Cirque Illumination
Casino Rama
January 22, 2010

www.cirqueproductions.com
www.casinorama.com


By Laurie Lonsdale
Photos by Scott McAlpine


From Cirque Productions, creators of Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy, now comes Cirque Illumination, a Broadway style show of colourful costumes, acrobatics, contortionists, singing and dancing, all set to an energetic score of pop and jazz.



A backdrop of a busy city street sets the tone for this unique production, which finds the players using ordinary and familiar objects on which to balance and display their one-of-a-kind skills.

The spectacle opened with a song and dance number that incorporated sleight of hand and featured a male and female counterpart whose costumes kept changing in the blink of an eye. However, the scene quickly morphed into that of a daring tightrope act that included somersaults and head stands. The player used the flimsy rope as though it was a sturdy balance beam, while cast mates lingered in the shadows on stage and continued to dance in the background.



Next up was a 'popping' dancer, surely made of rubber not bone, and capable of folding his body parts down into smaller components. His style had showgoers transfixed by his bizarre and almost inhuman movements, and shaking their heads with awe.

Nevertheless, every circus needs some humour, and though this particular brand of 'cirque' doesn't feature animals or clowns per se, indeed they found a way to make the next skit funny by involving hesitant members of the audience. With a whistle-blowing, odd duck of a director at the helm of the mini play, three show goers were plucked from the audience and expected to execute the roles of star-crossed lovers caught in a love triangle. The problems the threesome encountered in learning their parts on the spot while being directed by a hyper and ever-present whistle, turned out to be a good belly laugh for the Casino Rama crowd.



Props of street construction and railroad crossings all provided a setting for the vaudeville-like interludes that took place between main acrobatic acts, the next of which involved a balancing act on multiple chairs. To further the idea that everyday ordinary things can be used within such a show; a delicate balancing act atop paint cans was also featured, as was a giant metal ring in which the player danced and gyrated his way across the stage.

Amidst heavenly vocals from the entourage's main female singer came acts that included a gymnast inside several spinning rings while balanced on the shoulders of a male player. As well, one particularly nimble member of the troupe was featured balanced atop three different contraptions, one of which included a star-studded elevation that had her high above the heads of her cast mates.



Certainly Cirque Illumination's colourful and family-friendly presentation makes the show suitable for all ages. It has a little of everything – music, dance, magic and wonder, and a whole lot of talent from a cast that dares to be different.