Copy Link
Add to Bookmark
Report
Fascination Issue 192
=======================================================================
______ _ __ _ __
/ ____/___ ___________(_)___ ____ _/ /_(_)___ ____ / /
/ /_ / __ '/ ___/ ___/ / __ \/ __ '/ __/ / __ \/ __ \/ /
/ __/ / /_/ (__ ) /__ / / / / /_/ / /_/ / /_/ / / / /_/
/_/ \__,_/____/\___/_/_/ /_/\__,_/\__/_/\____/_/ /_(_)
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 1 January 2020 ISSUE #192
=======================================================================
Bonne année and welcome to the latest edition of Fascination, the
Unofficial Cirque du Soleil Newsletter. Although it's been a rather
slow news month, let's jump right in...
* * * ACCIDENT AT "O" * * *
On January 5, 2020, during a performance of Cirque du Soleil's "O" at
Bellagio, an artist who is part of the Russian Swing act fell. As a
precautionary measure and in accordance with our emergency response
protocols, we stopped the show to allow the emergency intervention
team to safely bring the artist backstage where he was immediately
taken in good care by the show's medical team. As always in the case
of an accident, the artist will continue to be monitored by the "O"
medical and coaching teams to determine when he can return to his
activities.
* * * R.U.N TO CLOSE AFTER APRIL 2020? * * *
According to VitalVegas.com, a source claims R.U.N at the Luxor looks
to be closing after April 2020. Here's what they have to say about it:
"R.U.N." has received scathing reviews since its debut, with many
declaring it the "worst show ever in Las Vegas." On TripAdvisor,
the show has received 115 "terrible" ratings, and 31 "excellent"
ratings, although a good deal of the "excellent" ratings are of
questionable origin. For example, many use the same or similar
terminology ("immersive!"), and are written by first-time reviewers
using generic profile photos. Another common theme among the
dubious raves are claims audience disappointment with the show is
due to it not being a "typical Cirque show." We can't disagree, as
typical Cirque shows are "enjoyable" and "entertaining" and tend to
not feature torture sequences. There has been no official
announcement or confirmation of the closure of R.U.N by Cirque du
Soleil or Luxor. A source shared an internally-distributed schedule
of upcoming performances of "R.U.N.," which abruptly ends after its
April dates.
There's been speculation that because of the show's $62 million
price tag, it would be disastrous to simply pull the plug on R.U.N
There's a chance the show could close temporarily for an overhaul
to try and salvage it. There's also a chance Cirque has realized it
misread the market and will cut its losses to stop the bleeding.
While it's no fun when a show closes and performers and crew
members lose their gigs, it's also no fun when customers feel
ripped off after seeing a Las Vegas show, especially one from a
respected company like Cirque du Soleil. R.U.N was a noble, but
misguided and poorly executed, attempt to reach a new audience for
Cirque. Unfortunately, there's no evidence that audience actually
exists.
Although the show could be closing after April 2020, it is not beyond
the realm of possibility that Cirque and/or MGM has decided not to put
show tickets greater than 90 days on sale at this time. Mystère
currently only has tickets on sale through April 2020 and there's no
speculation about its future. That being said, all other Cirque shows
at MGM properties DO have tickets on sale through to the end of 2020
so... I guess we'll have to wait and see.
Don't forget - the 8th annual edition of One Night for One Drop will
be held on Friday March 27, 2020 at the Luxor Hotel & Casino,
featuring a "thrilling" performance of R.U.N - so it should stick
around until then!
* * * LAST, BUT NOT LEAST... * * *
- Alegría: In a New Light has a new artist performing a hand balancing
act on a rotational basis. This update comes with a change to the
artist's costume (using a similar outfit that's used in Hand-to-
Hand), and instead of the song "Taruka" being performed, "Vai
Vedrai" is used instead.
- On 1/6/2020, Paramour celebrated its 300th show in Hamburg.
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) Itinéraire -- Tour/Show Information
* BigTop Shows -- Under the Grand Chapiteau
* Arena Shows -- In Stadium-like venues
* Resident Shows -- Performed en Le Théâtre
o) Outreach -- Updates from Cirque's Social Widgets
* Webseries -- Official Online Featurettes
* Videos -- Official Peeks & Noted Fan Finds
o) Fascination! Features
* "A Look into R.U.N - Cirque's First Thriller"
Texts from the Press Kit
* REVIEW /// "R.U.N stumbles a bit, but finishes
the race as a fun and unique experience!"
by: Eric Nowack - Chicago, Illinois (USA)
o) Copyright & Disclaimer
=======================================================================
CIRQUE BUZZ -- NEWS, RUMOURS & SIGHTINGS
=======================================================================
***************************************************************
LA PRESSE -- General News & Highlights
***************************************************************
----------------------------------------------------------
One Drop Recognized as Top Non-Profit in Canada
{Dec.11.2019}
----------------------------------------------------------
International water foundation One Drop was named one of the Top 10
International Impact Charities in Canada for 2019 for making a
difference' by Charity Intelligence, an organization that conducts
independent research and develops in-depth reports in the
philanthropic sector. As part of this recognition, One Drop was
acknowledged for delivering high-impact projects overseas and for its
high return per each dollar invested in its safe water access
initiatives worldwide. One Drop was also recognized last year by
Charity Intelligence as one of the Top 10 Impact Charities of 2018 for
Canada.
"We are thrilled that One Drop has climbed this year into one of the
10 international leading charities in Canada. One Drop's mission is to
ensure sustainable access to safe water and sanitation for the most
vulnerable communities. It is aligned with the United Nations'
Sustainable Development Goal 6: to ensure availability and sustainable
management of water and sanitation for all by 2030," said Véronique
Doyon, One Drop Chief Program Officer.
Established in 2007 by Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberté, the One
Drop Foundation currently has 13 ongoing projects in Latin America and
the Caribbean, Asia (India) and Africa. One Drop's unique approach to
international development is intrinsically linked to the arts,
leveraging its knowledge from Cirque du Soleil in the creation of
targeted initiatives using Social Art for Behaviour Change. Through
locally inspired social art activities such as theater, murals, videos
and exhibitions, One Drop fosters positive change and empowers
communities with the ultimate goal of ensuring the longevity of its
projects.
Charity Intelligence reviews and rates over 750 Canadian charities and
the Top 10 recently released are the organizations that have the
highest measurable impact, delivering returns of seven times for every
dollar donated, compared with average returns of 1-2 times on the
dollar.
Charity Intelligence's reports are independent charities do not pay
for ratings or accreditation. Through rigorous and independent
research, Charity Intelligence aims to assist Canada's dynamic
charitable sector in being more transparent, accountable and focused
on results. For more information about One Drop's safe water
initiatives visit: www.onedrop.org.
{ SOURCE: CISION }
----------------------------------------------------------
Behind-the-scenes of VOLTA in Atlanta
{Dec.18.2019}
----------------------------------------------------------
The first rule of Cirque du Soleil: Everything is clockwork.
The second rule: Don't chew gum around the costumes.
It's that initial directive that is on display on a recent Thursday
inside the Big Top (aka the Grand Chapiteau) at Atlantic Station,
where Cirque's "Volta" is readying for a 4:30 p.m. performance.
"In an office, you can make a mistake, send an email and it's fixed.
Here, there are no mistakes," says Steven Ross, the briskly
professional and obliging senior publicist for the show as he lopes
around the front of the circular stage that the "Volta" cast of 50
will soon take.
Just 10 minutes before the audience enters, ushers huddle near the
blue plastic seats, chatting. A Cirque crowd entertainer you know,
the one you pray will keep walking past you as he scouts the aisles
looking for a willing participant hops around in striped knee socks,
practicing wiggly moves.
A few hundred feet away, behind the stage in the Artistic Tent, one
acrobat is flipping on a trampoline. Joey Arrigo, the performer who
plays blue-haired protagonist Waz, is hugging his elbows in a stretch.
Another cast member sits at a makeup table, applying thick, painted
brows.
More performers casually fall into splits and other unnatural poses
atop gym mats that line the floor, always in motion.
They are oblivious to everyone and everything except, of course, the
clock.
At exactly 4 p.m., the show ritual of "handing the house" takes place
when the artistic team radios the head usher that the show can now
commence.
"Let's open!" yells the head usher known as Vladi (short for
Vladislava), and moments later, patrons swaddled in coats amble in
clasping boxes of popcorn and "Volta" merchandise purchased in the
lobby of the Big Top.
But let's back up for a moment."
VOLTA SURPRISED US
------------------
Ross is genuine when he explains that Atlanta has become one of the
most fertile markets for Cirque du Soleil shows. "Volta," which began
in 2017, arrived at the Atlantic Station Big Top (constructed
specifically for Cirque shows) Oct. 10. It will close in Atlanta on
Jan. 5 and commandeer its next city Los Angeles on Jan. 18 before
moving on to Costa Mesa, California; Denver and Portland, Oregon.
