The trapeze bars swing crazily. There is a moment of nervous anticipation just before Shannon Gelinas takes a leap of faith — literally — and Evelyne Paquin-Lanthier, perched on the lower bar, catches her arms in the nick of time. I hear a collective sigh of relief from the audience, only to realise I was one of them.
The Canadian performers are part of Cirque du Soleil’s Bazzar. It is the 43rd original production of the live entertainment company, a truly magnificent show that brings together music, dance and acrobatics in a one-of-its-kind spectacle. The two-hour immersive experience under the Big Top — a tent that provides a panoramic view of the show unfolding on stage — is nothing short of magical. After performing in over 60 countries in 34 years, Cirque du Soleil made their debut in Mumbai with Bazzar, after which it will head to Delhi and then to the Middle East.
ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES
Watching the roller skating duo, Mathieu Philippe-Lanthier and Myriam Lessard, perform some amazing stunts on stage or Jean-Francois Robitaille playing with fire which has us on the edge on our seats, makes us realise the possibilities that the human body is capable of. And at the end of the day, it is the element of danger that makes each act go up a notch higher. When we question the trapeze artistes about the last drop at the end of their act, Shannon laughs and says, “It’s a part of the act. If there was no danger, I don’t think it would be exciting to watch.” Recalling an incident when they were performing an act, Shannon says that once a zipper on the back of her dress caught Evelyne on her forehead, resulting in a cut. “We didn’t notice it, but the audience did, so it was actually funny,” she says.
EMOTIONAL JOURNEY
With the initial few shows getting a great response, show director Susan Gadreau is happy that the audience is coming out of the tent all happy, having connected with the characters and the performances.
“Since we were branching into new markets, it was important for us to show what the DNA of Cirque du Soleil was and to share it with them. The story of the maestro and the troupe of eclectic artistes was inspired by the origins of the company, when there was just a group of street performers. The idea was to take the roots of Cirque and weave it in a storyline, and that’s where the idea of the maestro and the troupe came from. They are creating in front of you,” she adds.
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