pushes the envelope as it leaves the ice and continues in midair!
{Diabolo}
GALA & UNDERWORLD -- In a figure skating routine, the members of The
Corporation gather for a lavish ball to celebrate their power over the
city. {Figure Skating}
UNDERWORLD -- After a flamboyant entrance, their leader, Vï, savours
his grip on society's elite, and shows off the extent of his power
with a virtuoso balancing-act on a rotating platform surrounded by
lasers. {Handbalancing}
RISING SUN -- An underground alleyway becomes the scene of a secret
meeting when Lei and The Syndicates try to recover the light of the
talisman stolen by Vï. The Syndicates demonstrate their mastery of
wushu, a martial art discipline. {Aerial Sphere & Wushu}
THE RITUAL -- The Syndicates perform an aerial contortion ritual to
bring forth the sacred light. The Corporation interrupts the
gathering, which turns into a battle between the two clans that will
take an unexpected turn. Will our heroes finally take back the Shining
Star? {Aerial Contortion in Silk & Russian Swings}
SECOND PART
STARMAN -- Axel creates a new character, the Starman. In a poetic
balance ladder act, the Starman succeeds in collecting the light of
the Shining Star. But once he has it, he casts it away because Axel is
the one who must learn to reach the star, and to surpass himself. His
quest is not over. {Acrobatic Ladder}
MASTERS CHALLENGE -- The virtual game continues, but the stakes are
more perilous than ever. In this spectacular and intense aerial chains
number, Vï, like a computer virus, imposes his terror. The challenge
is set: between Vï and Lei, who will gain possession of the light?
After a stunning denouement, there's just one question left: is it
necessary to cheat to succeed? Some doubt lingers. {Aerial Chains}
TOP OF THE WORLD -- To find himself and see more clearly, Axel takes a
coming-of-age trip to a sacred place, the very origin of the Shining
Star. Far from anywhere familiar, at the other side of the world, Axel
contemplates a strange land of mystical giants. The journey allows
Axel to return to the basic sources of life, in a tableau featuring a
pair of trapeze artists and skaters on stilts, in harmony. {Duo
Trapeze}
SKY -- Lei's love has taken deep root in Axel. She fills his every
thought. How do you express your love in the real world? How do you
reach the one you love? Like a waking dream, like a kite on a
beautiful summer day, Axel imagines flying away with Lei, his faraway
star. Axel will have to find the strength to face the real world, so
that his love can thrive. {Kites}
BURN -- Carried by the power of light, Vï reappears triumphantly in a
spectacular figure skating routine. But his moment of glory is short,
because Quartz, Steel, Lei and The Syndicates join forces to face Vï
in a final battle. By the opposition of forces, between fire and ice,
the light fades then bursts, showering a thousand stars into the heart
of each and every one. {Figure Skating}
LEAP OF FAITH -- In a spectacular explosion of energy and music, Axel
and all the skaters and acrobats celebrate the power of life that
unites us all. With bungee jumps on skates to wow us, the acrobatic
finale makes this an unforgettable on-ice experience. {Bungees}
* * *
And there you have it!
----------------------------------------------------------
"Australian Acrobat to Sue Cirque du Soleil"
By: Alice Matthews as Published in SBS's The Feed
----------------------------------------------------------
A star acrobat who was once a poster boy for Cirque du Soleil, is now
preparing to sue the company, alleging negligence by failing to
provide a safe workplace. Daniel Crispin says he has been in an
endless battle to have his work-related spinal injuries covered by
insurance. After years of feeling pressured by Cirque du Soleil to
stay quiet, he is speaking out.
A star acrobat who was once a poster boy for Cirque du Soleil is now
preparing to sue the company, after being left to foot the bill for
multiple spinal operations and procedures.
32-year-old Daniel Crispin worked for Cirque du Soleil between 2015
and 2017 as a principal character and soloist in the record-breaking
arena show Toruk - The First Flight, a production inspired by James
Cameron's Avatar.
Nominated for Australian of the Year twice, Daniel had been working
towards that goal for more than a decade. He says at first, travelling
the world and performing with the company was everything he could have
hoped for.
"It gave me the opportunity to have just the most incredible life that
most people would never dream of," he told The Feed.
"I FELT LIKE I WAS IN THE HUNGER GAMES"
---------------------------------------
But Daniel says behind the scenes Cirque du Soleil was a mess.
It started with sprained and broken ankles.
