CMU School of Drama


Sunday, September 08, 2013

LIGHT: Cirque Joins the Party

www.cirquefascination.com: Hours before coy, fantastically costumed characters greet guests at the doors of Light at Mandalay Bay, Cirque du Soleil performers are already busy preparing for the night’s show, stretching, climbing silks and flipping inside cantilevered hoops that dangle behind the plexiglass wall above the DJ booth. Artistic director Hassan El Hajjami scans the scene from the floor below, calling out instructions in rapid-fire French as they put the finishing touches on the evening’s choreography.

10 comments:

Olivia LoVerde said...

This sounds like such a wonderful experience going into a club like atmosphere that has cirque like acts going on around you. The unique experience doesn't end there though they put the performances in sync with the music that the DJ plays and even uses there visions to costume the performers. In addition, the change the lighting to go with the beat and rythym of the music, this is one thing I find incredibly interesting because lighting is what I am most interested in. This kind if atmosphere is thrilling and exciting and us sure to be a huge hit.

Trent Taylor said...

This sounds like a great show and one that you would have to be at to really appreciate. I like how they are adding the idea of a story to a type of performance that has ordinarily been more abstract. I also think the sophistication to which they are doing the show is really interesting. The question I have though is whether they have incorporated any type of scenery, like is so iconic of a cirque show? When I see cirque du soleil, thats one of the first things I notice and one of the things that separate cirque from other performance groups.

Unknown said...

I'm a little bit embarrassed to say that I was in Vegas all summer and didn't make it to Light! What I find so interesting about the performances at Light is that they are managed and run much like any other Cirque show. The artists have trainings, they learn different acts and backup acts, etc. I didn't realize that they tailor the acts each night when special guests come in. It's great that they have that flexibility, and I'm sure that would make working at Light a bit more exciting because the performances aren't exactly the same from night to night. It's great that club-goers are responding to the club so well. I know that Cirque's style can be strange and doesn't necessarily appeal to everyone's tastes, so this seems like a great way for Cirque to showcase their company's styles and talents in a way that is appealing to the whole club-going community of Las Vegas locals and tourists.

Unknown said...

Its interesting that Cirque, after moving out of circus tents in fields and parking lots is making a move back towards alternative theater or entertainment. I think that the idea of using performance pieces purely to enhance the atmosphere of a space is a brilliant one. To me, Cirque always surprises me with its new and innovative creative potential for new ideas and uses of theater and entertainment.

Jenni said...

I've never been to a club nor do I have the intention to go to one. That aside,this article made the concept seem far more appealing. Incorporating movement based performance pieces with the more up beat club music the DJ's play could have some really interesting results. I find it very hard to imagine how some of the tableau's they mentioned would be displayed. I wish the article said a little more about how the actual performance happens. Is there a stage area or do they wander amongst the club goers? I would be really interested in seeing a clip of the performance and seeing how it might be applied to other group (not club) event settings.

Albert Cisneros said...

I think this would be a very exciting opportunity to see some of the most fantastic acrobatics in the performance industry. When viewers attend any other cirque show they are seated in a theater confined by their seats and the gap between the performers and the audience. To have cirque performances in a a club would be so much more engaging and would close that gap created by a traditional performance venue. The space would be smaller and more intimate, allowing for a much closer and private performance by the acrobats. Viewers would feel like they are in the show, caught up in the lights, scenery, and movements around them. It sounds brilliant and I would love to add "LIGHT" to my list of cirque du soleil favorites.

Keith Kelly said...

Cirque old make the best addition to any club. Acrobats are exciting to a wide variety of people. From young to old, acrobats have this unrealistic nature that catches the interest of nearly every type of person. This type of act can also be highly entertaining in a small environment and also a large performing space. This act would also give people another opportunity to see cirque because due to its popularity and cost some people can't see it. I think that this is going. I believe this it going to become very popular and start spreading throughout the United States.

seangroves71 said...

This is not the first time cirque has done a club like setting for a show. Zumanity is set in a dinner theatre style venue and it has been successful since it opened (10 years ago i believe, and with a good deal of its original cast). As far as I am aware this is the first time that an actual club has integrated cirque performances which to me seems like a no brainer. Clubs bring people in who want a memorable experience just like any theatre performance. I am curious to see what challenges it presents though having the acrobatic performances occur with rowdy and potentially intoxicated crowds.

jcmertz said...

This was the first time I have heard of Light and I love it. I have seen a Cirque de Solei show once a long time ago, and I recall being very impressed. Using similar themes as the background for a club sounds like a tremendous idea. I would like to see how it works out for them in the long-run, whether the gimmick sticks or not, but I like the idea. There also seems to be some good opportunity for changing the theme of the club with the theme of the latest cirque show.

dharan said...

I can really easily imagine how a Cirque show could fit into a nightclub setting.
Let's be honest, club entertainment is usually very... sexual I guess.
So I would defiantly prefer to go to a club to see Cirque perform.
I think that when people go to a club the want to be entertained and amazed and mesmerized. Cirque actually fits all these criteria.
I can totally understand why this is a hit, and I can see it spreading to more than one club and defiantly overseas.