Cirque du Soleil: Quidam

The Cirque du Soleil show quidam was an incredible show to see live when it was here in town 2 years ago. When I found out that it was being released on DVD i was very excited. I did buy it the first day it came out and watched it. It is filmed very well, except it seemed to me they had modified several acts for the video release...most noticeably during the Aerial Contortion in Silk act named "Let me Fall". In the actual show, the performer simulates hanging herself at the end of her act very graphically and then being dragged off to hell, but this was modified to her sliding down the silk and being carried off stage. Otherwise, there were several acts I had never seen on the DVD which was a pleasant surprise. I recommend buying this movie, for anyone that has seen the show, or has not seen the show. It is very magical and an incredible mix of theatre and circus.

This circus act is simply incredible. There has never been anything done like it. It is fresh, unique and most of all it is stunning in it's presentation. The colors, the music, the pacing, the very gifted performers all add up to a breath taking event. My home was never so quiet, in awe, yet energized as we watched this spectacle. Comments such as "Unbelievable", "Wow", "I can't believe this!", "No one can possibly do that", and more, were repeatedly shouted out as we watched. This is much more than a film. It is alive with a spirit of it's own. You'll remember "Cirque du Soleil: Quidam" forever. This is a must see event. My family and I will travel far to catch this performance live....as will many others I'm sure.

I recently saw Quidam live here in Boston, and I knew that I needed to buy the DVD as soon as possible. In fact, I bought it right at the Grand Chapiteau (Cirque du Soleil's term for their big top tent) and watched it as soon as I got home. Wow. Wow. Wow! Quidam is unique from all the other Cirque du Soleil shows, including the ever popular Dralion. Quidam tells a story. A story about a young girl who has seen all there is to see, and she is frustrated in her own little world. When Quidam (a nameless passerby) comes to visit, all that changes. Soon, the little girl is introduced to a world of fantasy, beauty, happiness, and terror. The acts, which are simply incredible, are as follows:

1.) German Wheel - amazing performance of a man inside two hoops which have been connected. He spins around and does acrobatics while moving all over the place.

2.) Diabolos - 4 girls from the Peoples Republic of China whip their diabolos (Chinese yo-yo)around in every possible way. Wonderful act with great music.

3.) Aerial Contortion In Silk - a woman slowly descends from the sky contorting herself as she goes using two long, red silk ropes.

4.) Skipping Ropes - A whole group of people participate in a huge skipping rope game, but they do the most complicated and beautiful routines ever seen!

5.) Aerial Hoops - 3 women are drifted on stage from high in the air, all tangled up in one metal hula hoop. When they descend fully, they each get their own hoop, which is connected to the metal tracks above. They spin, glide, and contort themselves in the most amazing ways imaginable.

6.) *Handbalancing - Olga Pikhienko balances on metal canes connected to the stage, and what she does will astound you. For example, she is able to pull her leg up vertically over her head, and then, with one hand, hoist herself onto a cane in a split position, balancing only on that one hand! Simply incredible.

7.) Spanish Webs - 5 people and 5 ropes. What they do with one another is something so astounding you'll go back and watch it over and over.

8.) Statue/Vis Versa - 2 unbelievably strong people balance on one another in numerous positions, and all in slow motion!

9.) Cloud Swing - a unique blend of the Spanish Webs and trapeze. A great act that builds a lot of tension!

10.) Banquine - Without a doubt the best act in Quidam. 10 or so men and women from Russia and Italy propel one another through the air and land on one another with such grace. Some of the other incredible things they do include: a 4 man tower, a 3 man/1 woman in a split position tower, and numerous other gravity-defying stunts.

*In the current live show Quidam, Elena Lev has replaced the Handbanacing act with a Hoops act. She isn't on the Video or DVD, but you can catch her live when Quidam comes to your city. She is able to manipulate up to 20 hoops on every concievable part of her body!

How do you define something that's part circus, part theatre, part Las Vegas spectacular, part concert and part performance art? It's hard, but then if you could define Cirque du Soleil in any conventional terms it wouldn't be as incredible. It's something that words do not do justice, and which truly has to be seen to be believed. Like all live productions, it is best when seen in person, but the video of Quidam is an acceptable substitute for the real thing. It captures the spirit of the production admirably, as well as the dreamlike quality inherent in all Cirque shows.

There is some shadow of a story in this particular production involving the journey of a lonely and bored little girl, but the real reason to watch is the artistry of the performers. The individual acts are all astonishing. A personal favorite of mine is the German Wheel, involving a single acrobat whirling across the stage in a large metal contraption (be sure to get a good look at this guy's face; that is the expression of a man who loves his job). The Aerial Contortion is another standout, both beautiful and painful to watch as a woman twists and writhes while suspended above the audience by a length of red silk. A highlight among the group acts is Banique, a troupe of acrobats leaping through the air propelled and caught solely by their teammates. And as with all circuses, there are clowns--strange, surreal, and occasionaly disturbing clowns, but funny nonetheless.

The original score was composed by Benoit Jutras, and is one of the best soundtracks written for a Cirque production (Jutras' daughter plays and sings the role of the young girl). The music, along with the brilliant lighting and whimsical costumes, combine with the performers to make Quidam an unforgettable experience.

When I first sat down to watch, I wasn't sure I'd like it. I didn't know what to expect. But with the first note I fell in love with it. It rang, it sparkled and enchanted. As the show continued it was pure magic; things I never dreamed could be done, things I never hoped to see. It was like a Utopia: no such place. Like a beautiful and infatuating dream. It draws you into a vibrant and colorful world full of disarray and disorderliness. A place where chaos rules and surreal characters parade. Where reality and fantasy collide, producing a mixture of memories, desires, fears and sole individuality.