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Fascination Issue 207
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T h e U n o f f i c i a l
C i r q u e d u S o l e i l N e w s l e t t e r
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http://www.CirqueFascination.com
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VOLUME 21, NUMBER 4 Apr/May 2021 ISSUE #207
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Welcome to the latest edition of Fascination, the Unofficial
Cirque du Soleil Newsletter.
* * * THE SUN RISES * * *
This is the news we've been waiting for -- The Sun Rises and Cirque
du Soleil proudly announces its return to the stage!
400 days have passed since we had to take a prolonged
intermission. 400 days of anxiously waiting to return to the
stage; waiting to bring to you, our loyal fans, the hope, joy
and creativity of Cirque du Soleil.
We will be kicking things off by reopening two of our beloved
shows in Las Vegas. Mystère returns to the stage at Treasure
Island on June 28, 2021 and "O" reopens with its first
performance on July 1, 2021 at Bellagio. (Tickets are now
available).
We are also happy to confirm the return of our stunning touring
shows KOOZA & LUZIA. KOOZA will be presented under the iconic Big
Top in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic starting November 25, 2021
and LUZIA will return to the Royal Albert Hall in London on
January 12, 2022. Further details to be announced shortly.
We can't wait to see you!
The intermission is over folks. Cirque du Soleil returns! (And us
too after a one-month hiatus.) To celebrate this wonderful news,
allow me to share an original review of Luzia in Montreal - about a
month after premiere - to remember what it's like to see a brand new
Cirque show for the first time. That excitement... the anticipation.
It's one of the best premieres I have ever attended! And soon we'll
be able to experience the show live again.
And speaking of new shows... WDWNT reports that the outside of the
Cirque du Soleil Theater at Downtown Disney, er, sorry, Disney
Springs is being repainted in preparation for the soon-to-open
new resident show "Drawn to Life" later this fall. Things are really
looking up!
Enjoy!
/----------------------------------------------------\
| |
| 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
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CONTENTS
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o) Cirque Buzz -- News, Rumours & Sightings
* La Presse -- General News & Highlights
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
*) REVIEW /// "LUZIA: A Waking Dream" {Re-Print}
By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA)
o) Copyright & Disclaimer
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CIRQUE BUZZ -- NEWS, RUMOURS & SIGHTINGS
=======================================================================
***************************************************************
LA PRESSE -- General News & Highlights
***************************************************************
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Intermission is Over!
{Apr.21.2021}
----------------------------------------------------------
Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group ("Cirque du Soleil"), the world's
leading producer of high-quality live entertainment, marks a milestone
moment in the company's history today. The Cirque du Soleil sun is
rising as the company proudly announces the reopening of four of its
most iconic shows after being closed for more than a year due to the
pandemic. "O" at Bellagio and Mystère at Treasure Island will reopen
this summer in Las Vegas. For the touring show division, KOOZA will be
presented in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, starting November 2021,
while LUZIA will reopen at London's Royal Albert Hall in January 2022.
Additionally, the Group's affiliate show Blue Man Group will return to
Luxor Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas this summer.
"This is the moment we have all been waiting for," said Daniel
Lamarre, President and CEO of Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Group.
"Almost 400 days have passed since we had to take a temporary hiatus,
and we have been anxiously awaiting our return to the stage. I am so
proud of the resilience of our artists and employees who persevered
during the most challenging times with stages dark around the world
for so long. I just can't wait to see the lights go back on."
Intermission Is Over
Cirque du Soleil has brought wonder and delight to more than 365
million spectators in over 90 countries since its beginnings in 1984.
Today, Cirque du Soleil rises up to continue its mission to cultivate
creativity and share the hope and joy that live entertainment brings.
Mystère will return to its stage at Treasure Island on June 28, 2021,
and "O" will mark its first performance on July 1, 2021. Tickets are
available as of 12:00 pm PT today.
LUZIA will return with an engagement at Royal Albert Hall in London
starting January 12, 2022, while KOOZA will be presented under the
iconic Big Top in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic starting November 25.
Further details to be announced shortly.
Also returning to Las Vegas is Blue Man Group with performances
starting June 24, 2021. Tickets go on sale April 29.
Tickets can be purchased online at:
www.cirquedusoleil.com/o
www.cirquedusoleil.com/mystere
www.blueman.com/las-vegas/buy-tickets
In addition, Cirque du Soleil Events and Experiences, the company's
fully integrated international turnkey creative and artistic content
solution provider is ramping up operations. For nearly 20 years,
Cirque du Soleil Events + Experiences has created and produced one-of-
a-kind projects for some of the world's most prestigious events, with
clients in the public and private sectors across the world.
"This is only the beginning. We look forward to sharing more exciting
news in the coming weeks," added Daniel Lamarre.
For more information about current show schedules, ticket information
as well as our health and safety measures, visit cirquedusoleil.com.
Join Cirque Club at cirqueclub.com to receive advance access to the
best seats, partner promotions and insider information on the world of
Cirque du Soleil. For Blue Man Group information, visit blueman.com.
Cirque du Soleil would like to send out a special thank you to its
partners Air Canada, Mastercard, Realtor.com, SAP and Sun Life Global
Investments for their ongoing support and for helping model an
inspiring present and an even brighter future together.
{ SOURCE: Cirque du Soleil }
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A closer look at Cirque du Soleil's restart in Las Vegas
{Apr.26.2021}
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Cirque du Soleil announced last week that its two longest running Las
Vegas Strip shows will be the Canadian company's first resident
productions to return their respective stages. "Mystére," originally
opened in 1993, will come alive again at Treasure Island on June 28,
while "O" at Bellagio, which first arrived in 1998, reopens on July 1.
Most larger-scale Vegas shows have not been able to reopen yet as
casinos, theaters and arenas navigate pandemic restrictions and
protocols, but that is expected to change soon under Clark County's
safety plan when its approved by the state and capacity limits and
social distancing requirements fade. And that means Cirque du Soleil
will likely bring back its other Strip shows later this year.
"We will know in a few weeks how ticket sales are going for the first
two shows," said Daniel Lamarre, president and CEO of Cirque du Soleil
Entertainment Group. "When I look to our crystal ball, Vegas is
catching up much faster than we expected, and if that's the case we
might look at opening up The Beatles LOVE' [at Mirage] in July,
Michael Jackson ONE' [at Mandalay Bay] sometime near the end of
August and then KÁ' [at MGM Grand] in September or October."
The reopenings of "O" and "Mystére" are being planned for full
capacity without social distancing in their theaters of 1,800 and
1,600 seats, respectively. While the state will pass COVID mitigation
plans and responsibilities to the county on May 1, casino venues will
remain under the guidance of the Nevada Gaming Control Board. The
board announced last week that casinos will be allowed to follow
updated capacity limits (80%) and social distancing requirements (3
feet) as of May 1.
Lamarre said his company's plans assume that vaccinations will
continue to be distributed on pace and noted all Cirque employees will
be vaccinated and will continue to be tested for the virus on a
regular basis to ensure the safety of cast, crew and audiences.
"It is amazing to us because these are the two most iconic shows for
Cirque. Both have played a major role in the growth of Cirque du
Soleil worldwide and contributed to building the brand because of
their success in Las Vegas," Lamarre said. "For us it is very
symbolic, not to mention how emotional it is to open those two shows
first. When I made the announcement to our employees, there were a lot
of tears. People see the openings of Mystére' and O' as a clear
signal to the world that Cirque du Soleil is back."
Cirque also owns the Blue Man Group's show at Luxor after an
acquisition in 2017, and that highly successful production will reopen
in its 850-seat second-level theater on June 24. Audience interaction
is a bigger part of the Blue Man show than the other productions
Cirque has originated in Las Vegas, so that aspect will be minimized
upon reopening, Lamarre said.
The intense, acrobatic athleticism and careful choreography that
create such renowned spectacle in "Mystére" and "O" will require
plenty of time and hard work to return to form. Cirque's performers
have been staying in shape over the course of the shutdown and are now
returning to training and rehearsals.
"It's very important when we open a show to the public that the
quality is the same as it was a year ago," Lamarre said. "The good
news about our Vegas shows is that in general, with the cast and
crews, 95 to 98 percent of everyone lives in Las Vegas and that makes
it less complicated than other shows around the world. We stayed in
touch regularly with our artists and have been supporting them as much
as we can, and they are eager to be back in the theaters as soon as
possible."
Cirque du Soleil has become synonymous with Las Vegas entertainment
over the past three decades and there's no understating the
significance of the return of these shows. In December, concert trade
publication Pollstar estimated the live events industry had lost
approximately $30 billion in 2020.
