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The Simplicity Of A Complex Spectacle
If you've no legs, Cirque du Soleil wants you to run anyway. And if you have no hope, the solution is as simple as inventing one. So sayeth the opening credits to the troupe’s Alegría YouTube video, and with just a brief flash of font upon the screen, an unusual curiosity surrounding the circus performers emerges amidst the swelling sea of vibrant-colored spectacles.
Oddly enough, considering the complexity of the world-renowned French Canadian circus’ body-contorting acts, the theme of simplicity seems to comprise most of Cirque du Soleil’s principles. For example, the current incarnation of the arena touring company’s show, Alegría, translates to simply, “happiness.”
“There’s a great beauty with Alegría, and out of that comes a lot of joy,” notes Brooke Webb, Cirque’s artistic director. “I don’t know anyone that doesn’t want to leave the weight of the world outside the door when they come in to see a show. What they always said they were doing was, ‘not entertaining people, [but] bringing joy and sharing that with people.’ I think Alegría is a great avenue for that — we do it two times a day, and it brings joy. It brings a lightness to the world, and it’s visually stunning.”
“Visually stunning” is an accurate way to describe the aesthetics that make up every show, and this adherence to visual quality has made the show and its performers recognizable icons. By now, nearly everybody with access to a TV or a wireless router has become familiar with Cirque’s cunning acrobatics and high-velocity, multi-caliber dramatic acts. The circus’ trademark brand of aerial majesty has even become so much of a commodity that a slew of wannabes have cropped up, forcing the original catalysts to keep vigilance over fresh ideas and new, innovative performance techniques.
Keeping up with the competition, though, is easy considering the intense preparation required to maintain the Cirque empire. “We have 56 artists from 23 countries, and I’m in charge of an artistic team of 16 people,” says Webb. “As the leader of the artistic team, for me, it isn’t always work that’s related to the show, and I also have the show, as well. It’s like being in charge of the UN sometimes — people come from 23 countries, and communication is the rival. It’s all about managing people, and we need to make that work. We all live and breathe together, so sometimes there’s a ... moment, but that’s the gig.”
Ultimately, the mission to spread joy globally through performance drives the Cirque family to conquer language barriers and build a universal tongue, manifested by the artists and understood by the audience. One might conclude that in the sinews of complexity, the operation is built around an inelaborate base: Happiness. Joy. Magic. Majesty.
“There’s nothing egotistical about [the fact] that we want to share something with the world; there’s a very lyrical, kind of poetic flavor to the show, combined with some amazing acrobatics,” says Webb. “There are so many standout moments that there’s not just one. When you put it to the audience and you hear their response, that often fuels the artists, so it’s different every day. When you see what these guys can do — leap 40 feet in the air and make that look really easy — there’s a spectacle that we bring to the world.” | RDW
Cirque du Soleil Alegría • Feb 4–7, Thursday, 7:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 3:30 & 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, 1 and 5 p.m. • Joe Louis Arena, 800.745.3000 • olympiaentertainment.com $38–$98
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