SEND IN THE CLOWNS
Cirque du Soleil gives up the big top for its new show,
Delirium. We have an inside look at the fantastic result.
With its global beats and Fellini-esque visuals, Cirque du
Soleil isn't the most obvious candidate for household-name status.
But after 22 years, a lucrative
Las Vegas residence, and more than
a few jokes at its expense, the Montreal-based company has become
synonymous with theatrical wonder.
The newest show is
Delirium, currently touring North
America. This time, Cirque du Soleil has abandoned its trademark
big top for arena stages, allowing a much bigger audience as well
as a grander spectacle. The main character floats around the stage
in a rippling balloon while giant projections splash across
screens, floors, and even the audience.
"It's a fascinating feast for the eyes," says
Delirium
executive producer
Kiki Nesbitt. The ambitious production proved to
be a challenge for even the seasoned hands at Cirque, with two tons
of equipment to assemble in each city, including massive rail
bridges that bisect the stage. Nesbitt calls creators Michel
Lemieux and Victor Pilon "a two-man orchestra" who combine
technical and visual mastery to create a symphony of light, sound,
and otherworldly acrobatics. But it's not just eye candy - there's
actually a story behind all the awe-inspiring stunts.
"It's what we would call an urban tale, about a main character who
lives mostly in his head," says Nesbitt. "We live in a virtual
world where fewer and fewer people talk to each other, and the
story concerns this quest for balance." But mostly, the show just
looks really cool.
(Above) Behold the emerging 80-foot volcanic dress, a structural
feat by costume designer Michel Robidas, who has designed outfits
for French-Canadian divas such as
Céline Dion, Diane Dufresne, and
Ginette Reno.
(Above) These flying wheels carry artists onto the stage from the
rafters. On the ground, they're used as acrobatic props, something
like giant hamster wheels. Says Nesbitt, "Every time you put a new
piece on stage, everyone says, 'Oh God, what are we going to do
with this?' "
(Left) Twenty different countries are represented in the cast of
44 (which includes only one American). The staging was so
sprawling, the troupe had to relocate twice during rehearsal -
first to a car-manufacturing plant and then, when that became too
small, to an abandoned airplane hangar.
(Below) "This balloon is quite a technical thing," says Nesbitt of
the delicate, complex contraption that floats the main character
around the stage for most of the show. Controlled by a harness, the
vehicle requires four motors.
(Below) For the first time in any Cirque show, the songs have
lyrics, but good luck understanding them - they toggle among
English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Wolof, an African
language.
(Left) The projection space used in the show is equivalent to four
IMAX theaters. The group did a 10-day video shoot prior to
rehearsals, but camera operators also project live images laced
with special effects during the show.
(Below Left) It took a little under a year to rehearse the show,
which features 11 musicians. "We have a tendency to put musicians
in the background," says Nesbitt, "but this time, we wanted to have
extroverts, artists, and musicians ready to be flown around the
stage."
(Below Center)
Delirium’s soundtrack remixes 20 previous Cirque songs to create “what we call urban tribal beat,” says Nesbitt. This mix of techno and world music is performed by the house band, the Brazilian group Gaïa, along with a world-renowned lineup of percussionists.
(Below Right) The show is choreographed by Mia Michaels, who is no stranger to large-scale productions: She choreographed Céline Dion’s show at
Caesars Palace and has worked with Madonna,
Ricky Martin, and Prince.
(Below) The end product may look graceful and effortless, but the process to achieve it is anything but. “Our creators have these incredible ideas, but there’s a lot of planning in rehearsal to make these creative ideas work,” says Nesbitt. It’s not always easy making people float through space. “You can have a balloon with remote control, but not if [the character] turns around and hits his head on it.”
For tour dates and ticket information for Cirque du Soleil’s Delirium, visit www.cirquedusoleil.com.