"Obviously we've been talking to people in the entertainment world and
we have a lot of friends and connections in different companies around
the world, and we've all been suffering at the same time while trying
to help each other, trying to understand what was going on and how we
could rebound," Lamarre said. "One comment we heard the most is
when
will Cirque be back, because that will mean the entertainment industry
is back."
"Mystére" reopens June 28 at Treasure Island and will initially be
performed at 7 p.m. Friday through Tuesday with additional 9:30 p.m.
shows Fridays and Saturdays. Ticket information can be found here.
"O" reopens July 1 at Bellagio and will initially be performed at 7
p.m. Wednesday through Sunday with additional 9:30 p.m. shows Fridays
and Saturdays. Ticket information can be found here.
Blue Man Group reopens June 24 at Luxor and will be performed at 5 and
8 p.m. Thursday through Monday. Tickets go on sale April 29.
{ SOURCE: Brock Radke; Las Vegas Sun }
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Christopher Kenny is Back in a New Show!
{May.05.2021}
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Christopher Kenney will be forever remembered in the long legacy of
live Vegas entertainment for portraying Edie in Cirque du Soleil's
epic cabaret Zumanity for more than a decade at New York-New York.
Last fall, when the company decided the show would not be returning to
the Strip, the veteran entertainer already had something new to work
on. Kenney co-created Faaabulous! The Show, a new drag spectacle
currently performing at Notoriety Live.
Q. You actually launched Faaabulous before the pandemic hit Las Vegas.
What was that like?
A little over a year and a half ago, we did a workshop just to get it
out of our heads, to stop talking about it and just do it. We did four
shows at Ron DeCar's Event Center downtown, to see if we had
something, and the response was amazing. We felt excited and proud and
thought we were ready to
try to get it into a casino. But doing 10
shows a week in Zumanity (caused it) to fall to the back burner for
the next few months, and then COVID came.
Q. And you did a bit of performing in the Drive-In Drag Show last
summer, but when Cirque announced the closure of Zumanity, did that
kick things into gear for this new project?
Zumanity should have never, ever closed. That show was just stunning.
I'll miss the show deeply but it feels good to me to be able to move
on and it feels good to be doing something. The funny thing is people
coming to see me as Edie didn't know I'm a dancer. I was a dancer my
whole life until Zumanity, which was just an emcee role. So it feels
good to dance again, maybe one last hurrah before I'm too old. But I'm
up for it, all the high kicks and everything.
Q. And you're doing it every Friday night at Notoriety Live, one of
the newest entertainment venues in the city at downtown's
Neonopolis complex.
We're teaching people where it's at and how to get there, where to
park. We're just coming out of the train station and hopefully it will
be successful and we get more people in seats. We've had great
audiences, we just need to get the word out more to tourists. Right
now it's mostly locals
and the energy is great.
Q. You've got an amazing cast of drag artists and dancers. What do you
think sets it apart from other drag shows?
It's all-live vocals and there are four-part harmonies, which is
really exciting. And we have some really fun and different songs, some
more traditional and others more contemporary. We do a Dua Lipa song.
Edie has a sort of '60s vibe so some songs have a bit of a go-go feel.
Q. I'm sure you're learning a lot, playing the role of producer and
promoter and all that, but how does it feel just to be back onstage
in front of live audiences?
It's really fun. I feel like my old self, my New York self, the guy
who was just really excited to perform, like "What's the next gig?"
The creativity is really flowing and it feels really good, and there
are just a lot of great vibes coming from the audience. It's nice to
feel that spin again. We give it to the audience and hopefully they
like it and give it back to us, and it turns into this spinning
magical thing
. It's a great feeling.
{ SOURCE: Las Vegas Magazine }
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Cirque's Return Could Be Its Most Challenging Feat Yet
{May.05.2021}
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Confinement has posed a particular challenge for the Québécois
aerialist Guillaume Paquin. Practicing signature moves, like twisting
his way up a 20-foot rope before spinning downward like a helicopter
propeller, is a bit tricky from his cramped living room.
Now, however, the former Cirque du Soleil performer may soon be able
to trade in his Montreal apartment for the big top: The famed circus
is returning to the stage after the pandemic forced it to shutter 44
shows, from Melbourne to Hangzhou.
With vaccinations accelerating across the world, the Cirque announced
late last month that its two longest-running Las Vegas shows, "O" and
"Mystère," will return this summer. "Luzia," a crowd-pleaser featuring
acrobats jumping to and from a pair of huge swings, will open at Royal
Albert Hall in London next January. And talks are underway to reopen
in China, Japan, South Korea and Spain.
At a time when the pandemic is still raging and uncertainty remains
about people's willingness to return to large theater venues, the
attempted comeback by the former behemoth is a litmus test of sorts
for the live entertainment industry.
Can the badly battered Montreal-based circus, already struggling with
creative exhaustion before the pandemic, rise again?
"It's been more than a year that we are all stuck at home," said Mr.
Paquin, 26, who previously starred as the extraterrestrial humanoid
Entu in "Toruk," the elaborately staged Cirque show inspired by James
Cameron's film "Avatar." He is not part of the Las Vegas shows soon to
commence but is eager to get back onstage.
"Audiences are hungry for live entertainment," he said.
The reopening of Cirque du Soleil comes as the global performing arts
are cautiously re-emerging.
In New York, the actor Nathan Lane and the dancer Savion Glover
recently performed, briefly and one at a time, in front of a masked
audience of 150 people, presaging what theater producers hope will be
the resumption of Broadway performances in the fall.
In an early peek at what a vaccinated future may look like, Israelis
with two shots can get a "Green Pass" that allows access to indoor and
outdoor cultural and sporting events.
And this month Rotterdam plans to host the Eurovision Song Contest in
front of a limited live audience.
But before Cirque shows can restart, it must put back together a
company that was all but dismantled at the start of the pandemic.
During its 400-day hiatus, Cirque's revenues plummeted to zero, and it
shed nearly 4,700 people, or 95 percent of its work force, leaving
many of the world's best trapeze artists and acrobats confined at
home, unable to practice.
Mr. Paquin said the long pause had undermined his confidence, since he
couldn't rehearse his airborne routines. When he recently started
retraining, he said, he discovered that he had lost his "muscle
memory" and felt afraid to be in the air. "It was really painful for
me to go back," he said.
With touring on the horizon, the circus also faces the logistical
challenge of navigating different health and safety rules across the
globe. "It's going to take a very long time for the Cirque to come
back to what it was before the pandemic if ever," said Mitch Garber,
who stepped down last year as Cirque's chairman.
Yasmine Khalil, who recently stepped down as Cirque's executive
producer after 25 years at the company, said the group retained a
sparkling global brand, while the pandemic offered the radically
scaled-down organization the opportunity to reinvent itself.
But Ms. Khalil said the dusting-off of decades-old Las Vegas stalwarts
underscored that in the era of lethal coronavirus variants and
decimated profits, Cirque was not prepared to take creative or
financial risks. Innovating is hard, she added, "when the primary goal
is to break even and to focus on getting people to shows without them
getting sick."
"Would I go sit inside a theater with 2,000 people and wear a mask for
two hours?" she asked. "Probably not."
Originating in the 1980s as a troupe of Québécois stilt-walkers, fire
breathers and other performers, Cirque du Soleil went on to reinvent
the circus with jaw-dropping acrobatics, live music, flamboyant
costumes and monumental, if thinly plotted, spectacle. At its height
in 2019, when Cirque had seven simultaneous shows in Las Vegas, it was
drawing nearly 10,000 theatergoers nightly.
"Mystère" and "O" scheduled to open June 28 and July 1, respectively
will operate at full capacity in theaters of 1,806 and 1,616 seats
without social distancing and at prepandemic ticket prices, said
Daniel Lamarre, Cirque du Soleil's chief executive. Employees will be
tested regularly, and vaccination, while voluntary, will be strongly
encouraged. The aim is to open the remaining three other Las Vegas
shows by the end of the year.
Under new rules by Clark County, where Las Vegas is, shows can proceed
with no social distancing once 60 percent of the state's eligible
population has received at least one Covid-19 vaccine dose. Masks will
be required. On May 6, Nevada reported that nearly 47 percent had
received at least one shot.
Gabriel Dubé-Dupuis, a former Cirque creative director, cautioned that
the company faced a significant hurdle there, since the younger fans
Cirque needed to remain relevant were more likely to be drawn to night
clubs and hotel pool parties.
But Mr. Lamarre said he was optimistic that audiences, emboldened by
vaccination, would return to performances with greater fervor than
ever. "We are banking on the fact that people have been confined for
so long and that people are desperate to be entertained," he said. But
then he added, "Maybe I am too much of a dreamer?"
