Travel Story «Cirque du Soleil – Varekai»
Australia
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22 August 2006
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Last Update 24 December 2006
Onwards we continued on our never-ending quest for that elusive thing called Culture.
In order to fully understand the Australian Animal we had been trying, like all the anthropologists say you should, to view our subject in its own habitat. Surprisingly though, the locals don’t really encourage people watching them in their homes (uptight or what) so we had to limit our research to watching them on TV. Something we took very seriously actually.
Australian TV is hilarious. Imagine all 5 terrestrial channels are TV3 and all the reporters are versions of Ursula Halligan (Arse-ula more like). Home and Away is billed over here like a very serious drama series and the Ads would be utterly amusing if they weren’t so crap and irritating. (Every killer in Criminal Minds CANNOT be the most intelligent, vicious and unique operator that Gideon has ever seen, it’s impossible, unless Gideon has been blind for the entire length of his career.) It’s not all bad though, there are some side-splitting comedy series over here, namely the Wedge, Thank God You’re Here (Emily’s favourite show), the Footy Show and Real Stories (The FIFTH most popular current affairs show), which ironically enough spend most of the time extracting the urine from the rest of the TV shows.
Obviously we spend most of out time screaming at the awful reporting and cringing at the terrible Ads (some notable exceptions – To keep the rabbits out), so we completely missed the fact that every second Ad on TV was alerting the public to the advent of the Cirque du Soleil to Sydney, and consequently a cultural extravaganza arriving on our antipodean door step.
This time we were lead by the ladies from Athlone (Brid, Cathy, Helen, Hilary and Ruth). Hilary, who clearly has her finger on the pulse of the performing arts scene, booked the tickets for her homies and after the rave reviews the Athloners gave the show, we felt compelled to go.
As I am world renowned for my inability to describe anything I’m not taking the piss out of I have bowed to the superior descriptive gifts of Wikipedia and the text in italics below comes from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cirque_du_Soleil and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varekai .
Cirque du Soleil has been described as the modern circus, and focuses upon a storyline as well as amazing performances. It has several resident and touring troupes and draws heavily from the circus tradition. Emphasizing the use of humans as performers, Cirque du Soleil does not make use of animals. Instead, its performances combine elements of street performances and busking, circus, opera, ballet, and rock music. Acts include contortionists, jugglers, feats of strength, clowning, and trapeze artists. Their costumes are very colorful. Cirque shows do not use pre-recorded music; all music is played live, and in many performances the spoken parts are done in Cirquish, an imaginary language invented by the company.
Cirque shows begin as a creative concept, usually with elements of a central story line, a design concept and the selection of a composer for the music. These elements remain relatively constant throughout the production run of a given show.
However, the shows also include both "house" and "guest" acts. House acts are performed by the full-time cast members, some whom may be involved in several routines. Not all prepared routines are presented in every performance. Guest acts rotate in and out over the run of the show (clowns are typically guest acts). As a result, Cirque shows can vary somewhat performance to performance, and shows tend to evolve over time. Cirque creators borrow from some of circus's earliest forms (for example, banquine and teeterboard acts) but also regularly introduce new apparatus. For example, Cirque introduced the use of bungee cords to aerial acts and created a modified tumbling trampoline called a Power Track, both of which have since been adopted by other circuses.
Cirque du Soleil recruits acts from different world circuses, including from China and Russia, blending them into their own style.
Among veteran circus performers, Cirque is regarded as one of the world's best circuses, due to higher than normal pay scales and benefits.
Varekai is a Cirque du Soleil touring production that premiered in Montreal in 2002. Its title means "wherever" in the Romany language, and the show is an "acrobatic tribute to the nomadic soul". The plot is based loosely on the Greek myth of Icarus.
Varekai completed its first North American tour in 2006; its last stop was in Vancouver, Canada from June 22 to July 23. It debuted in Australia in August and will arrive in New Zealand in early 2007, visiting remaining Australian cities throughout that year.
Characters
After a tragic fall, Icarus lands in the midst of the strange forest. He is greeted by a family of survivors. With agility, deftness and sensitivity, like an angel, he rises once again towards the sky. Through this elevation of the spirit, he celebrates the beginning of his rebirth.
- The Betrothed (La Promise)
Strange, veiled creature, metamorphosis incarnate, betrothed to Icarus, she plays the game of seduction and expresses the joy of freedom. Balancing on a series of canes, she is stunning in her grace, strength and flexibility.
Guide to Icarus throughout his odyssey in the strange forest, he is in turn the spectre of the injured angel, the provocative sorcerer, the tamer of shadows, the guardian of fire, and the Vigie's accomplice in the young man's rebirth.
A lame lover, sad and forlorn, the Limping Angel teeters on round-tipped crutches in a stirring, spasmodic dance, inspiring the young man to surpass himself and take flight.
- The Skywatcher (La Vigie)
Mad scientist and gifted inventor, the Vigie is the man of calls, the announcer of trials, the hunter of sounds and the tamer of the clouds. From him, the young man learns to survive the fury of the volcanoes and the joy of new love.
Acts
The Skywatcher entertains the audience and his fellow creatures with his "Sound Machine" and basically acting like a fool, ad-libbing to various sounds.
Once the Skywatcher and the Guide deem it safe, all the creatures come out in a celebration, singing, dancing, and even performing small acrobatic stunts with each other.
With agility, deftness and sensitivity, the performer, playing the part of Icarus, performs astounding dives and contortions in the net that holds him captive.
