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A memorable night with Cirque Du Soleil Posted
July 25, 2004
By ERICKA J. MILLER VIENNA— As I sat and waited for the lights to dim, I thought back to my last encounter with the company in Las Vegas. The sights and sounds from that night, only two months earlier, were still fresh in my mind: The swinging trapeze, people flying through the air, the lights, the music and the dancing. I could still replay the feats over and over in my mind and it excited me to know I was in store for yet another magnificent performance.
As the crowd flowed in to find its seats, I noticed a rather large man with an odd haircut and a too-small tuxedo walking through the stands. The spotlight followed him as he walked from row to row and I saw that another man, this one dressed in a more conventional fashion, was following him. The tuxedoed man stopped and began to crawl over the rows of people; one row to another, and he signaled the other man to follow him. The crowd began to laugh as the two clamored over the audience members and finally the second man, who now couldn’t help but laugh, stopped. The tuxedoed man began to run, waving the other’s ticket and the chase began. By this time the entire audience was intrigued with the pair. Finally, the two stopped near the front of the stage and the man pointed to the other man’s seat. Oh yes, this was going to be an unforgettable Cirque Du Soleil performance and I couldn’t have been more thrilled to experience it under the big top here. My two friends and I looked at one another and squealed with delight as the lights began to dim. Out of the three of us, only one had never seen Cirque Du Soleil in action and we were all excited for the opportunity to take in Dralion while we were here for two days. It had worked out perfectly. After a full day of sightseeing, we had found a brochure advertising that Cirque Du Soleil’s Dralion was in town. We found out there was a performance that night and we were able to snag three, sixth row tickets-- tickets which in the States would have cost more than $100--- for only $61 to see it. I took one final look around me, drew a deep breath, and prepared myself for what I knew would be an amazing night.
The lights dimmed and three clowns strolled onto the stage. These clowns would provide the comic relief and breaks in the action throughout the entire night— sort of a small intermission between the different acts. The clowns did their opening; a combination of jokes (all in some language that I could not decipher) and silly stunts, then exited the stage. The music began to well in my ears and the first performers burst onto the stage. While I watched intently to what was going on, I made a mental note of what I had read about the show. Dralion was a sort of East meets West type of production, using dances and costumes influenced from these two parts of the world. The thick, 10 Euro program I had purchased told me that, in addition to East meets West, it was a culmination of the four elements—earth, water, wind and fire. The costumes, in vibrant red, luscious grass green, deep sky blue and several tones of tawny brown, told of the element each represented. And, from the juggling and the aerial hoop to the ballet on lights and the teeterboard, my senses were on overload trying to take it all in. The stage was filled with whirling colors that combined to create an entirely new shade all there own. I was amazed at the fine details of each performer’s garb. The stones which adorned the clothing glistened in the spotlights and it was evident that care had been taken to position them in their precise spot in order to obtain the greatest amount of light throughout their time on stage. The details of the costuming extended to the performer’s make-up as well, which helped accentuated the eyes and drew attention to different parts of the body. Each detail served a specific purpose and allowed the audience to loose themselves in this whole new world on stage.
The music roared in my ears as the performers weaved a tale of mystery and intrigue and showcased their talents. The audience gasped and applauded as cast members flew through the air on pieces of cloth, soaring out into the audience and landing back on the stage. When intermission came, I glanced at my watch in hopes that there was a lot more to come. I was pleasantly surprised to find at least another hour of entertainment was still ahead. After a few minutes, the three clowns walked back onstage signaling that the second half of the performance was about to begin. What followed was even more spectacular than what I had witnessed before the break. The first act was the ballet of lights, which featured about a dozen women balancing themselves on tiny lights that rose up out of the stage. Together they formed various pyramids, rising up to four layers off the small lights and I found myself holding my breath until they had all safely returned to the ground. During the next act, a man and a woman swung through the air on two long pieces of cloth extending from the ceiling. First one would sail up and around the stage, landing long enough for the other to grab hold and together they would continue their journey. It seemed to me as if they may have reached the top of the tent as they floated there— higher and higher into the air. It was amazing how easily the pair made effort appear, so seamless and serene.
Act after act, I continued to be more and more impressed with the performers on stage. I looked over at my two friends and by the looks on their faces, I knew they were having as wonderful time as I was. The hour flew by and all too soon we had completed our journey under the big, white tent and the lights went out. Then, one by one, the performers came out to accept there rounds of applause and the audience did several encores to bring them back out on stage. As we walked out of the tent, I glanced back at the now brightly lit stage. The only evidence that anything out of the ordinary had just transpired was the memories I now had embedded in my mind. For as long as I live, I know I’ll never forget Dralion, under the big top on my very first trip here.
For More Information… Visit http://www.cirquedusoleil.com to find out more about Cirque Du Soleil and the shows currently performing around the world.
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