Kooza – “circus in a box”
Saturday night my husband and I had an opportunity to see Cirque du Soleil’s Kooza. It “tells the story of The Innocent, a melancholy loner in search of his place in the world.” This was our fourth Cirque production and it was as spectacular as I imagined it would be. The pre-show sets the stage for the production as clowns entertain and amuse you. We, as an audience, are already drawn into the production before it officially begins.
What ensues is a story (as opposed to just a series of acts) that will thrill and move you. The show, while weaving thematic elements reminiscent of timeless circus acts, is so much more than that. The musical entertainment, including amazingly talented vocalists and musicians, reminds me in some ways of a theater performance (as opposed to a “circus”).
From the costumes, which are brilliant, to the music, which provides depth and emotion to the show, to the performers who are talented, professional, and stunning…Cirque Kooza gets two thumbs up (and received a standing ovation on Saturday night). You will laugh one minute, and be on the edge of your seat the next. I wish I could tell you I had just one favorite act…to have to choose would be impossible. But I was incredibly moved by the “Contortion” act, which reminded me more of a modern art piece. The performers flowed so beautifully, almost as if one at times.
Kooza’s performers will display incredible strength intertwined with refined movement. You’ll be silent, in awe and concentration one moment…then laughing and engaging with the cast the next. The irony of the title, which means “circus in a box,” is that Kooza cannot be neatly packaged into a stereotypical show. You will never see such an amazing display of talent including acting, acrobatic performance, comedy, vocal and instrumental performance in one show.
Tickets to Kooza are on sale now (but the show will sell out!). Performances in Santa Monica end on November 29 and run on the following days: Tuesdays through Thursdays at 8:00 pm, Fridays and Saturdays at 4:00 pm and 8:00 pm and Sundays at 1:00 pm and 5:00 pm.
Here is a preview of the show:
The show will then move to Irvine and then San Diego. Pricing is as follows: Prices range from $60 to $125 during the week (Children $42 to $87.50) and $65 to $135 on the weekend (Children ages 2-12 $45.50 to $94.50). Students and seniors are offered special pricing at $54 to $112.50. You can also purchase a VIP Tapis package which includes the best seats in the house and access to the VIP Suite one hour before the show and during intermission (now that’s the way to go!). Adults are $250 and children ages 2-12 are $175.
About Cirque du Soleil:
From a group of 20 street performers at its beginnings in 1984, Cirque du Soleil is a major Quebec-based organization providing high-quality artistic entertainment. The company has more than 4,000 employees from over 40 different countries, including more than a 1,000 artists. Cirque du Soleil has brought wonder and delight to close to 90 million spectators in over 200 cities on five continents. In 2009, Cirque du Soleil will present 19 shows simultaneously throughout the world.
I’ll leave you with one final bit of trivia I found on their Twitter page:
There are more than 175 costumes & 160 hats in KOOZA – 1,080 items in all, including all the shoes, props & wigs!
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Great post, I’ve been looking for someone to write a review since it opened and yours was by far the most informative and enjoyable! I am looking into getting tickets, as this will be my 4th show as well. Any extra tips/advice besides getting them ASAP 😉