Imagine yourself sitting in front of a 130-foot-long, narrow stage framed between square projection screens. Now fill the stage with 40 singers, dancers, and musicians with costumes, each as unique as a snowflake. Put images on the screen of forest fires and scared faces waking up from nightmares, with the occasional pulse line vibrating to the beat of the bass. Throw in a few acrobatic masters both on the stage and suspended above, and what picture have you just completed? Chances are you are watching a Cirque du Soleil performance, perhaps the most unique show you have ever seen.
The opening act on the “Delirium” tour is singer and songwriter Nitza, who is not only multi-ethnic, but also multi-lingual. She was accompanied by the Cirque musicians, who came on the stage one-by-one as each song transitioned into the next. Nitza performed for roughly 20 minutes, and her amazing voice quickly passed the time as the audience waited for the main event. The entire set was full of energy that got all the musicians dancing; her music combines both eastern and western traditions reflective of her own cultural upbringing. Intensity grew when the drums took over at the end, and everyone in the audience was at least tapping a leg along.
After the first intermission, the greatly anticipated Cirque show began with a handful of dancers wearing light-up armbands that pulsed each time they clapped. The diamond of four screens on center stage pulled apart to reveal more dancers positioned on a 15-foot dome doubling as a drum containing 16 percussive instruments. This planet drum was incorporated into the next few songs as more dancers and musicians entered from the stage sides to fill the 130 feet. The area above the platform was utilized as well, with both acrobats and singers hung from hoops and cables.
The performers were accompanied by four giant projection screens—two facing each side of the audience—that showed both live-feed images as well as pre-recorded clips setting the mood for each act. There were also four smaller vertical screens that scrolled down when additional imagery was used to follow the path of the video across the stage. The film clips ranged from doors opening to reveal scared faces to flowers and birds coming to life as if spring were emerging. Occasionally the entertainers were masked by a white sheer curtain that accentuated their silhouettes behind vibrant colors and patterns matching the lighting schemes.
As is custom in their shows, the Cirque performers were all clad in unique costumes that fit the lighting and mood for each piece. The more important artists in each set were denoted through more elaborate patterns and brighter colors, allowing them to stand out. In some cases, the head of the song wore decorative robes, traditional of the culture being represented in the music. Some dancers enhanced their movements with flowing dresses, as well. One singer’s dress doubled as a screen tent with silhouettes behind the projected images.
The most amazing aspect of all Cirque shows, and particularly this one, is the strength and endurance of the cast members. The acrobatics included not only stunts with hoops and hanging sheets in the air, but there were also four men showing off their muscles, control, and gymnastics. They balanced on each other to complete towers two and a half men tall, the most impressive of which had one standing on two backs with the fourth performer stabilized on one arm atop the center man’s head. The stunts completed above stage were just as impressive, since there were no safety nets in case something went wrong. It was easy to tell how much practice is required to master these skills.
Overall, the entire show never ceased to amaze, with the smooth transitions between each song and the interaction between each piece of the whole. They were very resourceful by reusing key props from set to set and even using some of the costumes as props. The balance between traditional love songs and urban cultural beats never left a dull moment, especially since the length of the stage was used to create tension between the two halves. The final song, entitled “Kumba,” brought out all of the singers, musicians, and dancers into one collaborative effort to go out with a bang. They shot confetti into the stands and let the audience have some fun with oversized balloons as the music wound down and everyone took their bows. The “Delirium” show came to an end with whistling and clapping from the stands and a very well-earned standing ovation. If Cirque du Soleil visits a city near you, mark it on your calendar as the one show you cannot miss.