Cirque applied for bankruptcy protection in June after its debt
ballooned to nearly $1 billion. Mr. Lamarre said the company had since
been buttressed by a $375 million infusion from its new owners, a
group that includes Catalyst Capital Group, a Toronto-based firm that
invests in distressed companies.
Critics, analysts and former employees say the former entertainment
colossus faces an uphill struggle.
Even before the pandemic, the Cirque was grappling with creative
tensions, with producers complaining that they were being squeezed to
produce shows too quickly. Other artists lamented that the artistic
alchemy of the past had been supplanted by over-the-top production
values and convoluted story lines in an effort to churn out formulaic
blockbusters.
Cirque managers, however, retort that an old guard of artists never
fully adapted to the business realities of a sprawling entertainment
company.
Among recent commercial failures was "Run," which premiered in Las
Vegas at the Luxor Hotel in fall 2019 and billed itself as a "live-
action thriller." After development costs of $60 million, it closed
after just five months because the decision to eschew Cirque's
signature acrobatics alienated fans.
Cirque must also grapple with out-of-shape circus artists, many of
whom have been forced to pursue other ways to make a living.
Mr. Paquin, the aerialist, last appeared with Cirque in December 2019
as a sequined snowflake in "'Twas the Night Before
," its schmaltzy
holiday show at Madison Square Garden in New York.
Since being grounded, he and a group of fellow Montreal-based
performers formed their own circus collective that will perform this
summer in outdoor spaces like fields. To keep in shape during
lockdowns, the group does handstands, splits and stretches around
their apartments. But Mr. Paquin said it would take Cirque performers
months to get show-ready again.
For Uranbileg Angarag, a Mongolian contortionist, rehearsing favorite
moves from home like putting her legs 180 degrees in front of her
head while balancing on a cane in her mouth has been difficult: The
ceiling of her apartment in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia's capital, gets in
the way. She has supplemented her income by offering online yoga
classes.
A former Cirque artist, Olivier Sylvestre, has been working as a
barista at a Montreal cafe, while Arthur Morel Van Hyfte, 26, a French
trapeze artist, has used his time off to study acting.
Mr. Morel Van Hyfte said the health risks of a pandemic would add
stress to a job with already superhuman demands.
"I hope that the pandemic will help Cirque du Soleil to regain its
poetry and soul," he said.
{ SOURCE: The New York Times }
=======================================================================
ITINÉRAIRE -- TOUR/SHOW INFORMATION
=======================================================================
o) BIGTOP - Under the Grand Chapiteau
{Koozå, Kurios}
o) RESIDENT - Performed en Le Théâtre
{Mystère, "O", JOYA, X: The Land of Fantasy}
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
------------------------------------
Koozå:
Punta Cana, DR -- Nov 25, 2022 to TBA
Luzia:
London, UK -- Jan 12, 2022 to Feb 12, 2022
---------------------------------
RESIDENT - en Le Théâtre
---------------------------------
Mystère:
Location: Treasure Island, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Friday through Tuesday, Dark: Wednesday/Thursday
Variable Nightly - 7:00pm and/or 9:30pm
** SHOWS RETURN JUNE 28, 2021!! **
"O":
Location: Bellagio, Las Vegas (USA)
Performs: Wednesday through Friday, Dark Monday/Tuesday
Varable Nightly - 7:30pm and/or 9:30pm
** SHOWS RETURN JULY 1, 2021!! **
JOYÀ:
Location: Riviera Maya, Mexico
Performs: Tuesday through Saturday, Dark: Sunday/Monday
X: THE LAND OF FANTASY
Location: Hangzhou, China
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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 #42: SPOTLIGHT ON AMALUNA {Mar.12}
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_J-tr6kE0i0
- SPECIAL #43: SPOTLIGHT ON ONE DROP {Mar.19}
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ll9xdB-jaXU
- SPECIAL #44: SPOTLIGHT ON QUIDAM {Mar.26}
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFfz0wZNRh8
- SPECIAL #45: SPOTLIGHT ON CORTEO {Apr.09}
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdPyUeHA5wg
- SPECIAL #46: BEST OF SINGING {Apr.30}
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hahVWaiMtYE
o) CIRQUECLASS - Zaldy Goco
Learn from Zaldy Goco, the world-renowned designer behind some
of the biggest pop icons and #CirqueduSoleil? shows. Straddling
the twin genres of fashion and costume design to create
unforgettable, colourful and beautifully crafted costumes and
pieces, take a seat as he takes you into his universe.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GwpsHD9iYIw
o) NOMADS
In this first episode of NOMADS, meet Andrew and Kevin
Atherton as they let us in on their life-changing decisions
and set off to travel across continents to join the cast and
crew of Joyà, #irque du Soleil?'s dinner show in Riviera Maya,
Mexico.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQ4INQFvVCk
o) OTHER VIDEOS
- JOYÀ - MAGNETIK ACT | SKIPPING ROPE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tMXfgqCE_oY
- THE SUN RISES
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BE6Wc2RM9UQ
- THE SUN RISES OVER LUZIA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YjtHsxjFXE
=======================================================================
FASCINATION! FEATURES
=======================================================================
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REVIEW /// "LUZIA: A Waking Dream"
By: Ricky Russo - Atlanta, Georgia (USA)
-----------------------------------------------------------
Those of you whove met me know I am a champion for experiencing a new
Cirque show amongst the hometown crowd. Theres absolutely no
substitute for being in the stands of the Grand Chapiteau with a
couple-thousand Québécois, clapping and stomping to the shows beat,
having a marvelous time celebrating the birth of a new spectacle. The
energy of the artists and the crowd alike is so high their enthusiasm
becomes more than a little infectious. Its a magical, enlightening
sentiment you cant get anywhere else! Its a truth I first discovered
when I stepped on the cobblestoned streets of the Old Port in 2002 for
Varekais premiere, and Ive done everything in my power to make sure
I repeated that experience from then on for Corteo (2005), Koozå
(2007), OVO (2009), TOTEM (2010), Amaluna (2012), and KURIOS: Cabinet
of Curiosities (2014) each becoming a unique, but highly memorable
encounter.
For LUZIA, it seemed as if my string of good fortune would be
interrupted. Two life-changing events occurred within 30-days of each
other all in the month of April that precluded contemplating a
performance during the run in Montreal: the birth of our first child,
and the purchase of our first house. Talk about an upheaval! There was
absolutely no way to reach Montreal by summertime, was there? As it
turned out... friend and fellow fan José Pérez (The Chapiteau), who
had just come off of an amazing experience at TORUKs premiere at the
Bell Centre in Montreal in late December, really wanted to experience
a premiere under the big top. And not wanting to miss out on the fun
we put our collective heads together and chose a date... It would take
some maneuvering on my part to make it happen, but, I managed! And
although we would see the show a month after its world premiere, our
excitement for being there wasnt diminished in the slightest.
Despite a few hiccups arriving in Montreal (my flight was delayed out
of La Guardia, putting me in Montreal about three hours later than
originally planned; forcing us to face rush hour traffic from the
airport, almost causing us to miss the show on the first night!), we
had a fantastic time in Montreal. Now, allow me to take you through
the "waking dream" that is LUZIA by using various Cirque Press Room
materials and a bit of my own observations...
PRELUDE
-------
From the very moment Cirque du Soleil began teasing this new creation
it was obvious we were in for something unique, even more than the
steampunk infused aesthetic of KURIOS-CABINET DES CURIOSITÉS. The
media ramp-up to KURIOSs debut was a bit unconventional, releasing
its own unique brand of mysterious yet inviting teasers, but LUZIA
seemed even more peculiar. What were these visuals featuring a
silhouette of a lady/cactus running through a kaleidoscope of colorful
images and strange creatures, all set to a house-techno beat? How
bizarre! Was Cirque on acid or was someone at marketing embracing
their ADHD tendencies? As such many fans were perplexed, unsure what
to make of the new concept me included which provoked generally
mixed-to-negative reactions, at least initially. The purpose of or
at least artistic reasons for - the hummingbirds and fish-headed
people eluded us and the fandom immediately began comparing LUZIA to
the companys vast array of classic productions (which were better, as
argued), even before we knew anything more than the show was based on
the artistic expression and richness of modern Mexico.
In the weeks that followed, as we learned more about the productions
theme, technologies, acrobatics, music, and performers, many fans
again, me included became ever more excited about the shows
prospects. And when it was announced that a studio album would be
available even before the show officially held its debut, well, it
brought the fans to fever pitch. But there was a caveat: the album
would take Carpentiers original music written for a live acoustic
setting and pass it through the filter of the electro-pop of Nortec
Collectives Bostich + Fussible (real names: Ramón Amezcua and Pepe
Mogt), infused with brassy Mexican and Latin American sounds. It would
be another inspired by album.
