CityLife

Cirque du Soleil: Varekai

Cirque Du Soleil: Varekai
Trafford Centre
February 25, 2010

Circus really ought to be in a tent and a tent as spectacular as Cirque du Soleil’s Grand Chapiteau is as good as it gets. Glistening white outside, midnight blue inside, with a huge stage and a wonderful, intimate atmosphere.

So, the venue itself is the best possible start – far better than seeing this company in some soulless arena.

And the show this time around is one new to Manchester, from the artistic team responsible for creating some of Cirque’s Las Vegas spectaculars.

I haven’t been enthralled by Cirque shows recently, there’s been far too much time-wasting flimflam and the blurb for Varekai – ‘wherever’, in Romany - doesn’t bode well: “On this day at the edge of time in this place of all possibilities begins an inspired incantation to life rediscovered.” Oh yeah?

But ignore the blurb and sit back and marvel, for this is Cirque at its very best and that means this is probably the very best circus you will ever see.

An Icarus character drops from the sky in the form of aerialist Mark Halasi, who sets the tone with an exciting act involving twisting around in a large hammock up in the roof of the tent.

Below, performers in a riot of carnival-style costumes form a constant background to a generous series of amazing feats. 

Three tiny Chinese boys twirl heavy metal bowls on the ends of ropes around their heads and propel them 50ft in the air. Juggler Octavio Alegria employs everything from Indian clubs to Panama hats, while multi-jointed Irina Naumenko balances atop a cane with her feet wrapped behind her ears and British identical twin strap-hangers Andrew and Kevin Atherton swoop through the air with the greatest of ease.

Most impressive however is the Russian Swings that end the show, with acrobats hurtling across the stage between a pair of revolving swingboats and then managing to land on the waiting hands of their partners. Truly amazing and probably the best circus act I’ve ever seen.

There are even funny clowns. Steven Bishop and Mooky Cornish, as an inept magician and his dumb blonde assistant, are a riot and Bishop’s solo singer act, in which he has to chase his spotlight, is a true comedy classic.

All of this is performed in an atmosphere of part carnival, part prehistoric rainforest, with strong echoes (though Cirque got there first) of Avatar. The syrupy score, played live, is an amalgam of middle of the road easy listening, from Eurovision to great classical choral blasts, overlayed with a nonsense babble of words and isn’t the show’s strongest element.

But there’s more than enough to astonish here, it’s a great, great show. Tickets are not cheap but whatever you end up paying, I can’t see anyone thinking they’ve been short changed.

Until March 21, 2010. In the big top, at the Trafford Centre. Tues-Thurs 7.30pm (extra matinee 3pm March 10; no performances Tues March 16); Fri/Sat 4 pm/8pm (8pm only Feb 26); Sun 2 pm/6pm. No performances Mondays. Tickets from £29.50. Box office at www.cirquedusoleil.com.
 

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