"The set around the edges was made to look like grey rocks...They were
kind of just velcroed so if you stepped in the wrong spot or if the
air mat wasn't blown up properly, you would just go through it," he
said.
"It was very easy for you to just lose an ankle during that."
But the accidents got more serious. Daniel later sustained a traumatic
brain injury from three concussions in the space of two weeks. Daniel
alleges two of the concussions happened during the same show as a
result of faults by another performer. He took a two week break. But
after his first show back, he blacked out at home in the early hours
of the morning and hit his head again.
Despite that, Daniel says he was cleared to perform the same day in
the ensemble.
"I'd go on stage and I just didn't know what direction I was, it was
the weirdest feeling because I'd done the show hundreds of times but I
couldn't orientate myself," he said.
Daniel says Cirque du Soleil did not have his head or neck scanned and
claimed the company later directed him to delete any videos he had of
the knocks. Cirque du Soleil initially declined to send footage to
Daniel's doctors, requesting more time and incident dates to be
specified.
But he was given more time off to get better.
"By the end of the run I felt like I was in the Hunger Games and I
just remember the start of each show saying to myself, 'just get
through,'" Daniel said.
"IT'S NOT GOING TO MAKE IT WORSE"
---------------------------------
After a gruelling recovery process that took months, Daniel was
reintegrated into the show. After his return, he says a whiplash
incident left him dazed and unsure if he could finish the show. Daniel
claims he was later berated for not being able to communicate his
capability to finish clearly enough.
Then new issues began plaguing him. His bicep and hip were in chronic
pain, he couldn't feel his fingers and his leg was giving way at
random, causing him to fall. He was taking painkillers after every
show.
"It just felt like a melting pot of hurt...And I'd been logging all
this at work and they kept saying 'it's just neural tension, it's
tightness in your neck, it's tightness here that's why it's getting
numb,'" he said.
"I got told [by Cirque du Soleil] it's not going to make it any worse
if I keep going," he said.
Daniel did keep going and it did get worse. He says he wanted to make
it home for the Brisbane show so his family and friends, particularly
his dad, could see him perform.
"My dad was hearing impaired like profoundly deaf his whole life so
for him to be able to see me perform for the first time as the main
character in a show that's visually appealing, I wasn't going to get
that chance again because his cancer was pretty bad and while he'd
defied the doctors by 10 years, his time was running out."
His dad died months after seeing him in Toruk in Brisbane in 2017.
That show was Daniel's last.
Scans showed Daniel had seven injured spinal discs, as well as nerve
damage, a torn bicep and osteoarthritis.
"One of the worst things as an acrobat that you can imagine," said
David Carberry, Daniel's friend.
Another friend Alice Muntz says seeing Daniel's condition was
shocking.
"Not even being able to respond to someone calling his name without
hesitation or walk without pain was quite upsetting," she said.
CIRQUE DU SOLEIL "JUST VANISHED"
--------------------------------
Cirque du Soleil paid for Daniel's first lumbar spinal surgery in 2017
and some associated rehab, but that was it.
"It was almost like the carnival model of business where they pulled
up stumps and then... just vanished," Daniel said.
He says he has since had at least seven operations and procedures for
his spine as well as continuous rehab, most of which he's paid for
himself.
Despite Daniel's repeated pleas, Cirque du Soleil refused to
acknowledge that his spinal injuries came from his time with the
company. He was told 'no specific accidental event was reported' in
relation to his pain and injuries.
That's made it difficult - and at times impossible - for him to claim
insurance or get compensation.
"[The symptoms were] legs not working, incontinence issues, can't feel
my hand, I walk with a limp and [Cirque du Soleil are] just like, it's
between you and the insurer," he said.
Cirque du Soleil refused to comment for legal reasons.
However, in a general statement, Cirque du Soleil says it provides the
highest level of medical care and support available to its artists,
who are also provided with injury risk reduction strategies, strength
and conditioning support and other training adjuncts. The statement
added artists also have support with specialist care or injury
rehabilitation for the duration of their contracts.
Cirque du Soleil says medical support does not stop at the end of a
contract. "If an artist requires medical support for a work-related
injury, they continue to receive this care through our third party
insurance administrators, who make decisions on whether care is
required or not based on independent medical doctor recommendations,
and therefore removed from Cirque du Soleil influence," the company
said.
After being contacted by The Feed in April, one insurer, Cigna,
reimbursed Daniel just under $5,000 for claims related to his first
lumbar surgery in 2017. But it would not comment on the matter.
