ALL THE FUN OF THE CIRCUS
Lovers of bright colours, acrobatics and dazzling showmanship, take heart. Cirque du Soleil, the show that describes itself as a ‘dramatic mix of circus arts and street entertainment’, has, returned to the UK with a touring extravaganza called Kooza.
The show, which premiered in 2007, has so far captivated some four million spectators. And when it arrived at The Royal Albert Hall last month (the first stop on its 2013 European tour) David Jason, Katherine Jenkins and Joanna Page were among the audience.
Artistic director Micheal Smith
This comes as no surprise to Artistic Director Michael Smith. For Smith – who confesses to still being ‘in awe’ of the show’s performers. Indeed, they have largely resuscitated the historic art of circus.
‘It was 1984 when Guy Laliberté founded Cirque,’ says Michael. ‘And circuses were falling out of favour. Guy reinvented and rejuvenated it – taking traditional circus arts and showcasing them in a Cirque way.’
The company expanded at a phenomenal rate through the 1990s and 2000s, going from staging a single show to performing 19 shows in over 300 cities. To date, Cirque du Soleil shows have been watched by more than 100 million spectators.
‘The entertainment business is very fickle – even at Cirque, shows have evolved over time,’ says Michael, who is something of a veteran of Cirque. He joined the company in 2005 as Artistic Director on their show, Dralion, before moving on to Alegria, and then Varekai. But Kooza goes back to what the company does best, combining two circus traditions – acrobatics and the art of clowning. Indeed, it was written (and directed) by David Shiner, who had previously worked as a clown in Cirque du Soleil's production of Nouvelle Expérience.
Incorporating bold, slapstick humour, it showcases an unprecedented approach to the High Wire and the Wheel of Death – an act that Cirque has never before presented under the big top.
‘Kooza is about human connection and the world of duality, good and bad,’ says Shiner. ‘The tone is fun and funny, light and open. The show doesn’t take itself too seriously, but it’s very much about ideas, too. As it evolves we are exploring concepts such as fear, identity, recognition and power.’
For the cast of Kooza their stint at the Royal Albert Hall is one for the few venues that is ready made – meaning they don’t have to put up a big top.
‘We are a traditional travelling circus in this respect,’ explains Michael. ‘We have our big top and come with 60 trucks, our own generators. All we need is access to fresh water and a sewer.’
And the cast and crew, who come from all over the world, Michael says really are like a large family. Spouses travel with the show. As do children. They even have a Cirque school – so as the children of the cast can be educated while on the road. One of the most rewarding parts of Michael’s job is seeing the audience reaction to the Kooza.
‘People fall in love with it. You can’t help but be inspired by the sheer skill of the artists,’ he enthuses. ‘There really is nothing like Cirque.’
So as Kooza’s run at The Royal Albert Hall draws to a close (and tickets fly out of the door) make sure you don’t miss all the fun of the circus this winter.
For more information about Cirque du Soleil, visit cirquedusoleil.com
WHAT TO EXPECT
Kooza contains ten acrobatic acts, these are:
The show, which premiered in 2007, has so far captivated some four million spectators. And when it arrived at The Royal Albert Hall last month (the first stop on its 2013 European tour) David Jason, Katherine Jenkins and Joanna Page were among the audience.
Artistic director Micheal SmithThis comes as no surprise to Artistic Director Michael Smith. For Smith – who confesses to still being ‘in awe’ of the show’s performers. Indeed, they have largely resuscitated the historic art of circus.
‘It was 1984 when Guy Laliberté founded Cirque,’ says Michael. ‘And circuses were falling out of favour. Guy reinvented and rejuvenated it – taking traditional circus arts and showcasing them in a Cirque way.’
The company expanded at a phenomenal rate through the 1990s and 2000s, going from staging a single show to performing 19 shows in over 300 cities. To date, Cirque du Soleil shows have been watched by more than 100 million spectators.
‘The entertainment business is very fickle – even at Cirque, shows have evolved over time,’ says Michael, who is something of a veteran of Cirque. He joined the company in 2005 as Artistic Director on their show, Dralion, before moving on to Alegria, and then Varekai. But Kooza goes back to what the company does best, combining two circus traditions – acrobatics and the art of clowning. Indeed, it was written (and directed) by David Shiner, who had previously worked as a clown in Cirque du Soleil's production of Nouvelle Expérience.
Incorporating bold, slapstick humour, it showcases an unprecedented approach to the High Wire and the Wheel of Death – an act that Cirque has never before presented under the big top.
‘Kooza is about human connection and the world of duality, good and bad,’ says Shiner. ‘The tone is fun and funny, light and open. The show doesn’t take itself too seriously, but it’s very much about ideas, too. As it evolves we are exploring concepts such as fear, identity, recognition and power.’
For the cast of Kooza their stint at the Royal Albert Hall is one for the few venues that is ready made – meaning they don’t have to put up a big top.
‘We are a traditional travelling circus in this respect,’ explains Michael. ‘We have our big top and come with 60 trucks, our own generators. All we need is access to fresh water and a sewer.’
And the cast and crew, who come from all over the world, Michael says really are like a large family. Spouses travel with the show. As do children. They even have a Cirque school – so as the children of the cast can be educated while on the road. One of the most rewarding parts of Michael’s job is seeing the audience reaction to the Kooza.
‘People fall in love with it. You can’t help but be inspired by the sheer skill of the artists,’ he enthuses. ‘There really is nothing like Cirque.’
So as Kooza’s run at The Royal Albert Hall draws to a close (and tickets fly out of the door) make sure you don’t miss all the fun of the circus this winter.
For more information about Cirque du Soleil, visit cirquedusoleil.com
WHAT TO EXPECT
Kooza contains ten acrobatic acts, these are:
- Balancing on chairs
- Charivari
- Contortion
- Hand to hand
- High wire
- Hoops manipulation
- Solo trapeze
- Teeterboard
- Unicycle duo
- Wheel of death