By November, the run in Atlanta of "Volta" was extended a frequent
occurrence for Cirque Big Top shows here, but not necessarily in other
cities.
"To stay on for three months is really long," Ross says. "The people
of Atlanta welcome us with open arms. When you see the audiences, you
see the difference by the way people react. We're very humbled by it."
When Cirque comes to town, it's like operating a small city, evidenced
by the rows of white trailers packed around the outside of the tents.
There are 150 people on tour, and the show spends about $2 million on
staff lodging and other life necessities. Ross says the typical
economic impact for a city when a Cirque show sticks around for
several months is about $18 million since people travel from
throughout the state (and nearby ones), stay in hotels and eat in area
restaurants.
Cirque also hires about 200 locals, many of whom work in the cast and
crew kitchen.
The makeshift cafeteria actually four trailers converted into a
large room with tables is headed by four full-time chefs who provide
food every day starting at 8 a.m. and through intermission of the
evening performance.
Catering to cultural tastes and dietary preferences is an
understandable challenge with a cast featuring 25 nationalities who
collectively speak 16 languages. The hot food options always include
one lean meat, one vegetarian and one "comfort food." Some of the
choices on this day, scribbled on a white board, are vegan black bean
stew and stuffed peppers with eggs. Most of the performers wait until
the matinee intermission or the hour between shows on double-
performance days to consume a main meal.
THE HEARTBEAT OF VOLTA
----------------------
The tagline for the show is "find your free," and while that fits
perfectly into the terminally vague descriptors of all Cirque
productions, it makes sense for this particular show (though it's also
heavy on sports, with a dazzling BMX bike routine competing with an
electrifying double-dutch jump rope sequence vying against a gasp-
inducing multi-trampoline spectacle as the most memorable
performance).
"It's all about accepting yourself and being open to everyone. It's a
message anyone can relate to," says Ben Todd, the band leader and
drummer for the show.
It's just after 3 p.m. that same afternoon and Todd, a Twizzler-thin
Australian with an easy grin and kind eyes under facial makeup
reminiscent of Tim Curry in "The Rocky Horror Picture Show,"
cheerfully chats about his life in Cirque and the music that powers
"Volta." (He saw his first show, "Saltimbanco," in Australia's
Adelaide when he was 11 and joined Cirque for "Corteo" when he was
19.)
Todd, 30, usually arrives about three hours before a show and returns
by about 10:45 p.m. to his Midtown hotel, where he lives with his wife
Amanda, a stage manager with "Volta," whom he's known since elementary
school in Australia.
"Volta" is only dark on Mondays, so despite being in Atlanta for more
than two months, free time is scarce though the couple has enjoyed
scouting out Krog Street Market and Ponce City Market.
"Like anything, the routine can get to you. But everyone here is
constantly trying to better themselves," Todd says.
A drummer since the age of 3 his father is also a professional
sticksman Todd always wanted to be involved in the creation of the
show.
Anthony Gonzalez of French-American electronic music project M83 is
the composer and musical director of "Volta."
But, says Todd, "We got to work closely with (Anthony). It's his
vision and his ideas. Anthony is writing more like pop songs. A lot of
other Cirque shows are written in a more formula way. That's what
makes the show sound different."
IN THE POCKET
-------------
Two music pits flank the "Volta" stage, with Todd and guitarist /
keyboardist William Lawrence in one and singer / violinist Camilla
Bäckman, singer Eric DeShan and keyboardist Michael Gonzalez pressed
into the other.
It's one of the smallest bands for a Cirque production, and the music
is about 40 percent live to 60 percent pre-recorded because of the
layered demands of Gonzalez's compositions.
With five minutes until show time, Todd settles into his drum nook, a
Plexiglas border and brown door the only things separating him from
Englishman Lawrence, who, unlike most musicians in Cirque shows, will
make brief appearances on stage, first ripping out a guitar solo in a
black and gold ensemble that looks like Broadway meshed with Prince's
closet, before scampering back into the pit.
Even though Todd is sequestered behind slats, he also must wear a
costume a loose-fitting grey patterned outfit and hat.
Both Todd and Lawrence have monitors to watch the show, laptops that
run the music programs and, for Lawrence, a dim red light to
illuminate his keyboards in the otherwise shadowy pit.
Neither reads music as "Volta" unfolds. As Todd points out, "After 900
shows, you pretty much have it committed (to memory)."
Asked if he ever gets to actually enjoy the production, Todd grins.
"Yeah. Sometimes."
At 4:35 p.m., the houselights dim and the command comes through the
musicians' headphones: "Music go!"
A click track which many drummers use to keep time tick tocks in
the earphones. Todd's eyes lock onto the monitor to watch the
performers, and the first thumps of a drumbeat introduces the opening
scene, the "Mr. Wow Show."
Lawrence, back from his stage turn and now clad in a rainbow-colored
outfit, taps his right foot and nods his head while playing his guitar
as Todd slams through a drum solo during the vigorous trampoline
number, "Rise & Shine."
During the 25-minute intermission, Lawrence heads backstage and slowly
rides an exercise bike to keep loose. Around him, some acrobats
practice their routines and shirtless, muscled men engage in yet
another workout as Migos' "Walk It Talk It" blares through the
Artistic Tent.
The second act is highlighted by the BMX routine accompanied by the
adrenalized song, "Momentum."
At 6:25 p.m., as the cast circles the stage to an audience ovation,
Todd and Lawrence zip out of their musical cave to join them. Todd
waves his drumsticks and Lawrence his guitar as the group takes a
well-earned bow.
Just like clockwork.
{ SOURCE: Melissa Ruggieri, Atlanta Journal Constitution }
----------------------------------------------------------
Axel is an arena rock show with aerial theatrics
{Dec.19.2019}
----------------------------------------------------------
Coming out of the Bell Centre Thursday night after the premiere of
Axel, the Cirque du Soleil's latest ice show, I had but one question:
Where was Duff McKagan?
When I spoke with Axel writer and stage director Fernand Rainville in
September at a sneak preview of Axel, he said the idea behind the new
Cirque creation was to re-create the big loud excitement of an arena
rock show. There is a definite rock vibe to Axel and something of a
Guns N' Roses vibe. First off, it's called Axel and the title
character is a rocker who skates around the ice with a guitar slung
over his shoulder as he belts out a few rock tunes. So yes, it's hard
not to think of Guns N' Roses frontman Axl Rose.
Then at one point, the guitarist in the live five-piece band whips off
a blazing guitar-hero solo, and given that he is wearing a big flashy
black hat, it's impossible not to think he's channeling his inner
Slash. That's what had me thinking the only guy missing was Gunners
bassist McKagan.
The soundtrack doesn't include Sweet Child o' Mine but it does feature
a few major rock and pop hits, kicking off with a lengthy version of
Tears for Fears' Mad World, Rihanna's Diamonds, Radiohead's Creep, the
Bee Gees' You Should Be Dancing and House of Pain's Jump. Hip hop
anthem Jump is the centrepiece of the finale, with a slew of
performers bungee-jumping high in the air in an exuberant number.
But Axel isn't just a rock show. It's a little hard to figure out
exactly what it is. There is of course lots of skating, but the
choreography is the most uninspired part of the show. You go to the
Cirque du Soleil for acrobatics and it's the eye-catching aerial
theatrics that make the biggest impression here. There's a beautiful
moment with one of the musicians playing the cello on the ice as a
woman does some stunning moves on the trapeze. Just as impressive is a
sequence early in the second half with a performer creating his own
unique poetry as he climbs a ladder at centre ice, a ladder that
seemingly magically stays up even though it has no structure to lean
on.
As usual with the Cirque du Soleil, the only way you'd have a clue
what the heck is going is if you're lucky enough to be a journalist
and have a copy of the press notes. Those notes talk about how Axel, a
young musician with a passion for drawing sketches, falls for the
mysterious Lei, and apparently she's the leader of a group of
rebellious youngsters called The Syndicates. The bad-guy is Vï, who
might well remind you of The Joker. But the story is in typical Cirque
fashion fairly opaque.
Philippe Brault's original music evokes a host of different moods and
works better in my view than the big hits. The visual design is mighty
impressive, as is the use of video, with the ice surface used as a
canvas.
But one of the biggest problems is that there's lack of cohesion here
in part because the title character, played by Australian musician
Jayden Sierra, is often shunted aside, playing a supporting role in
his own story.
{ SOURCE: Brendan Kelly, Montreal Gazette }
----------------------------------------------------------
REVIEW /// Cirque du Soleil Chases the Holiday Spirit
{Dec.19.2019}
----------------------------------------------------------
The acrobats are all glamour and athleticism, the skaters all speed
and daring. But in "'Twas the Night Before
," Cirque du Soleil's
festive yet fumbling entry into the seasonal entertainment market,
Santa's silly reindeer hit the sweet spot.
