Tuesday, December 03, 2019
Review: ‘’Twas the Night Before’ by Cirque du Soleil at Chicago Theatre
Chicago Tribune: Two factors explain the massive crowds this past weekend for “'Twas the Night Before," the new seasonal attraction at the Chicago Theatre. One is the abiding pull of a family visit to the Loop to absorb some holiday atmosphere, a reminder of how, even in this age of Amazon, we’re still attracted to historic urban centers as harbingers of meaningful togetherness. The other is the power of the brand known as the Cirque du Soleil.
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4 comments:
This month seems to have been a hard one for Cirque. With the positively appalling reviews of RUN in Las Vegas they're fighting to hold onto their reputation but their commitment to not only doing what they're known for but also experimenting with new types of entertainment is what makes them such a draw for so many people. It's always sad to see a Cirque piece get reviews this bad, 2.5 stars is truly harsh, especially given the minor nature of the comments the article actually provided. But I'm sure before going to New York they'll iron out the problems. Given that the main complaint seems to be the quality of their speakers in the Chicago Theater when it makes its debut in NY that shouldn't be a problem that transfers over. I've never been to a Cirque show outside of the tent and the issues they may be having are due to the trickiness of the space, as the author conceded in the article, rather than the lack of talent or ability. One of my favorite things about Kurios was the haunting music and the atmosphere it provided. With a little work, I have faith it'll come together.
These Cirque du Soleil articles are always fascinating. The production value of everything they do is just so beyond the scope of most things I can imagine. This article doesn’t give Cirque Du Soleil’s “Twas the Night Before” a rave review. But, from what was described in the article, the parts of this performance that were not enjoyable had to do with the space they were using in Chicago, the Chicago Theatre. There are difficulties when having to perform in spaces that are not always equipped for everything a show like “Twas the Night Before,” big scope and a lot of magic, needs. There were also acoustic problems? So much so that it was difficult for the article writer to heard the narration during the performance. Which is pretty disappointing. Not as scandalous as other productions Cirque has, this show is family friendly, with clothed aerialists. It seems as though this production is just a christmas themed aerialist show, which doesn’t sound that much different from a regular aerialist show.
This is a very great idea. The idea of Cirque and Christmas is quite enjoyable. Having a circus that is Christmas themed is sounds exciting. It may be the same act and stuff, but it gives it a new lens or a new take on something and that is what is so exciting about it. I really love the idea of the hoop jumpers being reindeer. It is the things like this that revitalize something. It makes it fun and seasonally appropriate. It is, however, sad to hear that the performances aren’t ideal with the space that they are working in. A traditional theatre isn’t really set up for circus type stuff and while it is something that can be adjusted and fixed it still isn’t the right space for something like this. It does look like they put on quite the show and that it is still very enjoyable to watch, I would love to get the chance to see this show.
Well, well, well, Cirque du Soleil has really been the target of criticism lately. I have had this show on my radar for awhile now. I didn't expect it to be like an over the top show. I expected it to be more like one of their tamer shows. It seemed like they wanted to add something to their lineup for the holiday season, so they put this one together. I don't think people should be going into this show and expecting to have their minds blown in the way it would be if they went to see O or Ka, or even to expect to see something that took years of creative minds coming together. This is supposed to be like a treat for families who love the holiday season and circus shows- giving us something to go and see with a holiday theme, that's very Cirque du Soleil. It's like the smaller blackbox show of the main season, if you must. At least that's the feeling I got when I first heard about it. So the critics need to relax and just appreciate some circus related holiday fun. The story line sounds pleasant and very much on the "feel good" side. If the only major critiques are that some faces look blank onstage and acoustic problems... I think the show is pretty decent.
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