Monday, January 9, 2012

Cirque du Soleil


Its time to trust my instincts, close my eyes and leap
(Stephen Schwartz)

I have grown to love the unexpected, for in it is the miraculous, here is where we are shown, events that create our lives to be more enjoyable, more loving, more adventurous than anything we ever could have planned. When we let go and trust, the mundane of life becomes the profound. Leave your concepts at the door of fate, open your arms. Today is [going to be] a good day.
(Marlise Karlin)

I have always wanted to watch a live Cirque de Soleil. Ariél decided that for our 30th Wedding Anniversary she would give us tickets to see a live Cirque de Soleil show at the Royal Albert Hall in London. http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/totem/default.aspx

This show was called Totem. It traces the fascinating journey of the human species from its original amphibian state to its ultimate desire to fly. The characters evolve on a stage evoking a giant turtle, the symbol of origin for many ancient civilizations.
Inspired by many founding myths, TOTEM illustrates, through a visual and acrobatic language, the evolutionary progress of species.

Somewhere between science and legend TOTEM explores the ties that bind Man to other species, his dreams and his infinite potential”.

It was an experience that appealed to the senses. The location: the Royal Albert Hall is very majestic, but seemed quite happy to welcome and cradle this show in its bosom. The lights and set design blended effortlessly into the Victorian décor as there is an underlying Darwinian feel to the theme.

The costumes reflected the seasons, with bright colours on the summer beach, a sense of autumn harvest in the unicycle jugglers’ costumes and a wintery feel to the roller skaters’ white fur Apache-Indian costumes at the end.

There was a wonderful sense of continuity between acts as characters from one act blended into the next.

What struck me most about the acts was the sense of trust between each performer. In order to let go and know that your partner is going to catch you before you fall you must trust them absolutely. Absolute trust equals going to new and higher heights together. I really liked that. I also enjoyed the coloured thread of humour that ran through the show.

What a treat!

Thank you, Ariél!

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