Its an unprecedented move, but not unexpected. Although it would
normally take months for an album to be recorded, mixed, and released
after the debut of a new show (touring or otherwise) naturally
because the show is still in creation and its musicians are really
busy, its neigh impossible to take them out of that environment early
for recording session it all came down to business. Montreal,
Toronto, and San Francisco are big markets for Cirque du Soleil... and
one of the biggest souvenir sellers wherever they go is - you guessed
it - the music album. So, with a mandate to bring product to the
people as soon as possible, the only way to get that accomplished was
to outsource its creation.
And in that process, they asked themselves: "Why dont we find some
producers that we like who are in Mexico, people who really live their
culture?" Slain and Simon agreed that Nortec Collective carried the
real sound of their country, very current and also forward-thinking.
"They have this spirit and sound in the groove, and in the
instruments. [Their music] is modern, its surprising, its unusual,
and all of the colors from the sound of Mexico are there." And, though
we didnt know it at the time, two of the songs featured in the
aforementioned videos were produced by Nortec Collective for the
teasers - "Asi es la vida" and "los mosquitos". And according to Alain
Vinet, they did such a good job with those two he asked them to
produce the whole album with them. The music on the album is quite
different from what youll hear in the show, but as Simon Carpentier
pointed out in an interview with Billboard Magazine "its the same
composition, all the melodies are there." And he is right, but Im
getting ahead of myself here.
INSPIRACION
-----------
Cirque du Soleil already opened JOYA at the Grand Mayan Resort in the
Riviera Maya (with a distinctive Mexican-themed production), and is
currently developing a Themed Resort (with attractions) complex in
Puerto Vallarta both in Mexico. Why did Cirque need yet another show
based on/in Mexico? Perhaps two things: first, JOYA is a 45 DEGREES
produced show (a separate entity, but still under the umbrella of the
Group du Soleil), but perhaps more importantly, it was a show thats
been well received. Its success gave the company the idea to go for a
bigger show, one that could go on tour. The reasoning makes even more
sense when you understand that the Mexican government agreed to invest
in and fund LUZIA to the tune of $47 million dollars in a move to
promote the countrys culture, history, and music. (Alas, its a move
many artists in the country are against by the way a petition sent
to the Mexican Government decried this use of money, when it could
have been better spent locally on schools and other resources.) So is
that all the show is... a plea to get visitors to Mexico, an
advertisement paid for by the countrys government? ¡Por supuesto no!
(Of course not!)
If you can imagine a Cirque du Soleil show that is creatively and
freely inspired by the richness of Mexican culture in all its
exhilarating spirit, then you've conjured LUZIA-A WAKING DREAM OF
MEXICO. Through its set design, costumes, acrobatic performance, and
music, LUZIA (loo-zee-ah), fusing the sound of "luz" (light in
Spanish) and "lluvia" (rain) two elements at the core of the shows
creation becomes a poetic and acrobatic ode to the rich, vibrant
culture of a country whose wealth stems from an extraordinary mix of
influences and creative collisions a land that inspires awe with its
breathtaking landscapes and architectural wonders, buoyed by the
indomitable spirit and mythology of its people - some of which may not
seem connected at first glance.
The key is that there is not one, but many Mexicos. Mexico is an
ever-evolving country as complex as it is diversified. It is the
result of an extraordinary mix of influences from abroad over the
course of many centuries. Its easy to find images loaded with
stories, colors, raw power, spirituality, wisdom, vitality, and
beauty. Mexicos culture is monumental. Its peoples have built cities
of stone and great temples like mountains, seeking to replicate here
on earth the architecture of the planets and stars. But its also the
sensuality of a land where music is for dancing, where a simple song
can plunge us into emotion and propels us, in tears, into the arms of
a friend or loved one. There are other melodies that transport us into
parallel worlds, where all of a sudden we are overwhelmed by the
sonorous textures of modernity.
Instead of representing Mexico in a realistic fashion, Daniele Finzi
Pasca and Julie Hamelin, co-writers of LUZIA, and Brigitte Poupart,
Associate Director decided to create an evocation of this monumental
country by imagining a dream woven from memories, experiences and
encounters, laden with inspirations deeply rooted in the Mexican
identity. But even this invented Mexico is complex and multifaceted,
hence the idea of a journey in both the literal and figurative sense
through a series of fragments, all highly meaningful and evocative.
Its a voyage into a world of hallucination, where allusions to
contemporary art and age-old traditions lull us for an instant; simple
encounters with the fantastical ordinary, with magical realism and
with poetic reality, with the faces of men and women who surprised as
they strolled through markets and across squares, traveled by bus and
strolled along vast beaches from one end of this colorful country to
the other.
These details and more guided and led them on a surreal voyage of the
imagination. Each scene then is the sublimation of a tiny aspect, an
emotive fragment of this country where rain hits every town and
village differently, where light is an emotional experience, where
cultures overlap and nature is made up of deserts, rain forests,
beaches, and mountains. The show is also based on themes such as
speed, monumentality, rain in all its manifestations, surreal animal
life, and a poetic vision of reality. "There will be red and pink,
cobalt blue, water falling as rain, tracing stars charted on the roof
of the big top, crocodiles playing the marimba, cardboard waves,
bathers covered in mirrors, men swallowed by fish, a parade of
percussion chasing away evil spirits; but most of all there will be
tenderness, charm, surprise, and, above all, beauty." Through the
language of acrobatics - Cirques language of expression and while
seeking to keep their approach light and funny, we invite you to step
into this waking dream to an imaginary Mexico, timeless and universal,
where light quenches the spirit and rain ignites the soul.
MISE-EN-SCENE
-------------
Set Designer Eugenio Caballero had three overriding objectives when he
envisioned the LUZIA set. First, he wanted to convey the idea of
monumentality and of grandeur commonly associated with Mexico. Second,
he wanted to make sure that each spectator would have a great view of
all of the acts, regardless of where they are sitting under the Big
Top. And third, he set out to create an environment where location and
timeline changes would be quick and seamless.
To make the idea of a journey through various geographic locations
possible youre taken from an old movie set to the ocean to the
semi-desert to an undersea world to a cenote to the jungle to a city
alleyway to a dance salon, passing smoothly from an urban setting to
the natural world, past to present, tradition to modernity Set
Designer Eugenio Caballero needed to create a neutral stage inside the
big top, something that could easily be changed as the performance
required. He came up with a variation on the black box theater concept
(a simple, somewhat unadorned performance space), which he dubbed the
"Blue Box" an environment where location and timeline changes would
be quick and seamless but not totally devoid of color. The purpose of
the blue in the backdrop curtain and on the stage floor is to enhance
the various elements that appear on stage.
It is striking how minimalist it is, but what LUZIA lacks in bits,
baubles, and other accoutrements, it more than makes up for in
cultural context. Recall that the shows name is a fusing the sound of
"luz" (light) and "lluvia" (rain), and that both are at the heart of
this shows creation. The light manifests itself as the great disk
towering above the LUZIA stage (the only item adorning the set), which
also pays tribute to some of the most colossal manmade structures in
the world. The Teotihuacán archaeological site located 50 kilometers
northeast of Mexico City, for example, features some of the most
architecturally significant Mesoamerican pyramids in the pre-Columbian
Americas. The Aztecs believed Teotihuacán was the place where gods
were born. And some believe Mexico is a portmanteau word that combines
the Náhuatl (Aztec) terms for "moon" (Metztli) and "navel," (Xictli)
referring to "the place at the center of the moon." Thus, the great
disk represents in turn the sun, the moon, and the Aztec calendar,
conveying the idea of monumentality and of the grandeur commonly
associated with Mexico.
The metallic color and texture of the disk is a tribute to the search
of pure lines that characterizes Mexican contemporary art as well as
the work of architect Luis Barragán and sculptor Mathias Goeritz. The
disk is 6.9 meters (22.6 feet) in diameter, weighs about 2,000
kilograms (4,400+ pounds), and is supported by a giant bracket, called
the "Cobra," that functions like a crane. Using the Cobra, the disk
can undergo various transformations during the show - it can move
forwards and backwards at a distance of 5.5 meters (18 feet), can
rotate horizontally 360 degrees in both directions. And by using a
giant light box, it can turn into the sun, or the moon, or assume any
color as the mood requires.
While it is natural to associate Mexico with a mosaic of bright
colors, in order to avoid the pitfalls of turning the stage into a
potpourri of hues and pigments, the creators chose to illuminate each
scene with its own distinct shade or combination of colors, like the
subtle strokes of an artist's paint brush. In the Adagio tableau, for
instance, a flying woman dons a beautiful pink dress in an otherwise
monochromatic environment, while the artists in the Cyr Wheel/Trapeze
tableau are clad in yellow hues.
