| 'CIRQUE DU SOLEIL - SALTIMBANCO' - review. |
| Written by Sacha Young & Shahlin Graves |
| Friday, 26 August 2011 13:48 |
 For over two hours last night, a completely enthralled Vector Arena audience marveled at the acrobatic skills and limberness of the fifty-one strong cast that feature throughout 'CIRQUE DU SOLEIL - SALTIMBANCO'. 'Saltimbanco' is the longest-running Cirque du Soleil show and it's easy to see why. Every performance is soundtracked by a skilled five-piece backing band, but of course it's the main attractions that you're sure to be entertained and enchanted by - everything from extreme planking to a mime with an excellent underwater-trick up his sleeve, as well as ethereal trapeze-artists and beautiful lantern-bearers. I was seated next to sets of parents attending with their children and it was adorable hearing the kids - especially the cutest French boy and his Mother - question their equally as baffled parents as to how-on-earth such extraordinary showcases of human 'magic' happened to be taking place right in front of their very own eyes.  The cast's collection of outfits were immaculately designed - no outfit seemed out of place according to the expected task of each single character - with my favourite being the costumes of the acrobatic girls who were jeweled out in the most magnificent leotards that sparkled even more brilliantly than moonlight. At one point in the show, I felt like the cast had been had been hand-picked from the Willy Wonka Chocolate Factory garden - as an entire group donned a predominantly pink, candy-lollipop swirly leotard. The bright colours transported me straight into a mindset of an exaggerated - designed for the circus - exhibition of Jil Sanders' brilliantly block-coloured outfits from their 2011 Spring/Summer menswear collection. The show wouldn't have been complete without the incredible attention to detail that was required in each costume and I was delightfully blown away by every single piece.  Other highlights of the show included a swing-set segment, the ultimate 'drumming song', next-level jump-rope, the best cyclist ever, a hilarious karate demonstration and man-off (infinitely superior to 'Rango'), mime class 101, table gymnastics... and a PINK HORSE COSTUME! The big dance-and-song numbers featuring the entire ensemble cast were also great - reminding me of a human art-installation à la 'The Lion King' meets Panic! At The Disco's 'Nothing Rhymes With Circus Tour', but with a lot more cartwheels, chameleonic lights, and crazy Power Ranger-esque costumes. |