Of the several ingredients necessary to the making of a holiday
classic artistry with a sprinkling of magic, familiarity balanced
with adventure Cirque skimps on the requisite warmth, which the
reindeer (embodied by human performers) radiate.
And when they briefly alight on the stage of the Hulu Theater at
Madison Square Garden to play their leaping reindeer games, they bring
something else largely missing from a show that is touted as a twist
on Clement Clarke Moore's poem "A Visit from St. Nicholas" yet bears
little resemblance to it. Because we know these characters by name
from that verse Dasher, Dancer and the gang we are instantly glad
to see them.
Spectacle, not story, is of course the strength of Cirque du Soleil,
and "'Twas" is a perfectly diverting show. But this supposed
adaptation would be less baffling if it made more than vague gestures
in the direction of the poem's narrative, or really any narrative at
all. "The Nutcracker," for all its plot weirdness, is a comparative
marvel of clarity and character development.
Written and directed by James Hadley, and performed on a sparkly set
(by Genevieve Lizotte) that's lushly curtained with garlands, "'Twas"
contains a faint "Nutcracker" echo in its ostensibly central
character, Isabella (Michele Clark), a girl whisked off to a
dreamscape where fantastical events unfold.
But Isabella has about as much discernible storytelling purpose as the
elves whose dance numbers (choreographed by Vinh Nguyen Kinjaz) feel
like filler, and the juggling clown (Francis Gadbois) who comes across
as a bizarro version of Santa Claus.
What Cirque seems to be aiming for is the kind of production that
could be an annual event. What it's come up with, though, is a
standard Cirque show in holiday garb. Too formulaic for its own good,
it's as fundamentally different from the company's usual product as
red and green M&Ms are from the year-round kind.
Still, with its richly saturated lighting (by Nicolas Brion) and
shimmering costumes (by James Lavoie), "'Twas" is fun to look at, and
its soundtrack of percussive Christmas carols is contagiously upbeat.
Standout acts include Nicole Faubert and Guillaume Paquin in a
romantic aerial duet that's both highly polished and strikingly human
(acrobatic choreography is by Edesia Moreno); Katharine Arnold, nearly
contortionistic in an aerial number with a cart; and, in the kind of
almost ice-dancing number that ideally there would be more of in a
winter show, Rosie Axon and Adam Jukes, twirling thrillingly fast on
in-line roller skates.
Adorability-wise, the reindeer are the hands-down winners. In golden
jockey costumes with satiny underbellies, they have their names
emblazoned on their backs. Diving through hoops at increasing heights,
they're comical and impressive and it's charming somehow that
Prancer (Jinge Wang), never the starriest member of Santa's team, is
the best of all.
In that number, which tweaks a standard Cirque feature just enough to
fit a Christmas narrative, the show at last captures our affection.
More of that, please, and "'Twas" might become the classic it wants to
be.
{ SOURCE: Laura Collins-Hughes, New York Times }
----------------------------------------------------------
More Layoffs at Cirque du Soleil
{Dec.27.2019}
----------------------------------------------------------
A recent video from Montreal City News discusses a minor downsizing
move on Cirque du Soleils part, citing reorganization and
productivity as the main impetus for the laying off of 53 employees.
Perhaps of equal interest are the statistics shared in the video.
According to the reporter, Cirque du Soleil employs 4000 people, with
1600 of them located in Quebec. 1400 of the employees are artists, and
in 2019 the company produced 19 shows worldwide.
Check out the video at Montreal City News:
https://montreal.citynews.ca/video/2019/12/16/
cirque-du-soleil-job-cuts-2/
{ SOURCE: Circus Talk, Montreal City News }
----------------------------------------------------------
DJ Guy Laliberte to Bottom-line Coachella 2020
{Jan.03.2020}
----------------------------------------------------------
Music aficionados like to focus on who headlines big festivals like
the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, which announced the
lineup for its 2020 edition Thursday night.
And so it's not surprising to see that much of the social media
chatter so far has focused on the top-of-the-bill acts over the
festival's two three-day weekends in April: namely reunited rap-
rockers Rage Against the Machine, Houston rapper Travis Scott and
reclusive R&B star Frank Ocean.
But what caught our eyes were two words, in tiny type, on the bottom
line of the festival's Day 3 lineup: Guy Laliberte.
Yes, that Guy Laliberte - the one who founded Cirque du Soleil in 1984
and who has in recent years shifted his focus to his career as a DJ -
is making his Coachella debut in 2020.
Laliberte, who sold his majority stake in Cirque du Soleil for a
reported $1.5 billion in 2015, has been DJ-ing professionally for the
past two years.
Last year, he opened the PY1 Pyramid, an "innovative pyramid-shaped
venue" in the Port of Montreal, where he has already plied his new
trade.
The first weekend of Coachella is already sold out. Tickets for the
second weekend (April 17, 18 and 19, with Laliberte performing on the
19th) are on pre-sale here.
Laliberte has been in the headlines for non-DJ reasons as of late: he
was arrested in November for allegedly growing cannabis in Tahiti.
{ SOURCE: CTV News }
----------------------------------------------------------
First Visit Inside Revamped Cirque Big Top at WDW
{Jan.07.2020}
----------------------------------------------------------
Cirque du Soleil's new Disney Springs show, "Drawn to Life," opens in
March, and its theater is abuzz with activity. The set is nearly done;
the performers have arrived and are rehearsing in their new home. On
Monday night, Mtthew Palm from the Orlando Sentinel visited the
distinctive tentlike structure on the west side of Disney Springs for
the first time since the long-running "La Nouba" closed two years ago.
During a briefing with members of the creative team, here's what he
learned about five key aspects of "Drawn to Life," the first Disney-
Cirque collaboration:
1. THE STORY
What we knew: "Drawn to Life" centers on 12-year-old Julie. Her
father, a Disney animator, has died. As she looks for his last gift to
her, through his art of animation she finds her own voice.
What I learned: Julie's late father has a name, Tom, and the decision
to inject a sad note right off the bat wasn't taken lightly. But it
was deemed important to the richness of the show. "Count the number of
Disney movies where there is a missing parent," said creative director
Fabrice Becker. "You have to create that feeling to then have beauty
and hope. We really wanted to make that emotional connection. It's a
very aspirational show." Another story point: "Drawn to Life" has more
of a literal storyline than "La Nouba" and as such won't feature
interludes of clowning between the acrobatic and other acts. "The
humor is brought by the characters," said show writer and director
Michel Laprise. "I think the audience prefers that." Like "La Nouba,"
"Drawn to Life" will run about 90 minutes with no intermission.
2. THE SET
What we knew: Renderings showed that the entire stage would resemble
an animator's drafting table.
What I learned: Decorated in a beige and bronze palette, the stage
includes an oversized crank-turn pencil sharpener and a decorative urn
for pencils that towers over the average human. The neutral tones by
set designer Stephane Roy let Philippe Guillotel's colorful costumes
pop. Two fanciful paintbrush costumes were on display, with
headdresses of vivid yellow, deep blue and bright purple. Gone are the
moving beltways in the stage floor, used to great effect in "La
Nouba." But the gold-leafed stage suggests new surprises. Grooves and
holes are cut into the floor as are openings that will let sound
emerge from speakers below. There's still no official word on what
Disney characters will be featured in "Drawn to Life," but those
speaker openings look like duck feet.
3. THE TECHNOLOGY
What we knew: Based on rehearsal video that showed various forms of
acrobatics and aerial performance, it was clear the stage would have
to be able to move the necessary apparatus around. "We have so much
technology," Laprise confirmed Monday, "but everything is hidden."
What I learned: "Drawn to Life" uses a new technique of digital
projecting, in which a projection appears on a performer who is moving
across the stage. Imagine the precision that must take. Laprise calls
it projecting "a character on a character" and says "We are creating a
new artform. It never existed before." Not everything will use
projections, though. Laprise praised the show's artistic depiction of
a multiplane camera, a key tool in animated filmmaking. "There are
moving parts that look handpainted," he said. "It's quite audacious
for our companies to do this."
4. THE BUILDING
What we knew: The Cirque building has been behind a construction wall
for quite some time.
What I learned: The audience will sit in new chairs of a deep blue
color in the newly carpeted theater. In fact, theatergoers will see
changes from the moment they arrive. The lobby and refreshment areas
also have been redesigned to complement the show and its homage to
Disney animation, Disney officials said.
5. THE "MAGIC"
What we knew: The creative team has repeatedly stressed the deep
nature of the collaboration between Cirque du Soleil and Disney.
What I learned: Knowing that children will be a key component of the
audience, the show creators plan to let youngsters draw with Julie
before the action begins. "Logistically, it's a beautiful challenge,"
Laprise quipped. Expect some surprises from the familiar Disney
characters, in how they appear and what they do. "Disney allowed us to
break a few boundaries with the characters but in a respectful way,"
Becker said. "The characters appear from Julie's point of view. You
could say it's the same for any kid in the audience."
