Following the recent successes of Ovo and Michael Jackson The Immortal in Australia, Montreal’s famed Cirque du Soleil returned to Sydney this week with their latest production Totem sitting under The Grand Chapiteau, some four years after it first premiered in Montreal. It arrives just in time for the company’s 30th anniversary and from the minute the show begins it’s clear what makes Cirque du Soleil the hottest ticket in town whenever it passes through, as well as what has made them international leaders in circus entertainment: a whole lotta “wow” factor, and a true beauty in their art.
Where as some other Circus production companies lean more towards acts of higher risk, humour and/or adult intrigue, a typical cirque show is all about providing just that: a “show” for the whole family. And an impressive one at that. Those who have never seen a Cirque production will immediately be impressed by the production values. From the sets to the costumes, there’s a certain magic to it all, and an impeccable attention to detail. You get a package here that you won’t get anywhere else. It’s the luxury of 30 years in the business, and knowing people will cover your costs!
And this is a huge production by an standard. In addition to the dozens of performers and musicians on stage, there are dozens of others hidden up ladders and behind the scenes making sure that everything is safe and everything goes off without a hitch. Because while they mightn’t emphasise the “risk” factor in what they’re doing, you don’t have to think hard to imagine what might happen if a cord slips or a board breaks. But unlike some shows that want you to think of that danger, the mastery of a show like Totem is that they want you to see nothing but beauty in every move they do, no matter how dangerous. Though they certainly want you to say “I can’t believe they just did that”. It is, after all, the hallmark of any circus production.
Every Cirque show holds a theme, and for Totem we look at Human Evolution, from amphibians jumping out of the water, to humans jumping in space, with everything in between – Monkeys, Beach Babes and Native Americans, oh my! – filtering through the production as Writer/Director Robert Lepage merges time (and, apparently, space) to deliver a variety of explorations of movement: jumping, flying, floating and even water skiing.
There’s no narrative to follow, persay, but there are basic themes strung together to embody particular sentiments along the way. Usually humour, sometimes love but mostly just beauty. The stage set up sees a moving catwalk like something out of a Transformers film), surrounded be reeds (which hide the band), while projections of water, land and the moon, dictate where we are set in time and space. The platform acts as a bridge between that world and the centre stage, where the magic happens…
The performances that take us through the show vary from incredible feats of human strength and endurance to “clown” acts of humour and “passing the time while we subtly set up the next act”. Interestingly, this production felt weighed heavier to the “clown” acts, though this ensured there were a few key stand out pieces from the night. In that respect they came out swinging (literally), with one of the night’s most memorable acts starting off the show, wasting no time in reminding the audience just how impressive of a production Cirque would have in store for us through the some two hour and a half hour night (with intermission).
The opening act was a play on the traditional High Bars routine, where multiple performers – dressed in this case like frogs of some description in incredible costumes by Kym Barrett – fly between two suspended bars, with up to four interweaving at any given time, as other amphibians bounce around the trampoline below, sitting around the edges of the turtle shell-like structure that made up the show’s center piece and is said to represent the origins of life on earth.
The duo fixed trapeze, which is pictured below, was another stand out act, where two beautiful beautiful performers shining bright in yellow fly over the stage, using each other to hang, swing and fly. It’s a hypnotising performance and also one of the most physically impressive of the night. The same can be said for the roller skates duo, who dance together on a drum (just 1.8 meters in diameter), flying into the air and performing one of the most thrilling pieces of the night.
Then there are the ladies on the unicycles, who show off the art of precision, balancing on their unicycles as they balance bowls on their heads, flinging them to one with their feet – essentially with their eyes closed – catching them sans hands. It’s one of the more beautiful moments of the show, and wholly impressive to say the least. A special mention has to also go to our Native American Hoop Dancers who move hoops around their bodies like they are one and the same. It’s stunning to watch, and done with such skill that by the time it’s finished you feel like you need to watch it all again. They just make it look so effortless, when, of course, it is anything but.
Totem ends on what seems to have been the moon, where full body suits return as we saw in our opening amphibians, this time with colours and patterns “inspired by the lost civilizations of South America”. The act called “Russian Bars” sees jumpers move between flexible planks, doing flips front and back as they fly through the air ensuring we leave the show with plenty more “wow” factor, before they take their final bow.
But these highlights just scratch the surface from a night that entertained from start to finish, ending with a much deserved, unanimous standing ovation. This is a dazzling production that gives us everything that Cirque du Soleil is known for. It amazes, it excites and it makes you want to experience it all over again.
———–
Totem is now in performances under the Big Top in Moore Park, Sydney until early January, before touring the country… For tickets and more details head to – http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/En/shows/totem/default.aspx – and stay tuned to the AU as we talk to more performers, the creative minds behind TOTEM and help celebrate the 30th anniversary of Cirque du Soleil…
Photo Credit: OSA Images (Except Opening Photo by Larry Heath). Costumes: Kym Barrett, Cirque du Soleil 2010.
The reviewer attended opening night on 28th October 2014.
