{No compensation was received for this post. Media tickets provided}
The very first time I experienced Cirque de Soleil was a mix of awe and wonder as I repeatedly asked myself, “How do they do that?” Fusing circus styles around the world, Cirque du Soleil weaves together a loose storyline with live music and jaw-dropping, gravity-defying acts. Frequently performed “in the round,” each show features exquisite costumes and elaborate, circus-inspired sets. The bigtop ambience and basic structure of the acts allude to the traditional circus, but everything about Cirque du Soleil feels theatrical, including the absence of animals which distinguishes it as the contemporary circus.
It had been some time since I’ve seen a Cirque du Soleil show, so when I heard Kurios – Cabinet of Curiosities was coming to Orange County, I immediately carved out time to see it. The theme of the show has its roots in Renaissance Europe, where the Cabinet of Curiosities originated. These collections of objects often included everything from natural history and works of art to geology and archaeology, but were often undefined. This theme is consistently entwined within the show, from the set and props to the costumes, which depict a visual exploration of the beginnings of science and all of the discoveries and inventions that preceded the industrial revolution. Even the subtle blend of odds and ends seen in the Visitors’ costumes exude artistry.
Kurios is set in the late 19th-century where a scientist (aka The Seeker) sets out to create a machine that defies the laws of time, space and dimension to find the place where the possible and the impossible converge. In his larger-than-life curio cabinet lies a place where the grandest ideas and dreams come to life. Out of this world, we are introduced to a series of eccentric characters including Mr. Microcosmos, who is symbolic of technological progress and Mini Lili, a painter, actress, and poetess who represents the unconscious mind of Mr. Microcosmos.
The opening act, Chaos Synchro 1900, sets the scene as a locomotive pulls into the train station to reveal an unlikely assemblage of characters including acrobats, a juggler, percussionists and dancers. The 12 acts that follow continue to build on this theme of wonder, imagination and curiosity in feats that are often jaw-dropping. The contortionists are always a favorite of mine as are the aerialists, and the acts in Kurios do not disappoint. Standouts include an acrobat who uses a bicycle suspended upside-down in midair to display a variety of artistic positions, an aviator who balances on a series of planks and tottering cylinders with precision, and a Russian Cradle Duo, one of which becomes a human trapeze. The heart-stopping moment of the show unfolds as dinner guests are treated to a chair-balancing act. Up above hangs a chandelier and the same scene unfolding upside down.
From the moment Kurios opens, guests are immersed in an imaginative world with action constantly unfolding across the stage. The show fuses artistry, humor, and thrills in an experience that is unmatched in the industry.
See Cirque du Soleil’s Kurios: A Cabinet of Curiosities at the OC Fair & Event Center through November 29th, 2015 and at Dodger Stadium December 10th, 2015 through February 7th, 2016. Ticket prices range in price from $50 – $165 and can be purchased online or via phone by calling 1-877-9 CIRQUE. You can also find a limited number of discounted tickets on Kurios: Cabinet of Curiosities Discount Tickets.
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