The best advice I can give you for Cirque Du Soleil’s Kurios is, leave all sense of reality, understanding and logical explanation at the entrance of the Royal Albert Hall, for this visual spectacle defies and challenges all aspects of any logic or expectations you have, on every level.
Put another dime in the jukebox baby: Mark Shenton picks out his Top Ten jukebox musicals
Jukebox musicals have become a staple of Broadway and the West End for a while now; familiarity, you could say, breeds contented audiences. As Mamma Mia! used to tag the show in their advertising: “You already know you’ve going to love it!”
From The Beatles to Brexit, from Cats to Covid, Mark Shenton reflects on the latest industry news
Now that I’m getting into a rhythm on these daily columns, I’m going to try to introduce some regular features. And starting today, I’m planning on launching the week with column of disparate “diary” items — some fun, some not, that of stories that have made the news in the previous week.
REVIEW ROUND-UP: Luzia at the Royal Albert Hall
Love London Love Culture rounds up the reviews for the European premiere of Luzia at the Royal Albert Hall.
‘Anywhere you look something incredible is happening’: Lydia Harper stars in Cirque du Soleil’s Toruk – The First Flight
The acrobat chatted to Emma Clarendon about starring in Cirque du Soleil’s TORUK – The First Flight, playing at the o2 Arena from the 26 to 30 June 2019.
NEWS: Cirque du Soleil’s Avatar-inspired show Toruk – The First Flight has UK debut in 2019
Inspired by James Cameron’s record-breaking movie Avatar, Cirque du Soleil’s uniquely different touring show Toruk – The First Flight will make its UK debut at the Manchester Arena from 20-23 June 2019 and London’s O2 Arena from 26-30 June.
NEWS: Cirque du Soleil brings famous show Totem back to London in January 2019
Cirque du Soleil has announced that, due to popular demand, its famous show TOTEM will return to London in January 2019.
‘A good introduction to Cirque’s signature style’: OVO – Royal Albert Hall
Cirque du Soleil have brought another of their spectacular shows to the Royal Albert Hall as they do every January, and this one is going to extend their stay by touring to several venues around the UK as the year goes on. Great news for those who live too far to have seen the Canadian entertainment giants in London, but I do wish they’d picked a stronger show to share than Ovo.
NEWS: Cirque du Soleil bring OVO to Royal Albert Hall in January
Cirque du Soleil returns to London’s Royal Albert Hall in January 2018 with OVO, which comes to the UK for the first time.
My Brilliant Friend, Amaluna & other news, treats & interesting titbits
Its Amaluna arrives at Royal Albert Hall this month, but opening next month is Cirque du Soleil’s first-ever UK arena tour of its signature production, Varekai.
Edinburgh Fringe: Briefs
For the avoidance of doubt, this is the late night show ‘Briefs Factory’ present at the Assembly Hall. For the avoidance of further doubt, this is the same show Briefs have brought to the UK for the past several years.
CIRCUS DIARIES: Luzia, by Cirque du Soleil
Entering the turreted world of tents that forms the Cirque du Soleil pop-up kingdom on the waterfront of Old Montréal, we pass under bright yellow arches of truss, adorned with the butterflies that form one of Luzia‘s recurring motifs of beauty and the propagation of life. The show is subtitled ‘A Waking Dream of Mexico’, and sits in the realm of magic realism that latin authors conjure so well. A red-nosed squeaking maitre’d burbles about, crowds of business people sip champagne in canvas VIP rooms, and beyond is the main big top with its integrated foyer.
CIRCUS DIARIES: Varekai by Cirque Du Soleil
The colourful and kooky Varekai seems to be a collision of three separate dreams, fusing stella skills with confused story segments. There is a considered narrative concept behind the production, as evidenced in the press material, but much of this remains internal to the team’s own understanding of their world, and isn’t communicated outwardly to the audience.
CIRCUS DIARIES: Varekai by Cirque Du Soleil
The colourful and kooky Varekai seems to be a collision of three separate dreams, fusing stella skills with confused story segments. There is a considered narrative concept behind the production, as evidenced in the press material, but much of this remains internal to the team’s own understanding of their world, and isn’t communicated outwardly to the audience.
AMALUNA – Royal Albert Hall
Amaluna is a fantasy storybook whisked into life with twinkling lights, colourful costumes, a sea of acrobatic performers, and a rousing rock band. It’s not the story of The Tempest, but Shakespeare’s tale of magic, shipwreck, fear and love is a recognisable influence in the Cirque Du Soleil characters who, here on the parallel universe Isle of Amaluna, take a different journey.
AMALUNA, CIRQUE DU SOLEIL – Royal Albert Hall
Nearly twenty years ago, I went to my first Cirque du Soleil show in New York. A young teenager and already obsessed with theatre and performance, I was blown away by the colour and spectacle, having never seen anything like it before in the fourteen years that I’d been on this earth. I have no concrete memories of the show, just flashes of light and colour, and feeling impressed. I looked forward to see if Amaluna, inspired by Shakespeare’s The Tempest, would live up to my juvenile memories.