* * *
Orlando Sentinel theater writer Matthew J. Palm Matt was invited to
tour the newly renovated big top on the west side of Disney Springs.
He talks with theme park reporter Dewayne Bevil about the reimagined
stage, "a new art form" Cirque is perfecting, and how "Drawn to Life"
may weave in Disney characters and melodies in the podcast below...
https://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/attractions/theme-park-rangers-
podcast/os-ne-s6-disney-inspired-cirque-du-soleil-show-at-tpr-podcast-
ep-32-20200109-j73onwu5tfeeddaytmcj7drlxe-story.html
{ SOURCE: Orlando Sentinel }
***************************************************************
Q&A -- Quick Chats & Press Interviews
***************************************************************
----------------------------------------------------------
"'Cirque is our home': Meet the real-life circus family"
{Dec.07.2019}
----------------------------------------------------------
Can you imagine having the opportunity to travel the world with a
famous circus and taking your family with you? For Vitali Tomanov,
it's a reality.
Moscow-born Vitali and his brother Roman are the Siamese Twins', who
perform in Cirque du Soleil's Kurios Cabinet of Curiosities.
Kurios premiered in 2014, and has since been performed around the
world, including Canada, the US, Japan and Singapore.
Vitali's wife, Olga, and their children, Elizabeth and Pavel, follow
Vitali who has been a circus performer since he was 16 joining him
at every destination.
Even though there are hardships to life on the road, Vitali believes
it's important for his children to be exposed to new environments.
"The kids can see lots of cultures, new people and areas. When I was a
kid, I never saw this. It's a good opportunity for them to see the
whole world and not just continue seeing the same thing," says the 37-
year-old.
"It was a hard decision but we're glad we did it because right now we
will appreciate it and we're staying together as a family."
While Elizabeth, 11, and Pavel, 8, aren't part of the show, Vitali
shows them the ropes of circus performing in his free time.
The children also have the opportunity to train alongside other
talented artists in Cirque du Soleil.
"It takes a long time to get to the level where the kids are at. Even
doing one pull-up, it will take years of work in order to do it. It's
not as easy as it looks," Vitali says.
"We're pretty much looking at it like physical training because every
kid, at all ages, should do some. When they're not in school, we try
to create our own school that would include this physical ability and
training."
In addition to their training, Olga home-schools the children. "We're
going to keep travelling to different countries so we need to have the
option of home-schooling," Olga tells New Idea.
"I teach them mentally and Vitali teaches them physically. Besides
that, we are just normal parents
we try to be normal parents!"
Even though Kurios hasn't changed since its premiere, Vitali still
loves what he does and finds that with each show, he still learns
something new.
"Each routine is always the same, the character is always the same,
[but the company is] always trying to find new things for us, so it's
not going to be boring," he explains.
"Like when you try to do the same thing every day, you get tired of
it. It's six years we've been doing this and I'm still not tired."
{ SOURCE: New Idea }
=======================================================================
ITINÉRAIRE -- TOUR/SHOW INFORMATION
=======================================================================
o) BIGTOP - Under the Grand Chapiteau
{Alegria, Amaluna, Bazzar, Koozå, Kurios, Luzia, Totem,
Volta, and Cirque 2020}
o) ARENA - In Stadium-like venues
{OVO, Crystal, Corteo, AXEL, Messi10, 'Twas The Night Before}
o) RESIDENT - Performed en Le Théâtre
{Mystère, "O", Zumanity, KÀ, LOVE, MJ ONE, JOYA,
Paramour, X: The Land of Fantasy, and R.U.N}
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:
Miami, FL -- Dec 13, 2020 to Feb 17 2020
Houston, TX -- Feb 29, 2020 to Apr 12, 2020
Austin, TX -- Apr 22, 2020 to May 25, 2020
Chicago, IL -- Jun 5, 2020 to Jun 28, 2020
Washington, DC -- Jul 23, 2020 to Aug 30, 2020
Vancouver, BC -- TBA
Amaluna:
San Francisco, CA -- Nov 3, 2019 to Jan 12, 2020
Sacramento, CA -- Jan 22, 2020 to Feb 23, 2020
Hong Kong, CN -- Apr 2, 2020 to Apr 26, 2020
Bazzar:
Punta Cana, DO -- Jan 29, 2020 to Feb 23, 2020
Doha, QA -- Apr 25, 2020 to May 4, 2020
Cirque 2020:
Montreal, QC -- Apr 23, 2020 to Jun 21, 2020
Koozå:
Seville, ES -- Jan 15, 2020 to Mar 8, 2020
Lyon, FR Mar 20, 2020 to Apr 26, 2020
Tel Aviv, IL -- Jun 4, 2020 to Jun 30, 2020
Zurich, CH -- Sep 4, 2020 to Sep 27, 2020
Kurios:
Brisbane, AU -- Jan 10, 2020 to Feb 23, 2020
Melbourne, AU -- Mar 12, 2020 to Apr 26, 2020
Adelaide, AU -- May 29, 2020 to Jun 7, 2020
Perth, AU -- Jul 15, 2020 to Aug 2, 2020
Luzia:
London, UK -- Jan 12, 2020 to Mar 1, 2020
Moscow, RU -- Mar 19, 2020 to Apr 12, 2020
Gran Canaria, ES -- Jul 7, 2020 to Aug 23, 2020
Valencia, ES -- Sep 11, 2020 to Sep 27, 2020
Totem:
Düsseldorf, DE -- Dec 18, 2019 to Feb 2, 2020
Munich, DE -- Feb 12, 2020 to Mar 22, 2020
Rome, IT -- Apr 1, 2020 to Apr 19, 2020
Milan, IT -- May 21, 2020 to Jun 21, 2020
Prague, CZ -- Jul 17, 2020 to Aug 2, 2020
VOLTA:
Los Angeles, CA -- Jan 18, 2020 to Mar 8, 2020
Costa Mesa, CA -- Mar 18, 2020 - Apr 19, 2020
Denver, CO -- Apr 30, 2020 to Jun 7, 2020
Portland, OR -- Jun 18, 2020 to Aug 2, 2020
------------------------------------
ARENA - In Stadium-Like Venues
------------------------------------
OVO:
Charlotte, NC -- Jan 8, 2020 to Jan 12, 2020
Tallahassee, FL -- Jan 17, 2020 to Jan 19, 2020
Pittsburgh, PA -- Jan 23, 2020 to Jan 26, 2020
Albany, NY -- Jan 29, 2020 to Feb 2, 2020
Phoenix, AZ -- Feb 20, 2020 to Feb 23, 2020
Boise, ID -- Feb 27, 2020 to Mar 1, 2020
San Diego, CA -- Mar 5, 2020 to Mar 8, 2020
El Paso, TX -- Mar 12, 2020 to Mar 15, 2020
Edinburg, TX -- Mar 19, 2020 to Mar 22, 2020
Lafayette, LA -- Mar 25, 2020 to Mar 29, 2020
Greensboro, NC -- Apr 2, 2020 to Apr 5, 2020
Savannah, GA -- Apr 8, 2020 to Apr 12, 2020
Knoxville, TN -- Apr 15, 2020 to Apr 19, 2020
Frisco, TX -- Apr 23, 2020 to Apr 26, 2020
Fort Worth, TX -- Apr 30, 2020 to May 3, 2020
Bloomington, IL -- May 7, 2020 to May 10, 2020
Louisville, KY -- May 13, 2020 to May 17, 2020
CRYSTAL - A BREAKTHROUGH ICE EXPERIENCE:
Riga, LV -- Jan 15, 2020 to Jan 19, 2020
Krakow, PL -- Jan 23, 2020 to Jan 26, 2020
Gdansk, PL -- Jan 30, 2020 to Feb 2, 2020
Minsk, BY -- Feb 6, 2020 to Feb 9, 2020
Kiev, UA -- Feb 13, 2020 to Feb 16, 2020
Sheffield, UK -- Mar 6, 2020 to Mar 8, 2020
Glasgow, UK -- Mar 11, 2020 to Mar 15, 2020
Aberdeen, UK -- Mar 19, 2020 to Mar 22, 2020
Belfast, UK -- Mar 25, 2020 to Mar 29, 2020
Manchester, UK -- Apr 1, 2020 to Apr 5, 2020
Birmingham, UK -- Apr 8, 2020 to Apr 12, 2020
Nottingham, UK -- Apr 15, 2020 to Apr 19, 2020
Amhurst, MA -- May 15, 2020 to May 17, 2020
Trenton, NJ -- May 20, 2020 to May 23, 2020
St. Catharines, ON -- May 27, 2020 to May 31, 2020
Providence, RI -- Jun 3 to Jun 7, 2020
Hartford, CT -- Jun 10 to Jun 14, 2020
Bridgeport, CT -- Jun 17 to Jun 21, 2020
Cleveland, OH -- Jun 24 to Jun 28, 2020
Ottawa, ON -- Jul 2 to Jul 5, 2020
North Charleston, SC -- Jul 22 to Jul 26, 2020
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
Stuttgart, DE -- Oct 7, 2020 to Oct 11, 2020
Nuremberg, DE -- Oct 14, 2020 to Oct 18, 2020
Frankfurt, DE -- Nov 13, 2020 to Nov 21, 2020
Cologne, DE -- Nov 25, 2020 to Nov 29, 2020
CORTEO:
Granada, ES -- Jan 15, 2020 to Jan 19, 2020
Zargoza, ES -- Jan 22, 2020 to Jan 26, 2020
Vitoria-Gasteiz, ES -- Jan 29, 2020 to Feb 2, 2020
Santiago de Compostela, ES -- Feb 5, 2020 to Feb 9, 2020
Santander, ES -- Feb 12, 2020 to Feb 16, 2020
Bordeaux, FR -- Feb 21, 2020 to Feb 23, 2020