The nods to Mexican hues are deliberately subtle. Overall, the show
proves to be highly colorful, but iconic colors such as cobalt blue
and Mexican pink are not found in their usual contexts. (When Costume
Designer Giovanna Buzzi sat down with the co-authors of LUZIA to
imagine the costumes, they decided to steer clear of the folkloric
aspects of Mexico and Mexican culture and to avoid potential clichés,
especially when it comes to the color palette as well the result is
a menagerie of textiles and forms that are pleasing to the eye and
relevant.)
As for the rain, well, in Mexico rain has been a topic of conversation
since pre-Hispanic times. It is as present in popular culture as it
was among the Mayans and Aztecs who named gods in its honor. There are
as many types of rain as there are clouds that produce it from the
refreshing showers of Coyoacán, an iconic neighborhood at the heart of
Mexico City, to the torrential rains that sweep across Baja
California, to the plentiful autumn rains, as violent as they are
sudden. In the diversified geography of Mexico, rain is part of the
collective consciousness and has a narrative force all its own. Hence
the creative team decided to bring the element of water into the
overall set design - a first for a Cirque du Soleil Big Top show
through the image of a Cenote, a naturally occurring sinkhole or
cistern the Mayan believed was a sacred gateway to the afterlife.
Apart from providing the water element as a form of artistic
expression, the show's rain curtain is a nod to architect Pedro
Ramirez Vazquezs circular fountain in Mexico City in honor of Tlaloc,
the Aztec god of rain. Integrating the element of water inside the Big
Top represented a huge technical challenge on several fronts. All
electrical and mechanical systems had to be waterproofed, and the
water needed to go
somewhere! Naturally, they figured it out: with
its two revolving rings and central platter, the stage floor has
94,657 holes through which the water drains into a 3,500-liter basin
hidden underneath. It is then recycled, disinfected, and kept at a
constant 28°C (82°F) for the comfort of the artists. A totally new
system was developed for this process, which is so efficient they
dont need to fill the water tanks that often!
While light and water are main elements to LUZIAs genetic makeup, so
too is music. Music came to Mexico by sea and today it's a collage of
miscellaneous styles, genres and cultures. Rhythms of the Spanish-
speaking Caribbean and Latin America blend with tribal sounds that dig
the roots all the way to the Mayas and the Aztecs. For LUZIA, Composer
Simon Carpentier wrote a hot, lively score steeped in this rich
mixture - an amalgam of ancient and modern sounds infused with the
brassy notes of tubas and trumpets and the suave melodies of the
Spanish guitar, all driven forward by the relentless percussion and
drums. The music jumps playfully from style to style, from one rhythm
to the next, from emotion to emotion, striding across landscapes as
joyfully as across musical boundaries.
"The first big challenge was to make sure that we can translate this
amazing culture," admitted Simon Carpentier. "At the beginning of this
process we decided to hire only Mexican musicians for the show, to
make sure that we have these performers to give that feeling of
authenticity. Its a huge culture youre talking about the Aztecs,
the Mayans, the cumbia, all the Latin American music, the influence
from Cuba, from everywhere. I wanted to go further, not just scratch
the surface and stay there."
Beyond clichés and stereotypes, there's the buoyant rhythm of cumbia,
a music genre close to salsa dominated by guitars, accordions and
percussions, as well as the lively rhythms of bandas, the traditional
music of traveling brass bands. Simon also drew inspiration from the
rich, tonic rhythms of norteño, a popular genre in Northern Mexico
thats related to polka and corridos ballads (The accordion and the
bajo sexto, a six-bass guitar, are norteño's most characteristic
instruments), as well as from huapango, a flamenco-based music style
from the La Huasteca region along the Gulf of Mexico coast. In the
realm of Latin American music, the voice is also a powerful instrument
a vector of emotion, flavors and rhythms bolstered by a lively,
expressive language. These vocal parts blend tradition with modernity,
with hints of opera, to spread the strong Latin American vibe.
The spectator is taken from an old movie set to the ocean to the semi-
desert to an undersea world to a cenote to the jungle to a city
alleyway to a dance salon, passing smoothly from an urban setting to
the natural world, past to present, tradition to modernity. "We needed
to find a way to achieve the sound, the romance, the fun, the special
humor that Mexican people have," Carpentier continued. "You feel the
spirit of Mexico throughout the show, but its not like you just hear
a mariachi; thats not what Cirque does. Its all about peaks and
valleys, and surprises. We experience that through visuals, but
through music as well."
EXPERIENCE (THE SHOW)
---------------------
After taking a moment to browse through the shows bazaar (at which
you can find Luchador masks, soccer balls, maracas, and even straw
hats amongst the programme books, magnets, posters, CDs, DVDs t-
shirts, and mugs), we excitedly took our seats.
In addition to the huge disk, which is probably the first thing youll
notice upon entering the Grand Chapiteau, youll also find the stage
covered in a field of 5,000 flowers in bloom, arranged in neat rows
around its central apex, being tended to by two diminutive robots (the
bots more than resemble those from C:LABs "ROGA" video a video
presented by Steven Openheart as part of the LED talks on a type of
yoga he developed specifically to diminish the stress and sense of
exclusion robots can feel when exercising) "achoo!" and a pair of
hummingbirds who do their darndest to pollinate every flower in the
field, a flower whos scent, orange color, and appearance are part of
the deepest memories of the Mexican people.
You see the Aztecs gathered and cultivated the plant (Tagetes
erecta) for medicinal, ceremonial, and decorative purposes; its
flower, the cempasúchil also called the "flor de muertos" ("flower of
the dead") is now the main element in Day of the Dead altars,
although their use in religious and pagan rituals dates back to pre-
Hispanic times. In Mexico, Día de Muertos celebrates the joy of life
by dressing personalized altars (called ofrendas) to deceased family
members and friends. This elaborate, highly significant ritual is
designed to bring the mourner into a focused state of mind in which
they make a deep connection with their loved one and celebrate not
only that persons life, but also the part of their soul that lives on
in their heart. Therefore, the cempasúchil field is not there for
purely esthetic reasons; it reflects a desire to share a profoundly
meaningful ritual rooted in emotion. Even if the image and setting it
evokes is quite tranquil.
"Nnneeaoowww!"
But soon this serene, quiet locale is disturbed by the outside world.
At the tell-tale sound of a prop plane flying overhead, a man suddenly
jumps into view...with a small parachute pack on his back. A tourist
out looking for adventure, he unwisely consults his map in free-fall,
which naturally flapping in the breeze, gets blown out of his hands.
But that's the least of his worries... when it comes time to deploy
his chute it won't open! Panic ensues as he begins to tumble head over
heels, wrestling with the pack when it too flies out of his grasp ay
dios mio! Out of time, and out of luck, our friend reaches for the
pack as it twists away, grabbing on to a handle thats poking out the
top... he tugs, but it turns out to be a small umbrella! Undaunted, he
opens the umbrella and uses it to gently coast to the ground. And
after taking a moment to collect himself, he comes within a hairs
breath of being hit over the head by an item that has fallen from the
sky THUD! Wait, its his pack and hes quite happy to see it!
Inside is his water canteen, which he slips out to quench his thirst.
But wouldnt you know its bone dry? Before he can complain too loudly
about his situation though, he spots a rather interesting looking
relic nearby... a monument that looks like a large bronze key. As
curiosity wins out over thirst, he saunters over and turns its
handle... unwittingly winding up and unlocking the imaginary world of
LUZIA.
OPENING
A young girl and horse make a mad dash through the garden of
cempaùchil, as this beautiful environment springs to life like a wind-
up curio. Speed, you may recall, is one of the shows themes, and its
only natural to associate Mexico with this idea. One needs only to
call to mind the uncanny ability of the Tarahumara, a reclusive Native
American people hailing from the mountains of northwestern Mexico.
Living in widely dispersed settlements, the fleet-footed Tarahumara
developed a tradition of long-distance running, covering more than 300
kilometers nonstop across treacherous terrain over a period of two
days with minimal footwear. The running girl is the embodiment of
these peoples spirit.
Since animals play a prominent role in Mexican lore and mythology, it
is no big deal to come across a man with the head of an armadillo,
swordfish or iguana, or a crocodile playing the Marimba, or a woman
with a hummingbirds head and wings. Some of the emblematic animals
that inhabit the world of LUZIA appear in the form of life-size
puppets, such as the aforementioned horse who gallops locomotive
behind the running girl. With their extraordinary powers of evocation,
these creatures have become mythological figures of Mexican culture.
