There are certain opportunities along the path of life which allow us a glimpse back; a look through the smoked-glass window to our childhood or a worm-hole directly to the time when so many things were larger than belief, and we still thought that every new personal discovery was a sudden fit of genius which would surely blow our parents' minds. Well Cirque du Soleil's, "Kooza" is a great chance to catch this feeling for an evening out. It's all of the magic and wonder of the circus from our more youthful years, but with a higher-class, more polished appeal which doesn't include smelly pachyderms, or the bearded lady (at least, she's not part of the show).
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Photo credit: Mac Calvaresi
Upon arriving at Lot O of Baltimore's M&T Bank Stadium, you will immediately notice the large tent or "Grand Chapiteau". Seeing this by itself is almost magical, as you realize that everything laid out in front of you, including the massive blue and yellow striped tent, has arrived by bus and truck and been assembled in a matter of days upon the naked span of pavement. The irony of Kooza is that its name is derived from the Sanskrit word for "box" or "chest", "koza". The idea of having an entire circus contained within a box was a major production theme, and so the title "Kooza" creates a double entendre between the actual circus traveling by truck and the illusory cirque which is delivered to the stage by bicycle courier.
Photo credit: Cirque du Soleil
After the crowd is seated and the show is ready to begin, a delivery boy brings a large box to the main character, "the innocent". This meak character is described in the program as "a naive but charming clown striving to find his own place in the world." Curiosity causes the young boy to open the box, and this unleashes the other star of the show, "the trickster" who then magically starts the circus "out of the box". The opening is nothing short of fantastic, with a musical fanfare to accompany the show's artists as they march out onto the stage, crossing paths with each other in total precision with their eyes closed! As I mentioned before, there are no elephants in the show, but repeated monotone blasts by the bass-trombone will vibrate your chest and make this initial pomp seem larger than life. The music heard during the opening acts sets the tone for the rest of the score with an eclectic mix of rock drumming over jazz or r&b bass lines with much Indian vocalization, Afro-Cuban percussion and Latin-inspired brass cues.
The first act which features three young contortionists, makes for a good starting point to the acrobatic performances. The young women from France and Russia move themselves in ways that leave the audience utterly confused. When combined with the Indian-rhythmic music and the very colorful costuming, the three young ladies become a living, moving sculpture, in shapes that would challenge the best of sculptors.
A two person unicycle routine begins with some classical guitar music while a man on a unicycle rides around the ring and performs some incredible lifts with his female counterpart. Then, the music abruptly changes to a salsa groove as the couple begins to "dance" together on the uni. The pinnacle of the act happens when the girl is literally being spun around the cyclist's head, in what seems to be a no-effort maneuver over some light jazz with an r&b bass groove. Following this there is some more crowd participation as the clowns meddle their way around the room. The clowning, while very funny and entertaining, is the only portion of the show which might not be suitable for younger audiences. There is plenty of sexual innuendo which isn't quite hidden enough to avoid the questioning of the average 7 year-old. However, it definitely serves the inner-child of the adult audience, and in small addition to the bright colors and fantastic make-up of the show, creates a sensory experience unlike anything else you could pay to see.
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Photo credit: Cirque du Soleil
Other acts from the first half include the Trapeze, the charivary and the double tight-rope. The two ropes are suspended 15 and 25 feet above the stage with 6,600 pounds of tension on each. Four men then perform ridiculous tricks upon them, while rock & roll music is embellished by Latin horn picks and some light fanfare. The music here coincides with the performers' costumes which are similar in appearance to traditional matador uniforms. The most stunning trick involves two bicycles, a narrow plank, a chair and three men! This is certainly a crowd favorite, and the four performers know how to create a great deal of suspense in their audience.
After the intermission (restroom/wine time) the show gets started again with a skeleton dance. This is the first time that the music seems to pay tribute to 1950's Hollywood, as the program suggests. The "skeletons" dance to swing rhythms while a sultry and soulful vocal is provided by Ms. Cinda Ramseur. The musical number has a certain "lounge" appeal to it as the skeletons dance around the stage in a troupe. This is no zombie dance from the "Thriller" video, either. Then the music switchces to a double-time feel and Ms. Ramseur unleashes a segment of scat vocals which seem to liven up the knocking bones of the skeletons on stage below her.
Photo credit: Cirque du Soleil
Probably the most amazing of all of the acts is the "wheel of death" which comes next in the program. Prior to Kooza, Cirque du Soleil has never performed this feat under the big top, most likely due to its size. This involves a contraption which resembles a double hamster wheel suspended from the tent by a central axis. Two men then run inside and on top of the two wheels, causing the entire contraption to spin as they perform gravity-defying stunts upon it. There's no good way to describe this other than saying that it must be seen. These two performers are definitely the "rock stars" of the show. Dressed as devils or dark satyrs, the pair perform while fast-paced rock music adds to the intensity of their show. Honestly, there could be total silence here, and it wouldn't be any less amazing than it is.
Following this act, there is an extended drum solo as the "wheel of death" is dismantled. Interestingly enough, the drummer currently traveling with Kooza is Baltimore native, John Thomakos. Mr. Thomakos and a very large drum-set emerge from the red curtain, back-lit to show off the clear drum-shells. This solo almost serves as a bridge between the spectacular artistry which has been happening on stage, and the more behind-the-scenes performing that has been taking place in the orchestra perch. In a seemingly acrobatic display of chops, Mr. Thomakos plays a musical solo which touches upon the various styles which have been heard all evening. His use of the double bass pedal is baffling enough to warrant comments by non-musician and musician alike. Featuring any soloist during an otherwise overtly physical performance, is a good way to bring the crowd back to the music, and to tie everything together as musical theatre. This was no exception to that theory, and the crowd was very entertained.
Photo credit: Cirque du Soleil
Also from the Baltimore area, Master Juggler Anthony Gatto appeared next. Having grown up in Ellicott City, Mr. Gatto makes juggling 7+ rings while bouncing a ball on his head seem like it should be easy enough for anyone to do. Certain aspects of the juggling routine were almost on scale with the contortionists from earlier, as Anthony had amazing control over his body, and all of the objects which he commanded around it. Mr. Gatto holds numerous juggling world records and is also the only juggler to have been awarded the coveted, Golden Clown of Monte Carlo award. Other acts from the second half include balancing on chairs, the pickpocket, and the teeter-board.
Overall, Kooza does exactly what any circus is intended to do; entertains by displaying the extraordinary and shocking. However, it does so in a more tasteful manner than most people would presume to come from any circus. Granted there is a high price-tag (no less than $55 a ticket for adults) but you are paying to see the very best performers in a comparably comfortable setting. Also, the use of dramatic effect and an actual story line, set this circus apart from others such as Ringling Bros. This isn't a number of freakish marvels placed back to back and performed in a dirt-covered ring. Instead, Cirque is the perfect marriage of musical invention, inconceivable human performance, artistic design, and dramatic choreography. And, there's something to be said for the fact that 125 artists and employees from 17 different nations come together each day and put this show on stage. In a world where international business and relations are a driving force for each individual culture, Cirque du Soleil shows that terrestrial and verbal boundaries can easily be overcome, and that beauty and excellence in creation are global ideals.
For more info:
www.cirquedusoleil.com/CirqueDuSoleil/en/showstickets/kooza/intro/intro.htm
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