Rarely seen in circus shows today, foot-juggling is one of the oldest circus arts disciplines. The principle is simple: the bearer lies on his back and twirls the voltigeur on his feet. Foot-juggling acrobats often come from the same family. This wild family of Icarian brothers plays with the desire to take flight, the courage of audacity and the joy of brotherhood.
High above their heads, three young acrobats whirl ropes with metal meteors attached to the ends. Handling their ropes with rare agility, they perform impressive acrobatic figures at the same time. Once again, they are an incantation to surpassing one’s limits and to the human yearning to escape the Earth’s pull and rise into the air towards the sublime.
The two clowns try to perform magic but mess everything up. An unsuspecting audience member is recruited to help.
The Skywatcher pulls a cloud along by a rope while Icarus and the Betrothed get closer.
From their trapeze on high, four young women perform a series of striking acrobatic moves, displaying grace, sensuality and impeccable timing. For Icarus, this is the test of desire, between the temptation and the arrogance of beauty.
This act takes its inspiration from a long tradition of resistance in the Republic of Georgia, whose inhabitants have had to battle numerous invaders over the centuries. The movements of the dancers recall the Georgians’ struggles against neighbouring powers that sought to dominate their land. Endurance, precision and more than a hint of frenzy mark this act. The Masters of the Volcano call Icarus to rage and to rebellion. This is the test of Fire.
The Skywatcher walks around with two huge wheels on each side, teasing the Guide and Icarus.
Rebirth is nigh for the young man who has landed in the middle of the desolate forest. For the duration of a zany baptism, the hostile forest becomes as colourful as tropical seas. Darting and intertwining on a specially designed sliding surface, the artists fling and catch each other, creating an illusion of skating.
One clown tries to sing to the audience while chasing the spotlight which travels everywhere, from vaious places on the stage to sections of the audience.
No longer part of the show. Two lovers dance and perform acrobatic stunts, showing their love, trust, and respect for each other.
Like a jointed puppet, a performer on canes teeters in a stirring dance.
Castor and Pollux, twin brothers and shadows of the sky, circle in their perfect symbiosis around Icarus to invite him into the mysteries of encounters and wrenching goodbyes, departures and homecomings, attraction and repulsion. Suspended by wrist straps, they glide gracefully above the stage, performing original acrobatic figures.
Suspended high above the stage or flying through the air on her hoop, a young woman performs a series of movements displaying her flexibility and strength.
A juggling virtuoso, he handles the fruits of the forest to celebrate their rebirth with strength, rage and exuberance! Pins, balls, hats and ping-pong balls are manipulated with hands, his feet, his head and even his mouth. Nothing is too much for him!
When the Guide's lightbulb dies, he calls for the Skywatcher to fix it. But the Skywatcher finds this entertaining and acts the silly man he is, which pushes the Guide to almost insanity.
The performer's grace, strength and flexibility are astonishing, as she balances on a series of strategically placed canes. Poised now on her feet, now on her hands, she contorts herself on her canes, maintaining a delicate equilibrium.
Propelled by two Russian swings, acrobats are hurled high into the air, like the fires of an erupting volcano, alighting on their partners' wrists or on a landing canvas. In feats of outstanding audacity, the acrobats even soar from one moving swing to the other!
All the performers come out without their headgear and bow to the audience
Music and Musicians
All music is played live by seven musicians and two singers. Composed by Violaince Corradi and directed by the bandleader/keyboard player, the music has many different tastes. Some songs are quiet and sorrowful while others are more upbeat and exciting. Every song matches the mood of the act and the mood the performer/creature is portraying. In a way, the music makes up most of the soul of the act.
Instruments used in the show are two sets of keybroads, bass, drums, percussion, violin, and various wind instruments. The only music solos are violin and flute. When those occur, the musician comes into view, still hidden in the trees but is visible to the audience.
There are two very distintively different voices in the show. The primary voice is a male singer called the Patriarch. He is dressed in a dark purple outfit and sings to all but two acts. He is able to tap into the feeling of the act and portray the feeling with his facial expressions and arm and hand movements. He always shows himself except during the two acts where he doesn't sing. He appears to watch over the other singer, almost like a father figure, and occasionally interacts with the wind instrument musician whenever the musician has a solo. His range is from high tenor to bass, almost sounding mechanical.
The other voice is a young female singer called the Muse. Her outfit is that of a light purple flower. She is amazed by everything she sees but is normally shy and hides among the trees, almost unseen. She has two solos, where she shows herself to her fellow creatures and the audience. For seven other acts, she either blends with the Patriarch or sings a small part before him. During these acts, she is either next to him or hiding among the trees. For the remaining acts, she remains out of sight. Her range is from low alto to high soprano.
During the Triple Trapeze act, there is a third voice, blending with the Patriach. The voice belongs to the wind instrument musician, hidden in the trees, behind the Patriarch.
Essentially we were in awe for the entire duration of the performance and as the acrobatics seemed to be getting more dangerous and more intricate all the time, we were simply agog. The comedy routines were hilarious, words were not used and not required.
The whole thing was staged inside a big tent called La Grand Chapeau (The Big Hat) and you really felt like no holds were barred.
The whole experience was thoroughly enjoying. My advice to anyone with the opportunity to go in the future, is GO, wear bells. My only regret was that we didn’t fork out for the more expensive seats as the view from the nosebleed section was occasionally obscured, but that didn’t take away from the brilliance of the whole extravaganza. Although the culture wasn’t strictly speaking Australian in content it was culture we saw while in Australia , ergo it was Australian Culture.
Grainne
