Circus of the Sun

Ann and Sanj had invited us to see Cirque du Soleil in Brisbane a while back and last night we finally got a chance to see what all the fuss was all about. To be perfectly honest, I didn't really have high hopes for the performance. I enjoy a display of acrobatics as much as the next person, but every time I'd seen Cirque on TV it didn't seem all that special. When I read the premise for Dralion I was even less impressed, expecting an over produced, "kwai-lo" take on traditional lion dance and Chinese performing arts.



The night itself didn't start off brilliantly as we were battered by heavy rain on the walk from the car park to the big top. Thanks to clever forward planning by the girls we had brollies to shield us from the elements. Other patrons weren't quite as prepared and we took a sadistic pleasure in pointing out drenched bogans in tasteless frocks.

Finally getting to our seats in our sad soggy state, things surprisingly began to improve. Two clowns did a brilliant job of keeping the crowd entertained while we waited for the main show to start. Soon enough the lights dimmed and we were treated to an explosion of colour, action and music that didn't let up for the next two hours. The choreography was unbelievably clever, making great use of trap doors in the stage and a hidden compartment above the tent as well as sensational props. Granted the acts still had obvious origins and influence, but the total package injected so much originality and beauty that the final result was an absolute joy for the audience to behold. Solo acts were breath taking, costumes were stunning, music was moving and... I seem to be out of superlatives.

Didn't think I'd be a fan but both Alison and I are happy converts, eagerly looking forward to the next show that graces Brisbane. The videos on TV don't do the show justice at all, but have a peek at the promo video to get an idea of the spectacle we were treated to last night.