|
Bit 1
|
There is a cyberspace scene in The Matrix where Neo (Keanu Reeves), having
been programmed with Kung Fu fighting techniques, is taught the finer
details of the art by Laurence Fishburne's character, Morpheus.
Humiliated, puffing hard and somewhat taken aback by Morpheus's acrobatic
antics, Neo is offered some advice from Morpheus who suggests that Neo is
being restricted by the constraints of 'reality' -- gravitational force and
the human need for oxygen. Subsequently Neo overcomes these restrictions
jerking and flinging at all in his path in a way that only Keanu can. He
will save the world!
|
|---|
|
Bit 2
|
The troupe from the Cirque du Soleil (Circus of the Sun) seem to have
received the same pep talk from Morpheus. The only problem is that he
forgot to mention that this form of acrobatics can only be performed in
cyberspace. For two hours on 9 June 1999 in Brisbane, the Cirque du Soleil
flipped, flopped and flung their bodies about with an energy and
exuberance that appeared to bypass the effects of gravity and oxygen
deprivation. For two hours, the audience applauded spontaneously and held
their collective breath, perhaps in awe, perhaps in sympathy for the
surely asphixiated artists. The performance of the Cirque du Soleil's last
production Saltimbanco was astonishing and refreshingly void of
artificially produced special effects.
|
|---|
|
Bit 3
|
53 performers from 11 nationalities comprise the travelling version of this
circus. This troupe from the Canadian province of Québec was originally
created in 1984 by Guy Laliberté. The title of their first production, We
Reinvent the Circus, aptly describes the Cirque du Soleil. All performers
are movement artists, all performers belong to the traditional circus
disciplines of acrobatics, trapeze, juggling and clowning, but all
performers also seem to bring an open mind to their art, experimenting
with new ideas and disregarding the boundaries of tradition. Some of the
notable performers include nine year old Daria Vintilova who is tossed
about with gay yet loving abandon by her parents, Andrei and Oxana. Polish
twins Daniel and Jacek Gutszmit stunned the audience (not only with their
muscles, but) with their ludicrously difficult balancing acts. Were they
grinning in enjoyment or pain, I wonder? High wire artist, Chen Wei
performed extraordinary feats, jumping between two high wires, cycling and
using the wires as trampolines for acrobatics. These individual
performances were linked beautifully by the rest of the troupe who slid,
climbed and spun up and down Chinese poles with a synchrony that would
make the Royal Ballet green. They also lept and somersaulted off the
Russian swing and simultaneously bounced on bungee cords and swung from
trapezes, thumbing their noses at Newton's apple. These performers
certainly did reinvent the circus.
|
|---|
|
Bit 4
|
The sophistication of Saltimbanco is further exemplified by the staging and
costuming. This production is loosely based around the nature of dreaming,
with the sleeper (Guennadi Tchijov) the only constant character throughout
the performance. The production crew achieve this sense of dreaming by
adopting a surrealist approach to colour and shape. The result is an
impressive array of cheerful and almost always bizarre costumes that
perpetuate the characters that the performer's construct, a necessary
process when they need their concentration for difficult manoeuvres rather
than acting. This series of costumes is complemented by the stage design
and lighting which impressively adds to the surrealist conception of
dreaming. Costumes and lighting are often so well coordinated that the
lighting highlights aspects of the costumes and therefore certain
movements at appropriate times.
|
|---|
|
Bit 5
|
In all, the Cirque du Soleil's production of Saltimbanco seems to have
placed the awe factor back into circuses. Audiences have long tired of
naïve clowns and lion tamers and for some time now have focussed their
gasps of astonishment on film SFX. Yet, this circus competes well, having
the advantage of producing their own effects without the assistance of
digital technology. I would rather see this circus perform any day than
sit through another Matrix.
|
|---|
| |
Bit 6
|
Details
Saltimbanco.
Company: Cirque du Soleil.
Director: Franco Dragone.
Creation Director: Gilles Ste-Croix.
Set Designer: Michel Crête.
Costume Designer: Dominique Lemieux.
Artistic Director: Andrew Watson.
Venues:
Sydney, opening 7 January 1999.
Melbourne, opening 18 March 1999.
Brisbane, opening 28 May 1999.
Adelaide, opening 21 July 1999
Perth, opening 9 September 1999.
|
|---|
| |
Bit 7
|
Citation reference for this article
MLA style:
Felicity Meakins. "Running Away to the Circus: 'Saltimbanco'." M/C Reviews 28 June 1999.
[your date of access] <http://www.uq.edu.au/mc/reviews/events/saltimbanco.html>.
Chicago style:
Felicity Meakins, "Running Away to the Circus: 'Saltimbanco'," M/C Reviews 28 June 1999,
<http://www.uq.edu.au/mc/reviews/events/saltimbanco.html> ([your date of access]).
APA style:
Felicity Meakins. (1999) Running away to the circus: 'Saltimbanco'. M/C Reviews 28 June 1999.
<http://www.uq.edu.au/mc/reviews/events/saltimbanco.html> ([your date of access]).
|
|---|
|
|
![[image]](http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/imgsite/piste/saltimb/hand_small.jpg)