Horses were introduced to Mexico by the Spaniards and adopted by
native populations. Revolutionary leader Emiliano Zapatas favorite
horse, As de Oro (Ace of Diamonds), and the beautiful chestnut
stallion named Siete Leguas (Seven Leagues) that belonged to Pancho
Villa, are part of the Mexican collective consciousness and have
inspired many heroic songs, known as corridos. With their long history
as rancheros (ranchers) and vaqueros (cowboys), Mexicans are now
recognized as among the best equestrians in the world.
The pair provides a rather low-key, but culturally relevant and
beautiful opening to the show. As the Running Girl spreads her wings,
she also personifies one of the ties that bind Canada to Mexico the
annual flight of the monarch butterfly. (Each wing is 6 meters long,
is made of silk, and requires 40 meters of material.)
HOOP DIVING
Next, bright hummingbirds (complete with head, beak, and wings!) leap
through hoops a mere 75 centimeters in diameter in a tribute to
fleetness, agility, and yes, speed. In a sequence that calls back to
Dralion's energetic Hoop Diving act, here in LUZIA they kick it up a
notch by exploring the combination of this traditional circus
discipline from China with two giant treadmills to generate speed and
expand the disciplines acrobatic vocabulary. These hummingbirds are
no joke; leaping through the hoops forwards, backwards and sideways,
as the treadmills move forward and backward at will, will keep you on
the edge of your seat. The two treadmills can operate in the same
direction or in opposite directions. Sometimes artists use the
treadmill as a launching pad to perform daring leaps through the
hoops; when placed on the rolling treadmills the hoops suddenly become
moving targets for the divers. (The two treadmills weigh 3,630
kilograms apiece and are powered independently by 28 automobile-type
batteries.)
Besides the pleasing aesthetics, you might wonder: why hummingbirds?
In the Aztec psyche, the destination of ones soul was not left to
chance, but hinged on ones death. Those who died in battle or on the
sacrificial stone got to travel for four years alongside the Sun as
the bright star made its way across the heavens, after which time they
would return as hummingbirds.
Those who were called by Tlaloc - the god of rain, water, and
fertility (well see him a bit later) - got to revel in the joys of
Tlacopan, the exquisite tropical garden, which you see here
represented with the cempaùchil. Accompanying the performance is the
song "Así Es La Vida" ("This is the Life") in a much slower tempo, but
equally as enjoyable, illuminating Maya Kesselman, Dominic Cruz, Devin
Henderson, Martha Henderson, Michael Hottier, Aurelien Oudot, and
Stephane Beauregards, enjoyment of the afterlife. (And do they relish
it!)
ADAGIO QUATUOR
In what appears to be a dance hall (complete with tables and chairs, a
piano, band, hanging lights, and more), the Adagio scene quickly
unfolds whereby a young girl (who dons a beautiful pink dress)
precariously flies through an otherwise monochromatic environment. The
word "adagio" is generally defined to mean slow, or slowly. But more
common in the Cirque world "adagio" refers more to its Italian
meaning: movement. Put the two together and you have an act that
presents a slow, beautiful movement of bodies. Shows like Saltimbanco,
Varekai, and Corteo have had great Adagio-like performances over their
lifespan, but nothing can prepare you for the sheer exhilaration and
excitement watching Grezegorz Piotr Ros, Krzysztuf Holowenko, and
Anton Glazkov swing, bend, toss, and catch their fourth (either Naomi
Zimmermann or Kelly McDonald - the young girl in the pink dress) over
and over and over again. I was biting my nails the entire time!
They say the land trembles as an enormous social and cultural movement
teeming just below the surface exists in Mexico. Trembling with
enthusiasm for new ideas, hope and strength; Trembling with the
passion of the younger generations; Trembling with the life of those
who dream, those who color the days, and those who barely touch the
ground. The song "Tiembla la Tierra" ("TheEarth Trembles")
accompanies, and youll find no better embodiment of this movement
than with the Adagio Quatour performance. With its hauntingly
beautiful live rendition, coupled with the amazing athleticism of its
performers, this is one of my most favorite acts in LUZIA, its simply
fantastic!
CYR WHEEL & TRAPEZE
Visitors and residents alike say there is no place on earth like the
surreal, picturesque landscapes of Mexican deserts - a land of
extremes thats been the stage of countless journeys of initiation and
experimentation for countless generations. As such the desert is a
route of escape, transcendence, and exploration living proof that
there are many forms of thirst. Thus, like a mirage, two young women
(Rachel Salzman and Angelica Bongiovonni) materialize on stage and
dance with majestic rings among the living, breathing cacti and
quiotes, the trunk-like stalks of the maguey plant that adorn the
stage. They are later joined in the air by a trapeze artist (either
Enya White or Emily Tucker) who takes flight above in the soothing
rain the first time weve experienced the magnificent rain curtain
(keep an eye out for the Running Girl, who comes out to summon the
rain) and the image the scene evokes is nothing short of
spectacular. Brava! The element of water enabled the creators to take
the Cyr Wheel out of its usual context. Two artists perform on the
apparatus on water and in the rain, which is, at first glance,
unthinkable. In order to solve the adhesion issue, a bicycle tire was
mounted on the wheel rim. The song "Flores en el Desierto" ("Flowers
in the Desert") accompanies the performance and I find it to be a much
better rendition live than on the CD.
CLOWN GOOOOOOOOOOAL!
Our journeyman returns to us then, riding through the countryside on a
bicicleta, huffing, puffing, and in need of a drink of water. But when
he stops to take a swig from his canteen, he finds its just as empty
as before. But that doesnt dissuade him from exploring his
surroundings; rather, when he finds a huge ball nearby he decides to
have some fun with it (and the audience) by setting up a make-shift
game. He tosses the ball into the audience and away it goes.
Meanwhile, on stage, the trees are now gone (removed as the stage
rotated around to give the impression our clown was riding through the
countryside), and specialized equipment has been brought out to dry
the surface. But dont pay any attention to that... play the game!
HAND BALANCING ON CANES
"Ugo, listo? La señorita lista?" "Lista."
"Todos listos?" "¡Listos!" (Ready!)
The primal lure of the sea resonates in Mexico, a country mostly
surrounded by water. So it is no wonder the sea and costal life are so
deeply embedded in the collective consciousness of its people. The sea
is also laden with metaphor and allusion anytime we head to the sea,
are we not, in a sense, going back to where we came from? In a
humorous nod to the golden age of Mexican cinema, Ugo Laffolay
performs a playful hand-balancing routine among pasteboard waves that
evokes the inexpensive and flimsy film sets of the 1940s and 1950s.
And hes a riot!
In this film, Ugo is a salvavidas, and not only does he play his
starring role in one of these cheeseball movies with glee (swishing
his moustache back and forth to flirt with the ladies, and in flexing
his pecks in time to the music), he balances on his ever precarious
tower of canes (a one-arm handstand in straddle, one-arm handstand
straight, side flag in straddle, side flag tuck, and Mexican handstand
varieties anyone?) with relative ease. That is until he is forced by
his "director" to do a full arm and then leg split between the canes,
bowing them out to exaggerated proportions, that you see him huff and
puff. But he pulls it off with such grace and charm. (*swish-swish,
eyebrow-eyebrow*)
At first this scene appears rather jarring and out of context: the
staging comes across as cheap and uninspiring, the costumes are all
over the place (Ugo wears a red jumpsuit while the beachgoers wear
mirrored one-piece swimsuits), the music ("Pez Volador") is, well,
strange. And to top it all off our journeyman clown wends his way
through the scene like a lost puppy, making fun of everything he sees
(much to the chagrin of the director - ¡cortar!) But a word of advice:
just sit back, relax, and enjoy. You may not like what you see at
first (I didnt, but not because of the performer or his skill that
was never in question), but once you realize the scene is supposed to
be tacky and tawdry, I promise youll fall in love with it. The music
too... I mean, how could you not? Its fun and flirtatious, and a
little bit off its rocker. But thats what makes it great! (Keep an
eye out for the zany beachgoers as they re-create a synchronized water
wheel, standing up!)
"¡Cámara! ¡Acción!"
FUTBOL FREESTYLE
Pok-ta-pok was a ritual ballgame played for 3,000 years by the pre-
Columbian peoples of Ancient Mesoamerica, becoming a symbol of
Mesoamerican cosmogony. In fact, the bouncing ball is thought to have
represented the sun, while the stone scoring rings may have
represented sunrise and sunset, or the equinoxes. The game, which
symbolically pitted the lords of the underworld against their earthy
adversaries, engaged players in the maintenance of the cosmic order of
the universe and the ritual regeneration of life. In LUZIA, the age-
old ritual sport of pok-ta-pok meets the contemporary ritual sport of
football as a man and a woman (Abou Traore and Laura Biondo) try to
outdo each other by deftly manipulating a soccer ball with their feet
and head. Later, as the rain comes pouring down, they are joined by
more and more players, and a beat-boxer who adds a... new dimension to
the celebratory outing. "Pambolero", the song accompanying this act,
may be the most similar to the CDs version than any other song on it,
in my opinion.