Antwerp, BE -- Mar 13, 2020 to Mar 22, 2020
Vienna, AT -- Mar 25, 2020 to Mar 29, 2020
Montpellier, FR -- Apr 2, 2020 to Apr 5, 2020
Aix-en-Provence, FR -- Apr 8, 2020 to Apr 12, 2020
Lille, FR -- Apr 16, 2020 to Apr 19, 2020
Copenhagen, DE -- Apr 23, 2020 to Apr 26, 2020
Herning, DE -- Apr 29, 2020 to May 3, 2020
Stockholm, SE -- May 7, 2020 to May 10, 2020
Gothenburg, SE -- May 13, 2020 to May 17, 2020
Leeds, UK -- Jun 18, 2020 to Jun 21, 2020
London, UK -- Jun 24, 2020 to Jul 5, 2020
Dublin, IR -- Jul 8, 2020 to Jul 12, 2020
Palma de Mallorca, ES -- Aug 7, 2020 to Aug 16, 2020
Nice, FR -- Aug 20, 2020 to Aug 22, 2020
Trondheim, NO -- Sep 18, 2020 to Sep 20, 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 Jan 3, 2021
AXEL:
Milwaukee, WI -- Jan 9, 2020 to Jan 12, 2020
Tulsa, OK -- Jan 16, 2020 to Jan 19, 2020
Cincinnati, OH -- Jan 23, 2020 to Jan 26, 2020
Kansas City, MO -- Jan 30, 2020 to Feb 2, 2020
Nashville, TN -- Feb 6, 2020 to Feb 9, 2020
Greeneville, SC -- Feb 13, 2020 to Feb 16, 2020
Bakersfield, CA -- Mar 12, 2020 to Mar 15, 2020
Prescott Valley, AZ -- Mar 19, 2020 to Mar 21, 2020
San Jose, CA -- Mar 24, 2020 to Mar 28, 2020
Las Vegas, NV -- Apr 3, 2020 to Apr 5, 2020
Everett, WA -- Apr 9, 2020 to Apr 12, 2020
Tucson, AZ -- Apr 17, 2020 to Apr 19, 2020
Rio Rancho, NM -- Apr 23, 2020 to Apr 26, 2020
Eugene, OR -- May 14, 2020 to May 17, 2020
Spokane, WA -- May 21, 2020 to May 24, 2020
Victoria, BC -- May 28, 2020 to May 31, 2020
Abbotsford, BC -- Jun 4, 2020 to Jun 7, 2020
Kelowna, BC -- Jun 11, 2020 to Jun 14, 2020
Kamloops, BC -- Jun 18, 2020 to Jun 21, 2020
Prince George, BC -- Jun 25, 2020 to Jun 28, 2020
Edmonton, AB -- Jul 2, 2020 to Jul 5, 2020
Saskatoon, SK -- Jul 9, 2020 to Jul 12, 2020
Lethbridge, AB -- Jul 16, 2020 to Jul 19, 2020
Regina, SK -- Jul 23, 2020 to Jul 26, 2020
Medicine Hat, AB -- Jul 30, 2020 to Aug 2, 2020
Messi10:
Doha, QA -- Feb 27, 2020 to Mar 7, 2020
Buenos Aires, AR -- Jun 11, 2020 to Jul 5, 2020
---------------------------------
RESIDENT - en Le Théâtre
---------------------------------
Mystère:
Location: Treasure Island, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Saturday through Wednesday, Dark: Thursday/Friday
Two shows Nightly - 7:00pm & 9:30pm
2020 Dark Dates:
- January 5 thru 17, 2020
- February 2, 2020
- March 11, 2020
- May 14 thru 22. 2020
- July 22, 2020
- September 17 thru 25, 2020
- November 18, 2020
"O":
Location: Bellagio, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Wednesday through Sunday, Dark: Monday/Tuesday
NOTE: Starting January 2020, "O" performs 7 Days a Week
Two shows Nightly - 7:30pm and 9:30pm
Zumanity:
Location: New York-New York, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Friday through Tuesday, Dark Wednesday/Thursday
Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm
KÀ:
Location: MGM Grand, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Saturday through Wednesday, Dark Thursday/Friday
Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm
LOVE:
Location: Mirage, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday
Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm
MICHAEL JACKSON ONE:
Location: Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Thursday through Monday - Dark: Tuesday/Wednesday
Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm
JOYÀ:
Location: Riviera Maya, Mexico
Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday
One/Two Shows Nightly:
9:00pm (Weekdays)
7:00pm & 10:15pm (Fri, Sat & Holidays)
PARAMOUR:
Location: Stage Theater New Flora | Hamburg, Germany
Performs: One/Two Shows Nightly...
X: THE LAND OF FANTASY
Location: Hangzhou, China
R.U.N:
Location: Luxor Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Wednesday through Sunday - Dark: Monday/Tuesday
Two Shows Nightly - 7:00pm and 9:30pm
DRAWN TO LIFE (Disney 2020):
Location: Walt Disney World Resort (USA)
Performs: Tuesday through Saturday - Dark: Sunday/Monday
Two Shows Nightly - 5:30pm and 8:30pm
NOTE: Preview Shows from March 20th through April 16th
perform only 1 day a week, at 5:30pm.
=======================================================================
OUTREACH - UPDATES FROM CIRQUE's SOCIAL WIDGETS
=======================================================================
o) ALEGRIA: A WIND OF CHANGE
Retelling the story of Alegría in a new light 10 years later.
Join Cirque du Soleil backstage and behind the scenes and find
out how this classic came to be.
- Episode 1: "The Story Behind the Remake"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgMs3j1jG9I
- Episode 2: "The Story Behind the Stage"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pj43TXHprU
- Episode 3: "The Story Behind the Music"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bTzeUJWGWQY
- Episode 4: "The Story Behind the Costumes & Makeup"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NROglQ_p0bg
o) OTHER VIDEOS
- TWAS THE NIGHT: The Snow Act
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zA3HK3iVHWQ
- TWAS THE NIGHT: The Making Of...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2mKNMWdW5E
- TWAS THE NIGHT Deck the Halls
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKgeKghtses
- AXEL: Top of the World Music Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxJYxI-g7O0
- AXEL: Exclusive Backstage Tour
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0Lmk608pLY
- AXEL: Day in the Life of the Diabolo Artist
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqDEqY9pnt8
- AXEL: Story Behind the New Russian Swing Act
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqwoh3jcjOI
- AXEL: Gala Music Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fToPogj8Kog
- AXEL: Meet Ice Dancers Karina Manta and Joe Johnson
https://www.facebook.com/cirquejobs/videos/722854878205911/
- AXEL: Meet Meet Armenian cellist and vocalist Arpenik Hakobyan
https://www.facebook.com/CirqueduSoleilAXEL/videos/585241108969769/
- AXEL: Meet Ice Freestyler Abadi Al-Obaidai
https://www.facebook.com/CirqueduSoleilAXEL/videos/590607571704504/
- AXEL: The Human Performance of Set Design
https://www.facebook.com/cirquejobs/videos/532179307360996/
- KOOZA: 16 Papillion Music Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0xh0DkGJ80
- CORTEO: Meet Violinist Stéphane Allard
https://www.facebook.com/CirqueduSoleilCasting/videos/504483130140723/
- JOYA: 5th Anniversary Celebrations
https://www.facebook.com/JOYA/videos/518990115354637/
- JOYA: Meet the Stage Manager, Alessandra Viza
https://www.facebook.com/JOYA/videos/502972556980162/
- KA: The NEW Icarian Games Act!
https://www.facebook.com/KA/videos/2446547148894428/
https://www.facebook.com/KA/videos/459531344750987/
- ALEGRIA: The Daily Routine of an Aerial High Bar Artist
https://www.facebook.com/CirqueduSoleilCasting/videos/524521648269886/
- AMALUNA: Stepping onto the Stage
https://www.facebook.com/cirquejobs/videos/2682180158529554/
- KURIOS: On Sydney's Channel 9 Morning Show
https://www.facebook.com/kuriosbycirquedusoleil/videos/610848846148197/
- TOTEM: Spin You Right Round
https://www.facebook.com/Totem/videos/1196483187217589/
- MESSI10: The Creative Process
https://www.facebook.com/cirquejobs/videos/2871153509563900/
=======================================================================
FASCINATION! FEATURES
=======================================================================
o) "A Look into R.U.N - Cirque's First Thriller"
Texts from the Press Kit
o) REVIEW /// "R.U.N stumbles a bit, but finishes
the race as a fun and unique experience!"
by: Eric Nowack - Chicago, Illinois (USA)
------------------------------------------------------------
"A Look into R.U.N - Cirque's First Thriller"
Texts from the Press Kit
------------------------------------------------------------
HE TOOK HER HEART. IT'LL COST HIM BLOOD.
