Cirque du Soleil in Varekai

Azlan · **Posted:** Sun Apr 13, 2003 7:18 pm

Frankly, I wasn't too impressed... And frankly, Cirque du Soleil in general has become a little too formulaic for me:

Quote:

Have Crutches, Will Choreograph

By SALLY SOMMER, NY Times

BILL SHANNON defies gravity as he floats just above the ground, sweeping forward in long, smooth strides on titanium crutches. He spins, twirls, then freezes, looking like an oddly beautiful sculpture of flesh and metal. His gliding mobility seems almost magical. <a href=http://www.nytimes.com/2003/04/13/arts/theater/13SOMM.html target=_blank>more</a>

Azlan · **Posted:** Thu May 01, 2003 1:26 pm

Quote:

What's New Under the Elephant-Free Big Top

By BRUCE WEBER, NY Times

Cirque du Soleil, which has turned an original mix of performance elements into an international entertainment franchise, is back in New York with its latest show. <a href=http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/01/arts/theater/01SOLE.html target=_blank>more</a>

Azlan · **Posted:** Sun May 04, 2003 12:13 pm

Quote:

Cirque Du Soleil: Aiming Too High?

By POLLY SHULMAN, NY Times

MOST circuses have a straightforward goal: to dazzle, tickle and terrify the crowd as they strive to present the greatest show on Earth. <a href=http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/04/arts/theater/04SHUL.html target=_blank>more</a>

Azlan · **Posted:** Tue May 06, 2003 9:14 am

Quote:

Amazing Feats, Comedy in New Cirque du Soleil Show

By Justin Glanville
The Associated Press, in the Salt Lake Tribune

NEW YORK -- For pure, creative spectacle, there is simply nothing to beat Cirque du Soleil. <a href=http://www.sltrib.com/2003/may/05062003/tuesday/54168.asp target=_blank>more</a>

Andre Yew · **Posted:** Sun Jul 13, 2003 10:32 am

Quote:

Fling masters
Verena Dobnik, AP

Inside the tent, four young women soared through the air, legs hooked around trapeze bars, one hanging only by an ankle. Dropping deftly to the floor, they critiqued the performance - in Russian, Italian, Portuguese, English.

Near a trampoline, three boys conversed in Chinese.

It was backstage at Canada's touring Cirque du Soleil - French for circus of the sun - in town with a show called "Varekai." That means "wherever" in the ancient Romany language of the Gypsies - as in, wherever on Earth the nomadic race wanders.

more

Azlan · **Posted:** Sat Jul 19, 2003 8:46 am

Quote:

Cirque performers miss mark in 'Varekai' opener

MIRIAM DI NUNZIO
Chicago Sun-Times

Maybe it was the violent downpour that drenched the Chicago area just hours before show time for the opening night of Cirque du Soleil's "Varekai," the latest megaspectacular from the Canadian conglomerate. <a href=http://www.suntimes.com/output/theater/cst-ftr-varekai19.html target=_blank>more</a>

Azlan · **Posted:** Wed Aug 20, 2003 6:28 am

Quote:

Dancing under the big top
Behind the choreography and collaboration that make up Cirque du Soleil's 'Varekai'

Sid Smith
Chicago Tribune

Call it Cirque du Danse.

There has always been a heavy dance presence in Cirque du Soleil, which, after all, brought the big top into the post-modern, performance-art era. <a href=http://www.chicagotribune.com/features/arts/chi-0308170401aug17,1,3486986.story?coll=chi-leisurearts-hed target=_blank>more</a>

kurinuku · **Posted:** Tue Jan 24, 2006 2:59 am

Quote:

Cirque du Soleil's Varekai creates its own spectacular world
by FRANK RIZZO for the Hartford Courant

Andrew and Kevin Atherton shake hands with a solid grip, but it's nothing unusual. It's a hearty, friendly shake, but nothing like the viselike clutch the identical twins from England need when they grab onto their aerial straps - and each other - with their bare hands. With no safety line or net, they swoop and spin around the stage with breathtaking speed and grace. And when the spinning stops, the straps launch them upward, making it seem they're taking an express elevator to heaven.

published: January 20, 2006

more...

kurinuku · **Posted:** Tue Jan 24, 2006 3:04 am

Quote:

Tension in flight
Dramatic moments, real fears are in the air when Cirque du Soleil's breathtaking Varekai takes stage.
by JACK ZINK for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel

That reality played out during the opening night finale. A 13-member acrobatic team was completing its Russian Swings act, launching themselves 20 to 30 feet into the air, when one young man fell; the pistol-crack of his body hitting the floor reverberated through the audience. ...

... For the next 10 minutes, the crowd was no longer an audience but voyeurs witnessing a gritty, private determination play out in public. Jumps were tense, landings were shaky - but successful, with a sense of accomplishment tinged with relief.

published: January 24, 2006

more...

Francis Timlin · **Posted:** Fri Apr 28, 2006 10:19 am

Cirque du Soleil has raised its tent in Marymoor Park in Redmond, Washington (just down the hill from Microsoft world headquarters) and will open "Varekai" on Thursday, May 4, 2006, continuing through June 4, 2006. Tickets are listed from $35 on the low end to $185 on the high end. Athima Chansanchai previews the performance in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer:

Seattle P-I

Francis Timlin · **Posted:** Tue May 02, 2006 10:49 am

Misha Berson previews "Varekai" in the Seattle Times:

Seattle Times

A short sidebar on some of the aerial artists in the show:

Cirque sidebar

Francis Timlin · **Posted:** Tue May 09, 2006 12:02 pm

Seattle Press reviews of Varekai, playing at Marymoor Park in Redmond through June 11.

Anthima Chansanchai in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer:

Seattle P-I

Misha Berson in the Seattle Times:

Seattle Times

Dean Speer · **Posted:** Mon May 15, 2006 1:04 pm

I think you have to really be Canadian to understand Cirque, but certainly not to enjoy them.

My closest brush with Canadiana was being asked to join in their national anthem whilst guest performing at the Royal Theatre in Victoria, B.C. many years ago. I'd only heard the song a few times and only really knew a few words beyond "Oh, Canada!" so faked my way through lip-syncing it -- which has got to be the ultimate fakering in the universe. I similed cheerfully throughout nevertheless.

So when Cirque opened practically in my backyard [I kid you not: I was raised up the hill from the farm valley that's now a county park. In fact, we got one of dogs from Mrs. Hall's farm on the lower part of the hill, which had a great few of the valley and Cascade Mountains to the east -- it's all condos now ] -- I could hardly resist the temptation to see them after my first viewing many years ago on what's now the site of two of Seattle's sport stadiums.

While the feel and look is definitely Canadian, the talented performers and the acts they deployed appealed to everyone.

Most impressive were the aerialists, Georgian Character dancers who actually made real sparks with their short swords and armor, a Chinese juggler who, along with his sons, brought a new meaning to the expletive, "WOW!"

Sights, sounds, an amazing set all worked together to create circus magic for us "kids of all ages."

On a side note, free samples of Dryer's ice cream are given out at intermission. And for the nervous driver, parking and getting in and out are nicely worked out.


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Cirque du Soleil in Varekai

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