(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."