Are you ready for another dose of dreamlike impressionism and
whimsical flights of fancy? Then you're in the wrong joint.
R.U.N is what happens when the stuntmen send the acrobats out for
coffee then change the locks behind them. It's a race through the
darkest parts of a Las Vegas that isn't quite our own, one back-alley
brawl at a time. A lean 75 minutes of throw downs, pyrotechnics,
scraps, car chases, donnybrooks, motorcycle tricks, livewires, and, in
case you hadn't noticed, a whole mess of fighting.
Robert Rodriguez, the genius behind Sin City, From Dusk Till Dawn and
Alita: Battle Angel, writes this graphic novel come to life. Tyler
Bates, who's scored more movies than Gene Siskel, comes in to do the
soundtrack. And tying it all together is Masked Singer creative
director Michael Schwandt, who sews up all the interwoven stunts, live
video, explosive special effects, throbbing rock and electronic and,
of course, clowns.
Nah, just making sure you're paying attention. No clowns.
What is on the menu, though, is a nasty little tale of love, rage and
betrayal in what marks a major departure for Cirque du Soleil: not
only is this the first all-action spectacular in the company's 35
years, but it's fueled for the first time by a ticking clock of a plot
that propels the story from chapter to chapter.
In other words, don't plan on picking up where you left off after any
impromptu bathroom breaks. You're just going to have to hold it. You
should've thought of that before we hit the throttle.
PERFORMANCE SPACE
-----------------
One foot across the threshold. Hairs on the back of your neck standing
up. It's dim and familiar. You've been places like this. They're the
places that snap you to attention, always glancing over your shoulder.
Take a long walk through a back-alley worthy of every seedy movie you
ever told your mother you never saw. Lowlife characters in doorways,
tattoo parlors, oozing neon and abandoned vehicles, all swallowed in a
sea of graffiti. This is the Blackjax and Streetkingz's world. Settle
in. Relax. Take some pics of your new tattoo and send them home to
mom.
Come out on the other side of the alley and you're in the lobby, as
cavernous as any massive nightclub and twice as sexy. Did one of the
gangs set this place up? Probably. You need somewhere to launder those
ill-gotten gains. Doesn't matter. The drinks are stiff and the night
is young. You've got a good feeling about this. The music is pumping
inside the theatre, the sounds of the DJ pulsing through the walls and
rattling the towering graffiti murals. It's time to go inside.
Sitting in your seat and watching the show is great and all, if that's
what you're into. Finding yourself in the middle of the show is a damn
sight better.
After your journey through the alleyway, you enter the theater, where
the 70-foot high, 200-foot long stage doesn't stop at the footlights
or the rafters, but instead just offers a mere suggestion of where the
show in front of you might take place. Could be above the stage. Could
be in your lap. Please wear nice pants.
The action envelops the audience, with massive end-to-end screens
wrapping around the stage. R.U.N is a mixed-media show, and to get
there it had to blend pre-recorded content, live projected video, and
traditional sets and performance.
"When you walk into our show, it's more dangerous, dramatic," says
Bruce Rodgers, who designed both the show's set and the lobby. "You're
not in a comfort zone. We're the visual opposite of other Cirque du
Soleil shows from the get-go. Your emotional anticipation is
different. I'm super excited as a set designer amid all those other
great set designers that this is the one that's breaking all the
rules."
Tying together the sets and the video is a bold, expressive lighting
palate that took its cues from both the heavy metal and electronic
soundtrack, but also from the show's graphic novel aesthetic.
"It's hard to translate a graphic novel into light. It's like taking a
chalk line and outlining everything. Manipulating every image to be
comic book-ish," lighting d esigner David Finn said. "We're looking to
be really intense. Tyler's music is intense. We're being in-your-face
with a lot of stuff."
VIDEO & PROJECTION
------------------
Almost two tons of American muscle races through the Nevada Desert,
live on stage. Well, the car is live. The desert, not so much. Oh
sure, that was the idea at first, but sweeping it back outside every
night was getting old, fast.
With content led by Olivier Goulet and Projection Co-designer Johnny
Ranger, 4U2C, Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group's own Creative
Design Studio, created a massive video library for the production,
including the Mojave during the Rev scene, where the desert slices and
twists through the projected landscape behind the on-stage action to
create the illusion of movement. It combines into one of the most
visceral chapters of R.U.N, a key example of how all the design
elements come together to create a world of miles-wide depth and
miles-per-hour velocity.
"We wanted to make it more encompassing for the audience," Goulet
said. "All visual elements of the show, including set, lighting and
projections are truly working as one. We're making this experience a
visual feast where storyline and performers all come together in
context."
And then there's the Camerawoman. It's always more fun when someone's
watching, right?
Of the show, but not quite a part of it, The Camerawoman is there to
record every knuckle sandwich in loving detail. And she's tenacious,
following the action wherever it leads down with the fights or up
into the rafters -- to bring live video to massive screens that
envelop the stage. That footage is textured live, and often split up
into panels
there's that graphic novel feel again. Live video, action
movie, graphic novel, show
it's all there, at the same time.
STUNTS & FX
-----------
If you're not living dangerously, are you even alive?
Yes, and typically, for much longer. But still.
R.U.N is a stunt show at the heart of it, which might mean starting
from zero considering how other productions are steeped so heavily in
acrobatics. For performance coordinator Rob Bollinger, though, it was
a homecoming. Bollinger started his career in stunt work and brought
that experience to bear on creating R.U.N's kinetic action and
frenetic pace.
It started with the story, where Bollinger drew on the gritty,
industrial tableau to create a blend of fighting styles among the
Streetkingz and Blackjax. You might see some mixed martial arts, wushu
or straight-up pro-wrestling action during the show's multiple street
fights. And it's not just fighting. R.U.N's stunt performers also do
high falls, aerial work and body burns, while dodging pyrotechnics,
flames and explosions. All in a day's work, right?
R.U.N's blend of live video and live action forced the stunts to be
tighter than they'd be in a movie, where the camera couldn't always
hide the tricks. If it looked good on film, it still had to look good
to members of the audience at any spot in the theater and be
forgiving enough on performers that they could repeat it 10 times a
week.
"I want it to be a real stunt show, for you to feel the impact, feel
the gravity, feel all the elements that we have when you're doing a
real stunt show," Bollinger said. "And then understanding that film is
just one or two takes, but here it's I have to do it eight more times
a week.' How can we make it doable and repeatable, yet still be wowed?
I think certain stunts have an acrobatic nature to them, so we're not
completely departing from what we know and what we do, but it's
certainly in a different context."
WRITING
-------
Desperado. Planet Terror. Sin City. If you're putting together a
gritty neo-noir action thriller, you should get the best. And Robert
Rodriguez is the best. Since exploding onto the freewheeling 1990s
indie movie scene with El Mariachi, Rodriguez has written and directed
over a dozen features, but he's never before tackled a live production
show. That changed with R.U.N.
"It's very different writing for the stage; there's lots of things to
consider," he said. "You can't have traditional dialogue, so we're
using a voice-over device. But even with that, a lot has to be
conveyed, and so you have to set up situations and offer story in
paced-out doses. The rest has to be conveyed through movement and
staging. I knew it would be a great opportunity to see behind the
curtain on all that it entails to put a big show together, in all
areas including on a production level."
Rodriguez's hard-boiled dialogue drives the voice-over, and in turn
the story of R.U.N., drawing the audience into this seamy underworld
full of high-stakes action, set in a dusty desert landscape. Which
should sound familiar to Rodriguez fans. Those desertshowdowns, he
says, heighten the sense of infinite possibilities a Wild West where
anything can happen. It's that kind of anything-goes atmosphere that
allows Rodriguez the latitude to find the narrative between these
kinetic stunt pieces. Which was a unique challenge in scripting a show
like R.U.N.
