It’s no wonder that more than 100 million people have seen a Cirque du Soleil production.
From the first gravity-defying moments, the cast and crew of Quidam manages to take away the breath of the audience.
Cirque du Soleil, literally ‘Circus of the Sun’ in French, got its start nearly 30 years ago in Quebec. Today, the company travels and performs on 6 continents with artists from 50 different countries. But this circus is unlike any other.
If you consider yourself to be in good shape, think again. With a cast that makes the models in Men’s Health look like frequent fliers at Dunkin’ Donuts, Cirque du Soleil spotlights the human body, and the extraordinary things it can do.
But they do it in a way that boggles the mind, explodes the imagination, and inspires the creative soul.
Each movement is practiced to perfection. Each muscle sculpted to pure strength. Each breath critically calculated. Because in addition to the unbelievable strength, grace and talent of Cirque performers that draws audiences to their productions, there are very real elements of risk and danger. Cirque shows, Quidam included, use no safety nets. There are no wires or harnesses to catch the artists if they slip. And when an acrobat is flung through the air to land on the shoulders of a human tower three people high, there is no room for error.
In the Louisville production of Quidam, Cirque introduces the audience to young Zoe, who, after being ignored by her parents, finds herself in an imaginary world full of intriguing characters.
While the storyline may be a bit tough to follow, given the lack of spoken word and the heavy influence of imagery, audiences will not walk away disappointed. The costumes are bizarrely fantastic; the lights and sound compliment the action well; and the spectacle of cast members flying toward the audience, suspended from an aluminum arch spanning 120 feet is quite a sight to behold. Six on-stage musicians follow the movements and timing of the artists to create music that is strangely surreal; tonal in quality, but enormously effective.
Whether one sits in the cheap seats or the front row, Quidam is a jaw-dropping, breathtaking and awe-inspiring production.
Cirque du Soleil’s Quidam continues tonight, June 20 at 7:30 through Sunday, June 23 at the KFC Yum! Center. Seats are still available online via Ticketmaster, in person at the Yum! Center or Ticketmaster outlets, or by calling 800-745-3000. Tickets start at $38. Student, senior and military discounts are available.
Image: Courtesy A. Seib/Cirque du Soleil