Liberty Mutual, the insurer that denied Daniel's claims for costs
related to his upper spine and bicep injuries told The Feed it does
not publicly discuss individual claims.
A PAINFUL RECOVERY
------------------
Daniel's physiotherapist, Dorothy Hawkins from Inspire Health Services
in Brisbane, was the first female physio on an Australian Olympic
medical team and the first female physio in the NRL.
he says Daniel was the most elite athlete she'd come across and his
injuries were among the worst she'd seen.
"I think that most people that have those types of injuries at the
level...would probably not return to the level of sport that they were
at," she told The Feed.
But Dorothy Hawkins says Daniel is not a "lay down and lie" kind of
person.
"He's just got so much strength of character and mental toughness that
I thought, 'no matter what happens he's going to try and come back.'"
And for a long time, Daniel's recovery was defying his rehab team's
best expectations. He even returned to working as a primary school
teacher and circus coach.
But Daniel was recently dealt a major blow. Doctors told him he needs
to have his lumbar spine fused. Despite the surgery being categorised
as an emergency by Daniel's doctors, he was forced to wait nearly two
months for icare (the service that replaced WorkCover NSW) to
independently assess and approve the operation. icare told The Feed
once it was made aware of Daniel's situation it contacted its claims
management service provider, EML, to follow up on the matter.
But Daniel says he was falling apart during the delay. He had to start
taking opiods and using a walking stick again.
"It's like drowning in a swimming pool and everyone is standing around
with a life raft. I'm asking if I can have one and they say 'hold on
we need another meeting' and I continue drowning."
"I got off the physio table and I just said it wasn't worth it. Dorthy
said 'what do you mean?' I said that lifestyle, the whole career
wasn't worth it because this is just hell."
Daniel says he may never return to the stage.
"You've got to have hope but I don't foresee that as a possibility. I
want to, but sometimes want isn't enough," he said.
AN UNSAFE WORKSPACE
-------------------
Daniel has now been in recovery for longer than he performed with
Cirque du Soleil.
He says he is out of pocket up to $100,000 from medical expenses, home
modifications and lost wages. He is now preparing to sue Cirque du
Soleil.
"I paid for my medical insurance out of my own wage. It was explicitly
told to me and I have it in writing and recording that I'm going to be
looked after for my show conditions and the injuries that happened in
the show," he said.
"I don't want anything other than what was agreed upon and I don't
think that that's too much to ask. I went into a show that physically
maimed me."
Lawyer James Chrara from Shine alleges Cirque du Soleil was negligent
by failing to provide a safe workplace. He says the company didn't
adequately monitor or document Daniel's condition.
"When you're at that level it's all about pushing yourself and pushing
your limits," he said.
But he adds it was Cirque du Soleil's responsibility to moderate that.
Mr Chrara alleges the environment was one where performers were
dispensable and not inclined to reveal any weaknesses.
"Because if someone comes in and takes your spot, performs better and
has an ability to continue in that, then you lose your spot."
He says Daniel's case could set a precedent for big companies like
Cirque du Soleil.
"I believe it should. Fundamentally what we want to do is ensure the
safety of all performers, irrespective of whatever jurisdiction
they're in... and to avoid this from happening to the next person."
SPEAKING OUT
------------
Daniel says he had always felt pressured to keep quiet because of
confidentiality clauses in contracts and emails from the company.
"But I think it's an important conversation...and I think it adds a
lot of value to the industry. I don't think that it should be
something that's hidden," he said.
"I know there is going to be a fall out from this. And that's ok
because this is important for people to see and it's not OK to harass
and bully and dispose of people.
"Sometimes you've just got to say something."
=======================================================================
COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER
=======================================================================
Fascination! Newsletter
Volume 20, Number 5 (Issue #196) - May 2020
"Fascination! Newsletter" is a concept by Ricky Russo. Copyright (C)
2001-2020 Ricky Russo, published by Vortex/RGR Productions, a
subsidiary of Communicore Enterprises. No portion of this newsletter
can be reproduced, published in any form or forum, quoted or
translated without the consent of the "Fascination! Newsletter." By
sending us correspondence, you give us permission (unless otherwise
noted) to use the submission as we see fit, without remuneration. All
submissions become the property of the "Fascination! Newsletter."
"Fascination! Newsletter" is not affiliated in any way with Cirque du
Soleil. Cirque du Soleil and all its creations are Copyright (C) and
are registered trademarks (TM) of Cirque du Soleil, Inc., All Rights
Reserved. No copyright infringement intended.
{ May.13.2020 }
=======================================================================
