All I can say (to quote Peter Boyle from 'Everybody Loves Raymond') is HOLY CRAP!
Last night was my first Cirque experience, but it wont be my last. And I can't help feeling I've severely cheated myself by never having gone to see them before!
The Stage was simple and yet the back stage continually evolved. The music was a fantastical amalgamation of Middle Eastern, Asian, Indian, Greek, and every other culture... non-descript and yet very hypnotic.
The performers: Acrobats, High Wire, Jugglers, Clowns, Magicians, Contortionists... they were all there, doing what the Cirque does best. Taking the 'same old hum drum' circus activities, throwing them upside down and impressing the socks off the audience.
The Contortionists...were weird-amazing-freaky-creepy-fantastic! There were three women... well one was naught but a little girl or so it seemed. She could not have weighed more than 60 lbs! She was W-E-E! Anywho, they were incredible! They did things and got into positions that would make a sex partner obsolete! Some poses a thing of beauty illiciting applause and others, including this one movement where one of them lay down, kept their head and shoulders on the stage and then with the rest of her body... walked around herself! (I know that sounds impossible but that's what she did.) and... she did it twice. And THAT got a lot of gasps and applause and a few 'ewws' I think I said 'holy shit'... out loud!
They were one of the highlights for sure. Also impressive was the uni-cycle couple. He on the cycle and she jumping on and off him. He picking her up as he circled the stage and in their finale he picking her up as he cycled and then lifting her above him and then spinning her round his neck and shoulders (a la Dancing with the stars... well the GOOD stars!) and around and around and around and around again! FAN-FREAKING-TASTIC!
There were also three high wire walkers. No net. They did the typical manoeuvres. But then in the Cirques fashion they took it up a notch. While one of them stood out on the middle of the wire and balanced with his pole, another came up from behind and jumped over him in a somersault!!! Granted the first attempt did not work and he caught himself before falling to the floor below... Did I mention... NO NETS! They then did it again and were flawless! FREAKING AMAZING! And that was only the 1/2way mark of their performance! It was incredible and I don't mind saying I was watching in full white-knuckle mode! (Like I said... NO NETS!)
The second half of the show was just as incredible. A different feel to the music. Kinda jazzy-bluesy, with a New Orleans slant. Zydaco and all that. Death was in a fully sequinned white lounge singers outfit, with lost of dancing skeletons and a small flock of Vegas -styled Skeletal show girls.
By far though, the most amazing and crowd pleasing act of not only the second half, but the whole night, at least in my and my man's estimation was the hawt, hunky rubber legging pair on the Death Wheel. They were TIGHTLY clothed in a sorta rubberized devil outfits that just made 'em look more bad-ass... and sexy! And they were aside from being the evening's highlight eye-candy (on stage any way) also incredible good at what they did. Skipping rope on the outside of the wheels, jumping and seeming to hang in the air for an un-natural amount of time. Holding on by one arm and the spun around the outside.
...in the end, I like, I am sure, every biological child in the audience wanted to run away and join the Cirque... of course the kids, young and nimble enough themselves likely wanted to preform on stage, whereas I'd be happy enough to just be say , oh, I don't know... the troupe's Masseur! ;-)
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It's a great show and it's in town til the end of June. If you get a chance go see it! Otherwise check out their website. they could be coming to a town near you... http://www.cirquedusoleil.com