"I love working within parameters," he said. "I find it just as
creative if not more creative then when you are totally free. There
was already a rough story in place and all of the set pieces when I
got contacted. They were looking for a story thread that could tie it
all together. Which is really fun to try and reverse engineer a story
by doing a minimal of moving things around. I felt it would be more
genre specific to have several story twists, so the characters evolved
in order to accommodate that, without really changing the structure or
set pieces."
THE MUSIC
---------
"There's no doubt that this show is steeped in an aesthetic of a
graphic novel. It's creating a world that really feels unique unto
itself." Tyler Bates, Composer
This isn't R.U.N composer Tyler Bates' first rodeo with eye-popping
action. Bates has collaborated with influential rock artists such as
Marilyn Manson and Bush, and has scored films like Guardians of the
Galaxy, 300, and the John Wick franchise among many more in TV, film
and beyond. He brings that low-down, dirty rock and electronic sound
to R.U.N. "When this show begins the objective is to pull you into our
own reality and our own rules. Some of the films I work on embody that
same characteristic, like John Wick. Once you begin watching one of
those movies, I think the music helps to set the rules and illustrate
what the world of the characters actually is. I think we're
approaching this show with a similar mindset."
Music isn't just the soundtrack here, it's a key part of the world-
building. As you enter the lobby, you hear the DJ spinning in the next
room. Move on to the theater, and she has the crowd moving before the
show. She even pops up later in key scenes to blister the action with
tunes worthy of a full-on club. As well as Bates' original music,
R.U.N also finds space for multiple takes on existing rock and pop
songs, with a cover of twenty one pilots' "Jumpsuit" sung by Gavin
Rossdale; Beyonce's "Haunted" as performed by Eivør; and New Order's
"Blue Monday" performed by HEALTH.
"Musically, it's so different," show director Michael Schwandt said.
"The integration of the songs, like Jumpsuit,' is just such a huge
treat for people who are fans of Gavin Rossdale and alternative music.
The first scene, Boom Brawl, is so powerful and bold, it almost feels
like a Marilyn Manson concert. It will wake people up and jolt them.
Musically, it has such a strong identity. We're tapping into so many
different areas, and it all feels exciting and edgy and current."
Plus, it's exactly the kind of music that sounds great for people to
get punched to, and that's really all that matters.
COSTUMES & CHARACTERS
---------------------
Rock n' roll, motorcycles, race cars and industrial landscapes in the
seedy underbelly of a sketchy city. If they're right about "dress for
the job you want," then this whole crew is ready to print up new
business cards for the reckless, unhinged street thug industry. R.U.N
is a world of gangland mayhem in a Las Vegas not entirely unlike our
own. And if you've spent any time in the real Las Vegas lately, you
might have noticed one or two people who stood out. Way out. Those
people are the inspiration for these characters. After all, that's the
world they inhabit they're children of the night, and the music they
make is loud.
The Streetkingz are brash and hip-hop, with abstract, colorful
tattoos. The look of the Blackjax is influenced by the classic
gangsters of the 1940s and 50s, but with a modern feel. The tattoos
for that crew are more representational, and heavy in reds and blacks.
Makeup designer Nathalie Gagné, a 25-year veteran of Cirque du Soleil,
sketched dozens of tattoos en route to creating the look of each gang.
That wasn't the only new test for her, though. She had two
considerations that ran counter to her two decades with the company:
makeup that could stand up to fire instead of water; and makeup that
revealed and reveled in the humans underneath. "We have a tendency to
do more exotic characters," she said. "For this show we're looking at
faces, light. It's the eyes and the lips, the skin. That's the big
difference."
Gagné wasn't the only one who had to deal with all the fire in R.U.N,
either. Costume designer Kym Barrett had to tackle all that heat
plus the abundance of free-falls in the show without the benefit of
being able to frequently send performers off to change. That means
that clothing had to allow for free movement but keep everyone
carefully fireproofed and padded for the high-energy stunts throughout
the show, without looking like they were riding the ladder truck to a
five-alarm fire.
"A lot of what you want to do is show as much real skin as possible
because it makes it much more connective to the audience," Barrett
said. "When we don't want them to be covered up so much, we had to
generate fireproof tattoo-printed body stockings which not only
protect them from the fire but cover up their pads. Trying to
streamline people and make them look sexy and young and be able to
move really well, it's difficult when you're trying to pad people so
much."
o) ME -- Am I brave, stupid, both, neither, or just plain crazy?
You'll have to figure that one out for yourself. You meet me when I
bust into a gangland wedding at just the wrong time. The bride's
side? Goons. The groom's side? Thugs. Sounds about right. I'm the
kind of guy who collects enemies and contusions in equal measure.
o) THE GROOM -- You hate to judge a man by how he acts on his worst
day. For the Groom, though, they're all the worst days. And that
was before I went and stuck my nose in and made things a thousand
times worse. The Groom is two parts hate to four parts vengeance,
and he's not letting anything get in the way not me, not his
gang, not a wall of pure fire.
o) THE BRIDE -- Ah, our damsel who causes distress. The Bride could be
caught between me and the Groom. She could be just another piece of
the gangland puzzle. Where do her loyalties really lie, and what's
she willing to do to get what she wants? Also, who did she hire to
cater the reception? Because from the look of things, she is not
getting her deposit back.
o) THE STREETKINZ -- Is there such a thing as a "good" gang? Probably
not, and the Streetkingz aren't going to try to convince you
otherwise. My crew is always there to back me up when I find myself
surrounded. Their gear may be shiny and colorful, but they're
anything but sunshine and roses.
o) THE BLACKJAX -- The Blackjax make my squad look like a barbershop
quartet on a warm Sunday afternoon. The Groom's mob is full of
thugs, heavies, muscle and henchmen in suits. And those are the
nicer ones. When it gets down to business, the Blackjax get nasty.
o) THE PROFESSIONAL -- Single-minded and relentless, once the
Professional gets started, he won't stop until one of us is dead.
Or he falls over. Or both. This dude could slip on a banana peel
and still stick a knife between your ribs on the way down. Seems
like a loser, till you try to lose him. If you want to survive the
Professional, you're going to need more than luck, because he has
it all.
o) THE DOCTOR -- This guy. Oof. Your happy place might not involve a
pair of clamps and some jumper cables, but The Doctor begs to
differ. He also begs to get you alone in a dark room with nothing
but some vice grips and a power drill. His credo is: First, do all
of the harm. Not the guy you invite to the company picnic, you
know?
THE EXPERIENCE
--------------
The desert wind blows hot and stiff. Somewhere outside of Las Vegas
or a place near enough like it as makes no difference stands a small
chapel. Guests, organ music, anticipation, the works. It's someone's
wedding day. A man walks inside, and he ain't here to toss rice.
In a flash he's out the door and clutching a necklace. Into the
getaway car and the chase is on, racing through city streets and out
into the audience. Before you're done picking at your popcorn, half of
these thugs are picking their teeth up off the floor as two gangs
erupt in a full-on riot, going at each other tooth-and-nail for their
very survival.
That's just the start of a night of flying motorcycles, savage
fighting, fierce loving, folks on fire, free-falls, free-for-alls, and
fireballs. It's a living, breathing, graphic novel that's nonstop
tire-peeling, fist-flinging and double-crossing action.
Cut forward to the last chapter, you'll finally see the Bride's true
colors. Then you'll understand why that wedding had to be stopped. If
you need to know all the nasty details, there's only one way to find
out. Like everything else in this world, it all comes down to that
cold, hard cash. Like the man said: Buy the ticket, take the ride.
Are. You. In?
Let's see...
------------------------------------------------------------
REVIEW /// "R.U.N stumbles a bit, but finishes the race
as a fun and unique experience!"
by: Eric Nowack - Chicago, Illinois (USA)
------------------------------------------------------------
My girlfriend and I went to see R.U.N on Sunday, Dec 22nd. We went to
the 7pm and 9:30pm shows to see it from different views and to make
sure I could to give it a proper review.
With R.U.N, you have to go in with an open mind because this is not
like the traditional Cirque shows. I wish they did a better job with
the marketing because I feel a lot of people go into this still
thinking they are going to see a bunch of circus acts mixed in with
stunts and fighting, which isn't the case. Also, the theater wasn't
made specifically for this show which hinders the creativity a bit but
Cirque does a good job with what they have to work with.
To start off, I'd like to address some of the criticism from other
reviewers and what I thought were some minor problems I specifically
had before going into the positives.
A lot of people seem to have a problem with how loud the music is.
Some say it was so loud that they had to use earplugs. I am not
doubting them, but I would like to say that I believe Cirque listened
to that feedback and corrected this. Both my girlfriend and I didn't
find the music to be that loud and she has more sensitive hearing than
me. The volume level sounded like any other Vegas Cirque show such as
O and Ka. I've heard louder sound when seeing movies in Imax.
