Photo courtesy of Cirque du Soleil.
In a day of CGI animated films, we’ve become accustomed to huge sets, gravity defying special effects, and unimaginable wonders on the big screen. Being able to execute a show like that in real life is a completely different story. OVO, the traveling Cirque du Soleil show, arrives in Washington DC on September 9, and audiences are guaranteed to be thrilled. On Tap acts as a fly on the wall to discover what goes on behind the scenes, how the insect concept evolved, and what audiences will be bugging out about.
The Show
OVO is the 25th show from Cirque du Soleil and premiered in Cirque’s 25th year. The company has made a name for itself by dazzling audiences with its unconventional, highly artistic, somewhat mysterious shows. This circus does not involve elephants, lions, and boring leotards. No, this imaginative circus draws on internationally renowned choreographers, highly esteemed composers, couture costume designers, and world champion talent to create an entirely different world.
Each Cirque du Soleil show has a theme, and OVO is focused around the colorful, busy life of the insects beneath our feet. Our tiny and typically obnoxious friends in the insect world share some commonalities with the human race: the timeless cycle of life and birth. Which is how OVO got its title. OVO is Portuguese for “Egg”.
In addition to being the landmark 25th show, OVO also happens to be the first Cirque show created by a woman. Deborah Colker, a native of Rio de Janeiro, drew on her background in dance and her surroundings to create the show. “My work is like Brazil,” she says, “the mix of colors, the dynamics and rhythms, the happiness and possibility of a long way of discovery.”
Colker became fascinated with the world of insects after watching the French documentary “Microcosmos”. This translated perfectly into her new role as Writer, Director, and Choreographer of the fledgling Cirque show.
“She showed us this film, which takes an up close look at the colorful, adventurous world of insects,” said Marjon Van Grunsven, Artistic Director of OVO, “and that is what we studied to see how the crickets move, how the insects eat, and how the ants work so very hard.”
As Artistic Director of OVO, Van Grunsven is tasked with maintaining the artistic integrity of the show that Colker conceptualized.
While most Cirque du Soleil performances are known for their dark, twisted, mysterious sides, this one differs in that the theme is clear, bright and simple.
The viewer is drawn into a day in a bug’s life – the set progresses from morning to noon to night. Master Flipo, the silly and eccentric chief bug, introduces the audience to the playful and busy world. In the midst of it all, a sweet love story evolves between a ladybug and a newcomer to the insect community.
“Our goal is for the audience to be completely emerged in this world,” said Van Grunsven, “you smell the smell of grass, you hear the Brazilian percussion, and are surrounded by the incredible costumes.”
The Performers
The cast of this show may not include conjoined twins or bearded ladies, but they are truly talented freaks of nature. How is it possible to juggle an oversized kiwi in the air using only your feet? How does a man manage to cross a moving spider web as easily as a spider? Are you really sure that you’ll catch the sixth guy on the trapeze?
OVO features a very young cast. For many of these artists, OVO is their first Cirque du Soleil show. Fresh out of the competition world – many are Olympians. They are masters of their craft in acrobatics, contortion, hand balancing, juggling, banquine and Russian swing trapeze.
With a full cast of 64 different artists from 16 different nationalities, communication tends to be the largest obstacle. Translators are on set in the beginning, but performers are required to attend English classes while on tour.
The cast participates in other classes as well. While on the road, Van Grunsven calls upon respected people in the art community – acting coaches, vocal instructors, famous choreographers – to run workshops.
“I need to make sure that the artists continue to grow and evolve,” explains Van Grunsven, “When they are performing 10 shows a week for many weeks in a row, it is a challenge to stay fresh.”
With such elaborate costumes and makeup, it would seem that an army of makeup artists are prepping the actors for hours before each show. Not so. Before they hit the road, performers attend workshops at Cirque Headquarters in Montreal to learn how to apply their own makeup. Most are completely ready within an hour.
This is very much in keeping with traditional circus culture. The hour or two before they go on is their private time to transform into the character; the makeup application is just one part of this process.
The Music
As with all Cirque shows, the music is performed live. The musicians even take on characters themselves, weaving the various forms of art more closely together.
Berna Ceppas, from Rio de Janeiro, was a perfect candidate to write the score for this production. The composer and musical director drew on his background of Samba, Reggae, and other Brazilian influences. Be prepared for a lot of percussion in this bright show.
“I’ve sampled actual insect sounds to combine with the music directly from the keyboard,” says Ceppas, “I’ve also assigned instruments and individual themes to specific characters.”
Return to the Big Top
What is particularly exciting about the Washington DC show is that it will be performed under the Grand Chapiteau at the Plateau on the National Harbor. (*GPS alert, the Plateau is not map-friendly, but the National Harbor has plenty of red signs pointing you in the right direction). While other Cirque shows in Vegas or Orlando have permanent homes that allow for larger scale multimedia effects, this traveling blue and yellow tent gets back to what the original Cirque members were doing 25 years ago.
“It’s a smaller seating capacity, which makes for a more intimate performance,” said Van Grunsven, “In some ways, it’s a truer art. Technicians are lifting the people, not huge machines.”
Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberté was part of a small theatre troupe that walked on stilts, juggled, danced and played music. Word traveled quickly about the quirky clan and soon they were joined by other like-minded performers. In the 1980s, Quebec was preparing for the 450th anniversary of Jacques Cartier’s discovery when Laliberté convinced organizers that a show entitled Cirque du Soleil (Circus of the Sun) would be the perfect celebration.
From its humble beginnings roaming the streets, Cirque du Soleil has become an international sensation. More than 15 million people will see a Cirque show this year. The company’s employees represent close to 50 nationalities and speak 25 different languages. Which is something Washingtonians should be used to by now.
Cirque du Soleil viewers tend to feel like they’ve been dropped into a Tim Burton film – overwhelmed by whimsy, delight and creepiness all within 2 hours. OVO is well worth the price tag to help escape into that other world. After all, it’s hard to worry about the people bugging you at work when you are suddenly confronted with human sized bugs.
Cirque du Soleil OVO, September 9th – October 3rd at the Grand Chapiteau at National Harbor. Tickets start at $55 and can be purchased at www.cirquedusoleil.com/ovo. The Plateau at National Harbor: 163 Waterfront St., Oxon Hill, MD; 301-203-4170; www.nationalharbor.com.
The Cirque du Soleil primer. Guidelines for newcomers.
This show is not gender specific.
Manly men who have “been dragged” into a Cirque show are typically the ones who come out singing its praises afterwards.
Stop trying to figure everything out.
Although OVO has a much clearer plotline than some of the other shows, not everything makes perfect sense. And not everything is supposed too.
No additional stimulation needed.
The Seth Rogan/Paul Rudd scene from “Knocked Up” should be warning enough that this show needs no extra sensationalism to truly dazzle.
Have an open mind.
Allow yourself to melt into the performance. These shows are meant to make you forget everything else going on in your life, so leave your drama at home.