CLOWN CAN I GET A REFIL?
Our journeyman once again returns, this time attempting to fill his
empty canteen in the current of the rains runoff. But the moment he
gets close to the surge, it ceases and dries up. Perplexed, he moves
over to where its still flowing, but the same occurs. Mystified and
bewildered now, he takes up the game and attempts to foil with the
rain curtain, with predictable, but hilarious results.
CIERRA LOS OJOS
When our resident clown finally outwits the water and manages to fill
up his canteen, he is met by a beautiful, mysterious woman in a white
dress adorned in budding florae. Shes Majo Cornejo, our singer
extraordinaire, and shes serenading us with a rousing melody. (Tu
llegaras hasta donde nadie se atreverá y mas alla te acercaras a lo
que ya tu dejaste atrás, corres mas recio, mas necio, sin lios hasta
llegar. No se explicar por donde volveremos cargando secretos de
lluvia y luz.) As the rain begins to fall now in earnest, whimsical
patterns begin to emerge and then converge into more recognizable
symbols of the land; the flowers on her dress magically burst into
bloom, turning her dress from white to red.
In order to make this vision a reality, the people at C:LAB (the
creative laboratory of Cirque du Soleil) came up with a clever
solution: the dress was fitted with 98 white, individually programmed
flowers, each one equipped with a small motor. When the flowers open
their petals, they reveal their red interior, thus triggering the
metamorphosis. The dress weighs a whopping 17 kilograms (37 pounds)
and requires it to be quickly lowered onto Majo before she steps on
stage. Also, the images and patterns that appear in the rainfall here
are generated electronically by a graphical water display screen,
interacting with the artists to support the story and mood of the
show. There are Otomi patterns, rain drops, flowers as well as various
animal figures that are nods to the strange, warm and whimsical
creatures of Mexican painter Francisco Toledo.
Now, as Majo reaches a crescendo she is joined by the Running Girl,
the galloping horse, and the rest of the cast as a red circular
lantern-like structure descends upon the stage, powerfully bringing an
end to the first half of the show. (Ya lo descubriste si el cielo
llora, no sirve ponerse más triste, nunca nunca Jamáaaaas.
jamáaaaaaaaaaaaaaas!)
INTERMISSION THE PAPEL PICADO
Reminiscent of Dralions Lanterne, the intricately patterned red
curtain for LUZIA is called a "papel picado", a decorative craft that
involves cutting elaborate designs in sturdy paper or silk. Theyre
generally displayed for secular or religious occasions and commonly
represent birds, floral designs, and skeletons (especially in
celebrations surrounding the Day of the Dead.) Mounted on a cylinder,
the papel picado measures 11 meters (36 feet) high by 30 meters (98
feet) wide, but is flexible enough to be quickly lowered and raised as
required. Set Designer Eugenio Caballero worked with Javier Martínez
Pedro, an artist from a small town in Guerrero, to create the images
you see within. The keen-eyed observer will notice that the images
represent various narrative elements and characters in the show a
horse, a field of flowers, a flock of hummingbirds, a plaza, a cenote,
a cave, an underwater world, raindrops, a storm, the sun, a city, and
desert cacti. They were all drawn by hand and then created by punching
more than 13,000 holes into the curtains surface.
POLE DANCE
The second half of LUZIA opens with the Pole Dance, an amalgamation
between traditional Chinese Poles and Pole Dancing. Pole Dancing is a
form of performing art, historically associated with strip clubs and
night clubs, which combines dance and acrobatics centered on a
vertical burlesque pole; however, since the mid 2000s it has also
been promoted as a non-sexual form of performance art. Since proper
pole dancing involves athletic moves such as climbs, spins, and body
inversions using the limbs to grip, upper body and core strength,
flexibility, and endurance are required to attain proficiency, and
rigorous training is necessary. Its even being promoted as a healthy
form of exercise!
Although I feel as a performance piece the pole dance needs a little
more gestation (not gesticulating), paring it up with a Chinese Pole
routine made the combination a little more bearable. Not that I
dislike girls on dancing poles, but, without a genuine routine theres
little need for the display. And if youre not sure which song this
particular act is presented by since its probably one of the most
different than those represented on the soundtrack - all you have to
do is listen to the band... theyll tell you! During the song theyll
say "los mos qui tos" in one of the weirdest "what were they thinking?
" moments from the show. (In retrospect, though, I kind of miss not
hearing it on the soundtrack! How is that for irony?)
360° SWING
The Pole Dance immediately segues into the 360-degree swing... which
is set up to be some kind of carnival-like side-show piece, complete
with a barker and betting whether or not a luchador can take the swing
all the way around. Its probably one of the more out-of-place acts in
the show, although it integrates with the pole apparatus perfectly
its just
bizarre! It begins and ends rather unceremoniously, almost
fading away as the music for the next act begins. But no matter what I
may think about this particular presentation artistically, the crowd
sure loved it
they really whooped and hollered!
AERIAL STRAPS
Rain-calling rituals are legion in Mexican lore. One of these rituals
is the Yucatec Ch'a' Cháak ceremony in which four boys representing
the four cardinal points croak like frogs in a spirited appeal to
Cháak, the Mayan god of rain. In the Aztec religion, Tlaloc was the
supreme god of the rain. Many rainmaking rituals were also performed
in Tlalocs honor in the Yucatán cenotes, naturally occurring
sinkholes or cisterns the Mayan believes were sacred gateways to the
afterlife.
A cenote is formed by the dissolution of rock and the resulting
subsurface limestone bedrock that exposes groundwater underneath.
Cenotes may be fully collapsed creating an open water pool, or
partially collapsed with some portion of a rock overhanging above the
water. The stereotypical cenotes often resemble small circular ponds,
measuring some tens of meters in diameter with sheer drops at the
edges. While the best-known cenotes are large open water pools
measuring tens of meters in diameter, such as those at Chichén Itzá in
Mexico, the greatest number are smaller sheltered sites like the
cenote of LUZIA, where Benjamin Courtenay, representing the demigod of
rain, descends into the pristine waters where he performs a graceful
and powerful aerial straps act, skimming the surface as he whooshes
by.
He is accompanied by Bahlam the Jaguar. Jaguar gods are prominent in
Mayan and pre-Hispanic mythology, from the Jaguar God of Terrestrial
Fire and War to the countless demigods, protectors and transformers.
In Mesoamerica, the Olmec developed a were-jaguar (half man, half
jaguar) motif of sculptures and figurines showing stylized jaguars or
humans with jaguar characteristics. The Maya saw the powerful felines
as their companions in the spiritual world, and a number of Mayan
rulers bore names that incorporated Bahlam, the Mayan word for jaguar.
This is another of my most favorite acts from the show. The mise-en-
scene here is fantastic in its simplicity. The stage itself becomes
the cenote, with its central apex a pool of water. Hanging from the
catwalk above is about a dozen ropes, depicting vines, and, of course,
the rain to complete the image. Within is a young man testing his
strength as he bares his soul (and muscular arms and chest) to the
gods above. Although fans of Cirque du Soleil have witnessed a number
of aerial straps routines, I promise you youve not seen anything like
this in Cirque Benjamin takes the discipline to new heights in
strength and stamina through rapid twists, pikes, presses, spins,
hooks, turns, and drops that find him folded up one second, and
dangling by his shoulder the next, and then back again before you can
blink, over and over and over again.
CLOWN GO FOR A DIP?
Our resident clown returns donned in a bathing suit ready to take a
dip in the pool of water, but just as hes ready to dive into the
cenote, it magically disappears, leaving him high and dry. Now needing
support to put his clothes back on, our tourist grabs onto one of the
vines
which then falls free when tugged. Undaunted he tries another,
but it too falls free after being tugged. And after trying a third,
they all fall around him as if to say GET OUT OF HERE! He obliges. As
he takes his leave, the hummingbirds storm the stage in a flurry of
feathers and feet in a frenzied attempt to dry themselves (and the
stage) off. Watching them slip and slide around is hilarious!
Although, Id recommend curtailing the stage jumps... injuries! (Keep
an eye out for the playful couple; its a beak-tweaking good time!)