Another complaint is how fake the fights look. When I first watched
the original video Cirque put out from the opening scene, yes...there
were some bad moments. With that said, I think the performers have
gotten more comfortable with the timing of punches, kicks, etc because
while you can still occasionally see the hits not connecting, it all
looked pretty good and they moved much quicker instead of being slow
with their moves. Remember, this isn't like watching a movie where you
can hide stuff with camera angles. The fighting will never look 100%
legit.
One other thing I noticed in reviews is that people say it's more like
watching a movie than a live show. Some even say that 70% of the show
is video. I don't think that they were paying much attention to their
surroundings. There are three main videos if I remember correctly. The
very beginning which introduces the main characters and sets up the
story. That goes on for maybe 4 minutes or so. After the warehouse
fight, we get the opening credits which is about 2 minutes. Then there
are end credits. That's all of the main video. Any other time video is
being played, it's shot live. Certain situations happen on the sides
of the theater or in the middle walkway. So instead of having to turn
around to look, you can easily watch the screen in front of you.
What's cool about this and a positive for me is that if you choose to
watch the screen during these live portions, they add props and the
way the action is shot makes it feel like you're watching a real movie
going on simultaneously. So you as the viewer can choose which way you
want to see it. This happens only a couple times during the show. From
what I can remember, it's when "Me" is searching for "The Dancer" to
get the necklace. Then this happens during the Torture scene. With
this part, you don't need to watch the upper portion of the stage to
see the video since the action is right there on stage, but again, the
way the background props are set up and the way it's shot, it is
pretty cool to watch the video. It came in handy seeing the show
twice, that way I could check out both the action on stage and watch
the videos the second time around. To conclude on this part, I'd say
there are maybe 7 minutes total of video that you have to watch
without anything else going on. The rest of the times video is being
shown, it's being filmed live and you can choose to either watch the
performers or the video if you don't feel like turning your head.
Alright, now here are my personal negatives of the show. They are very
minor, but still things that could be fixed.
First one is some of the lighting. There are parts during the show
where the light is so blinding, you can't see what's going on or you
just have to look away/cover your eyes. This was much worse sitting up
close. First show, we were maybe 4th row from the stage, center. This
happened about four or five times. Luckily it only lasted a few
seconds or so each time, but still annoying. The second time we were
in the 1st row center, right by the middle walkway. It happened less
sitting in these seats, but still had blinding light maybe two times
or so. Sitting closer is much worse and I hope they can fix this. One
part I can remember was during the first fight towards the end when
"Me" and "Groom" are fighting on the moving platform. There are lights
right above if I remember correctly that are constantly on. For most
of this part, I had to cover my eyes or squint to see.
The only other negative is that a couple scenes feel like they go on a
bit too long. I really enjoyed the car chase, but even for me it felt
longer than it needed to be. The other scene when "Me" and "Bride" are
under the water. They play a quick video showing the characters
floating and then fades to the performers on wires floating around.
This part looked a bit silly and again, went on too long. I'd say
leave the video portion and cut the performers floating around. Now,
if they can make the performers floating look more realistic, then I
say cut out the video and leave the live performance in. This scene
doesn't need both.
Now for all of the positives! I've been a Cirque fan going on 25 years
and have seen most of their shows with the exception of maybe three.
As much as I enjoy their shows, I've always wanted to see Cirque try
something different or unique. Get out of their comfort zone. They did
this with Zumanity and it's now one of my favorite shows. So I was
excited to see R.U.N since it's new territory for Cirque. The negative
reviews were starting to worry me, but I always go into a new show
with an open mind and it helped that I knew this wouldn't be the usual
Cirque show. After seeing it twice and having some time to think about
it, I really enjoyed R.U.N!
The opening video introducing the characters and setting up the story
was pretty cool for the simple fact they filmed the performers doing
this and then added a filter to make it look like a comic/graphic
novel come to life. Some people hate the fact that it's video, but you
have to keep in mind that this theater wasn't built for a Cirque show
like all of the others. There would be no way they could pull this off
in the theater, so I was perfectly fine with the video.
After the intro, "Me" crashes out of a window and comes into the
audience, which was a pretty neat transition from video to the live
performance. He then proceeds to fight some of the rival gang members
before ziplining into the fireworks factory where the first brawl
takes place.
The brawl, as I mentioned earlier, was a lot of fun to watch and got
me pumped for the show. Again, it feels like the performers are more
comfortable now with their moves and it made the fights look more
realistic. Everyone had high energy and it was overall enjoyable.
Opening credits....not much to say about that since it's just some
pictures and names fading in and out. I can get this out of the way
though and say that the music here and during the rest of the show was
really good. Some music is original and some were not. Still, I think
the music they chose works well with the show. The DJ wasn't
performing that night which was disappointing, but in her place was
the guitarist who was great!
Next scene opens with "Me" hunting down "The Dancer" to get the
necklace. Yes, the necklace is important but I'm trying not to spoil
much. This part I really liked because this is where you can choose to
watch the performers or the video on stage. A camera operator follows
the performers around so it's all happening live. What's cool about
this is that it's fun watching the performers, but there are little
set details you won't notice unless you watch the video as well.
Example, you see the performer open a door and go into a room where he
is attacked. Cool, but if you watch the video, you can see that they
made it look like a trashy apartment and "Me" is searching for the
necklace under junk. It looked just like a movie happening at the same
time. I really appreciate that and found it unique.
The following scene is a flashback showing how both gangs got along
before things go wrong. The dancing was hit and miss for me and felt
like it dragged a bit. While some danced, others were spray painting
on the walls which was done with projections, which was neat. Then we
get our first motor bike act which had the drivers performing stunts
on the ground. Pretty fun and entertaining to watch.
Next comes the controversial torture scene. First I'd like to address
all of the people that say it's too violent and doesn't fit in with
the show. It's an action/thriller! It's going to be violent! Honestly
the torture parts didn't bother me at all. There is no blood or gore
and I've seen equal or a bit worse in PG13 movies. The reason I
enjoyed this act so much is that Cirque got creative and found a way
to add sideshow acts into the story. So for people complaining there
is no circus acts in the show, this part is your circus act. Sideshow
acts have always been a part of circus but it's not really appreciated
which is sad. It's still performance art, it came from the circus, and
you have to be skilled, not to mention brave. I'm happy to see
sideshow acts get some recognition, especially in a big show like
this. Anyways, there are two Doctors in rotation for this act and I
had the pleasure of seeing Auzzy in the role. He was great and very
talented along with the other performers who get set on fire and have
their arm broken. This was one of my favorite and most memorable acts
of the show.
The car chase comes next and I have to say it was more fun to see this
in person than the small video clip online. There is much more that
goes on and I love how they integrate performers and the car with the
video background. As mentioned earlier though, this act feels like it
goes on a bit too long. My girlfriend said it best in that it feels
like one of those video game levels you keep dying in over and over
until you learn every turn perfectly. Still, another highlight of the
show and a favorite of mine.
The two characters, "Me" and "Bride" have crashed into the river.
There is a quick video of them under water and then it fades to the
performers hanging from wires pretending to swim. The way it's
presented and the movements kind of make the scene goofy. If they
can't get the swimming movements to be more real or at least subtle, I
say cut that and leave the video in. If they can improve the
performers swimming, then get rid of the video and keep the live
performance. One of my least favorite parts but it has potential to be
a beautiful scene.
The matrix run was pretty cool. You have "Me" running in cyberspace
and the way he ran with the harness along with the video projection
was fun to watch, though a bit silly at times because the performer
had to do arm movements outside of the wires attached to his waist. So
when he faced sideways or ran up/down, it looked good. Running towards
the audience or away resulted in the performer looking like he really
had to find a bathroom.
The final battle which is the last motor bike act where they do tricks
off ramps was a lot of fun but I can see how some reviewers were put
off by it because in between jumps, nothing happens and you can't see
the cyclist get ready for the jump because it's all happening back
stage. I think in between the jumps, they should have the "Punk
Ninjas" (at least that's what I'm calling them) dance or do some more
moves with their bo-staffs. Overall, good end to the show and fun to
watch.
So that's my thoughts on R.U.N. I know it's a long read, but I wanted
to make sure I touched on everything. I'll end this review trying to
answer if you should see this or not. My girlfriend and I loved the
show, but not everyone will. If you want to see a Cirque du Soleil
show with acrobatics, circus acts, and weird costumes, then this isn't
for you. If you are a fan but looking for something unique, fun, and
have an open mind, then give R.U.N a shot.
=======================================================================
COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER
=======================================================================
Fascination! Newsletter
Volume 20, Number 1 (Issue #192) - January 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.
{ Jan.10.2020 }
=======================================================================
