Why Cirque du Soleil Beats the Heck out of the Traditional Circus
Cirque du Soleil's KOOZA, Beatles Love and More Cirque Shows
The last time I went to the circus I found the performance sophomoric and ridiculous. Worse news for the circus industry, that “last time” was back when I was in grade school. Even as a precocious 8-year old I realized the circus was corny entertainment.
Maybe that was the impetus behind Guy Laliberté and Daniel Gauthier creating Cirque du Soleil in 1984?
Actually, a paycheck was probably the main impetus, nonetheless, Cirque du Soleil is a "Cirque Nouveau" or new circus, with no tent, no animals, and no corniness.
Using circus styles from around world and performing to music, Cirque du Soleil has grown from a fledgling performing troupe to one of the most recognized brands in the world.
Cirque du Soleil, French for "Circus of the Sun,” employs over 500 people from over 40 countries and the company has an annual revenue exceeding $600 million.
Over 70 million people have experienced Cirque, either in one of their award winning traveling shows or one of their state-of-the-art resident shows that are located in cities like Las Vegas and Orlando.
In April of 2009, Cirque will launch its 25th show to mark its 25th anniversary. With the working title of Cirque 2009, this latest show will premiere on the Quays of the Old Port of Montreal. The show will then play in Quebec and Toronto.
Also on the road is a show called KOOZA. This Cirque show utilizes acrobatics and clowning to tell the story of a character known as The Innocent. Aesthetically, the show mixes intense and demanding performances with slapstick humor.
KOOZA’s stage is dominated by a tower called the Bataclan. This tower, whose appearance is inspired by Hindu culture, Pakistani buses and Indian jewelry, alters its shape and moves across the stage throughout the performance. It’s quite spectacular.
Another highlight of KOOZA is the “Rat Cape.” This costume creates the illusion that a score of rats are running down a performer’s body. This costume has 150 fake fur rats affixed to it, each with crystal eyes. The cape uses a mechanism like that used in vertical blinds to create the illusion of scurrying rodents.
KOOZA can be seen this winter and spring in Atlanta, Baltimore and New York. Later in the year, look for KOOZA to visit the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, Denver, and Los Angeles.
Besides their touring shows, Cirque du Soleil has several resident shows. In Las Vegas alone, Cirque has six of these permanent shows: Mystère, Cirque O, Kà, LOVE, Zumanity, and Criss Angel Believe.
Mystère, a show based on the origins of life, was first performed in 1993 and can be seen at the Treasure Island Hotel and Casino.
Mystère was the first Cirque show to have its own theater. It was also the first time Cirque would work with a major financial partner, the Mirage Casino-Hotel, and the first time Cirque had to self-edit itself. When it came to circuses, the hotel was much more conservative than Cirque.
O is a show whose title is a play on the French would for water, “eau.” Fitting, since this is Cirque’s first and only show that takes place in and around water. It splashes down daily at the Bellagio Hotel on the Las Vegas Strip.
The technical demands for this highly successful aquatic show are quite fascinating. The show uses a 1.5 million-gallon pool. It’s equipped with a communication system so performers can hear underwater and regulators so the performers can breathe underwater.
The pool is kept at a constant 88 degrees Fahrenheit. During the show, air jets create an “invisible wall” between the pool and the audience. This wall helps maintain a cooler area for audience.
Since the show is set entirely in water, every member of the cast is SCUBA-certified. The costumes the performers wear cost about $10,000 to produce and have a lifespan of only 20 shows.
Another Cirque du Soleil show playing in Sin City is Love.
Love combines the music of the Beatles with Cirque’s trademarked artistic and athletic stage performances.
Love was made with the blessing and encouragement of the Beatles and/or their estates.
Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Yoko Ono (representing John Lennon) and Olivia Harrison (representing George Harrison) have all seen the performance several times. In fact, the opening night performance of Love was the largest reunion of the Beatles “family” since the band broke up.
The show is performed at The Love Theater, formerly known as the Siegfried & Roy Theater. Renovation of the theater is reported to have exceeded the $100 million mark. Part of the remodel included fitting every seat in the theater with multiple speakers.
MGM Grand Las Vegas is home to one Cirque’s most unique show, KÀ.
KÀ lacks a traditional stage. Instead, it relies on floating platforms and other aerial contraptions to tell its story. Created by over 80 artists, KÀ blends acrobatics, Capoeira dance, puppetry, projections and martial arts.
Zumanity is the first “adult-themed” Cirque show. It’s part burlesque and part cabaret but it’s all Cirque. With the tag line, “the sensual side of Cirque Du Soleil,” this risqué acrobatic show resides at the New York-New York Hotel and Casino.
Finally, there’s Cirque’s redheaded step-child, their sixth and latest Las Vegas show, Criss Angel Believe.
A collaboration with magician Criss Angel, Believe debuted in 2008 at the Luxor Hotel.
The show was poorly received and will go on a hiatus for most of January 2009 to make improvements and revisions. Apparently, Cirque is good at creating magic on a stage, but not very good at performing magic tricks on a stage.
Las Vegas isn’t the only city to have a permanent Cirque du Soleil show. Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida is home to La Nouba.
La Nouba is your typical Cirque show replete with gorgeous costumes, memorable music and acrobats. Highly skilled circus performers utilize such exciting apparatuses as the high wire, cycles, aerial cradle, flying trapeze, and trampolines to tell the story of the circus world colliding with the urban world.
The show takes its name from the French phrase “faire la nouba,” which means “to party” or “to live it up.”
Of course no matter where you see Cirque du Soleil, you are sure to live it up. For whether they are performing in Las Vegas, Orlando, or in your home town, Cirque is always taking the circus to amazing new heights and pushing the capabilities of the human body past what was previously thought possible.
It also helps that they are anything but corny.
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