JUGGLING
As soon as our resident fool is gone, the musicians spin up a
jingle... quite literally... as the spotlight turns to a man in a
horrible pair of pants (and a shirt to match) in the middle of the
audience. This is Rudolf Janecek and hes quickly juggling three
silver clubs... matching the pace of the jingle the band is playing on
the marimba. (The marimba, for the uninitiated, is a percussion
instrument consisting of a set of wooden bars struck with mallets to
produce musical tones. As such it is a type of idiophone, but with a
more resonant and lower-pitched tessitura, or range, than a
xylophone.) Then he tosses one forward, jumps on stage to catch it,
and begins a highly energetic and fast-paced solo juggling routine to
a song that, sadly, isnt on the soundtrack. I say sadly because,
although its just the musicians on marimbas, they do get a little
help from the brass section, the deep and loud "brrrraaaaaaaaaaaam!"
from the tuba is simply fabulous and I must have it.
Rudolf Janecek is the only juggler, who combines high speed juggling
with acrobatic skills in an outrageous, breathtaking way. Performing
up to 8 clubs he also jumps somersaults while throwing 3 clubs in the
air. Being part of the new circus generation Rudy presents the classic
juggling skills in modern style. The crowd loved him! When Rudolf
catches his last club, a cascade of straw hats tumble from the heavens
(a.k.a. are tossed on stage) in celebration for not only a job well
done, but a performance well received! (It is, however, a weird moment
that harkens back to the chickens in Corteo, which... are better left
to the past. Especially since the performers then have to run around
and collect the hats while the next act sets up.)
CONTORTION
Meet Alexey Goloborodko, a contortionist, and at just 21 years of age,
perhaps the most flexible human on the planet. Born in Tula, Russia,
he is more than he seems. As well as contortion and flexibility,
Alexey has trained in classical and modern dance, and Chinese martial
arts, which helps to add fluency, grace, and elegance to his
performances. And it shows. He is presented to the audience as a
serpent upon his perch in this case a bridge (surrounded on all
sides by "lit" candles) tangled in a ball of limbs. As the lights
raise and the audience gasps he untangles himself to begin one of
the best contortionist routines this side of KOOZA.
Alexey is nothing short of amazing. He is as talented as he is lithe;
eliciting a number of gasps from the audience as he contorts his
diminutive body into various shapes and holds. My only critique of the
presentation comes not with Alexeys performance, but with the
accompanying setting and scene: rather than continue with the various
inspirational and dream-like locations of Mexico, the creators chose
to mix it up, by wrapping the presentation in flavors from the Indian
sub-continent. I find this unfortunate. While singer/character Manesh
Vinayakram (who seemingly makes his one and only appearance here) is
talented, his presence seems wasted and banal. The mariachi costume he
wears doesnt flatter him in the slightest either. Still, the overall
aesthetic is pleasing, and theres no doubting Alexeys bendable
talent!
CLOWN DIVE, DIVE!
Our journeyman has ridden across the land on a bicycle, played in a
pick-up game of football, swam in the azure-colored waters off the
coast, wrestled with persnickety waterfalls and vines, now in this
last bit he enjoys a little time under the waves, snorkeling and
scuba-diving into the depths of Mexicos seas. But hes not alone!
First, in a tribute to jaws, a group of sharks chase him and his
companion ever deeper. And later, he mixes in with a group of prickly
cactuses who just want to be in his trip photos!
RUSSIAN SWINGS
In Mexico, fiestas are joyous, intense rituals during which revelers
party on, sometimes for days on end. Mexicans light up the sky with
fireworks over plazas and public squares every chance they get. During
the nine days of Las Posadas, for instance, hitting piñatas filled
with fruit and nut, filling up on tamales and drinking traditional
ponches or atoles are all good reasons to celebrate with friends,
family
or with complete strangers. But much more than mere blasts of
energy, fiestas represent a deep emotional release and a source of
renewal that testify to the complex psyche of the Mexican people.
To the rhythm of festive music, a fiesta is in full swing as Russian
Swing artists leap in the air, their costumes taking on stunning
patterns in a majestic, sweeping transformation. The bright patterns
are a loving ode to the embroidered textile fabrics created by the
Otomi people.
Russian Swing is a discipline originating in Eastern Europe consisting
of a large oblong-shaped swing that is propelled using the natural
movement of the mechanism and the weight of two or three spotters who
push it. The flyer standing at the end of the swing launches into the
air and executes acrobatic leaps or vaults as high as 20 meters or
more over the stage, returning either to the ground or to the
shoulders of carriers. It appears to be a simple playground-like swing
- hence its name but with Cirque is anything that simple? Having
made its first appearance in Saltimbanco (1992) as a single act (where
artists jumped from the swing onto mat, later in "O" (1998), it was
elevated to an art form as the company brought two of the swings
together within the element of water. In Varekai (2002), Cirque upped
the ante by not only having two swings on "dry land" with flyers
jumping into cloth nets strewn across the stages "forest", but by
also having flyers jump between the swings themselves. LUZIA returns
the Russian Swing to Cirque du Soleil in a similar form as Varekais
with flyers routinely vaulting between the swings in ever more
difficult routines but with less gusto.
Its only natural to want a rousing, energetic act to close out your
show. It brings the audience to their feet, clapping and gasping and
generally having a grand old time. The Russian Swings here werent as
strong as I would have hoped, unfortunately. Yes, it is thrilling to
see acrobats vault from swing-to-swing, or even fly high into the air
to flip and spin their bodies in an ever-dizzying array of twists, but
the energy just wasnt there. Perhaps it was the choreography. Perhaps
it was the music. The music starts, stops, speeds up, gets slower, and
then simply ends. Its a muddled mess of tempos and themes that does
not work hard enough to compliment the action on stage. I find this
more than a little disappointing because Russian Swings could be
should be a rip-roaring and inspiring conclusion to your show! But
here it simply exists. Its a good act dont get me wrong, but it
needs a little more oomph. Alas, even the creators had trouble with
this one I hear: the piece of music we heard during our performances
was at least the third one theyve tried thus far!
FIESTA FINALE
The fiesta continues as everyone gathers around a table, filled with
all sorts of delicious foods and drinks. Its simplicity itself: a
coming together in celebration of life. What more do you need? And
what better way is there to showcase this concept than gathering
around a dinner table? None! Laugher and good times are abundant here
as our journeyman joins in the fun. But his attempts at a joyous
celebration are cut short when everyone around him freezes in place.
As confusion washes across his face, he spots the key from earlier
and sighs - the proverbial gig is up. He reluctantly saunters back
over to the key and turns it, releasing a torrential rain shower.
Only this time the rain parts to allow him safe dry passage.
He looks up, smirks, and walks on...
FIESTA FINALE
-------------
Im sure it goes without saying I had a blast in Montreal, but forgive
me for doing so anyway. The weather was warm and inviting a direct
contrast to the cold and rain of my last visit. The company was
enjoyable meeting Jose for the first time was fun; introducing him
to crepes and poutine was even more so! Hanging out with Alain Vinet,
Director of Cirque Musique, in his studio just shooting the breeze was
a highlight of the trip. As was interviewing Devin Henderson (Hoops),
Kelly McDonald (Adagio), and Rachel Salzman (Cyr Wheel) backstage,
which you'll see in an upcoming episode of CirqueCast - stay tuned!
Although flying through La Guardia almost gave me an aneurism it all
worked out in the end... and gave me another interesting travel story
to tell. As for LUZIA? I liked it a lot!
Like many, when I first heard about LUZIA I couldnt help but wonder:
why Mexico... again! But now having experienced all the joys and
wonders the show has to offer, I no longer feel flummoxed at the
concept. I didnt immediately fall in love with it like I did with
KURIOS, but now that Ive had some time to reflect upon my experience
with LUZIA I couldnt have asked for anything more. Really! I just
want to relive the experience all over again! Yes, there are a number
of nit-picky criticisms I have about the show, along the "what were
they thinking!?" variety, but you know what? Theyre minor. And if
Cirque du Soleil can find a way to dry the stage more efficiently,
change up the music with Russian Swings (honestly, it needs help), and
tweak a few other things here and there... there is absolutely no
reason LUZIA cannot ascend into Cirque du Soleils pantheon of classic
shows. Its really that good!
LUZIA will be in Montreal until July 17th! From there it will travel
on to Toronto (Jul 27th Oct 16th) and San Francisco (Nov 17th Jan
29th) in 2016, and San Jose (Feb 9th Mar 19th), Seattle (Mar 30th
May 21st), Denver (Jun 1st Jul 9th), Chicago (Jul 21st Sep 3rd),
and Phoenix (Sep 22nd Oct 22nd) throughout 2017 with more stops to
come!
GO SEE THIS SHOW!
¡VÁMANOS!
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COPYRIGHT AND DISCLAIMER
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Fascination! Newsletter
Volume 21, Number 4 (Issue #207) May 2021
"Fascination! Newsletter" is a concept by Ricky Russo. Copyright (C)
2001-2021 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.11.2021 }
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