Cirque du Soleil’s Saltimbanco is a breathtaking demonstration of acrobatics and artistry.
The show entertained all ages with an incredible combination of enthusiastic performances, heart-stopping stunts, colorful costumes and sets and spectacular rhythms.
Every acrobatic act in the show is completely surreal. The stunts include group bungee jumps, swing acts completed more than 20 feet in the air, pole climbing and one particularly hair-raising act where a man supported himself with a single-handed handstand atop his partner’s cranium.
The acrobatic acts are alternated with slapstick routines where cast members engage the audience. The cast always appeared to have a good sense for drawing entertaining people on stage and ushering the nervous or uncooperative out of the spotlight. This way the rest of the audience could enjoy the great interactions between clowns and guests.
The slapstick routines grow tedious. One can watch a clown pretend to get hit by a ball only so many times, but they did provide a solid performance.
In one skit, a clown gets trapped in a flooding bathroom. His pantomimes for the childish gag were incredible for creating an illusion of rising water out of thin air on a stage decorated by flowers.
Each character is designed impeccably well. The ringmaster is hilariously pomp in his bright yellow jumpsuit as he struts about with his golden cane. The Baron’s black and white, striped cape and wild leather wig sets him apart as the leader of the urban dwellers.
It is also outrageous how these elaborate and colorful costumes manage to complement a tropics-inspired set filled with hot pink and canary yellow flowers.
Multicolored worms writhed and blended in with the tropics-inspired set, while the Cavaliers of Light slowly marched around the stage under the gentle glow of lanterns.
Suffice to say, the design of characters and set are a total treat to the eye.
The show’s one flaw was that it ended rather abruptly. The Saltimbanco Web site waxes poetic about the characters represented by each performer and the show’s exploration of urban living, but naturally the acrobatics and dance appear to be the focus of the show.
As soon as the audience gleans a bit more about the dual-sided Baron or the mischievous Eddy between the stunts, the lights turn off and the cast comes out for a curtain call.
Despite the abrupt ending, Cirque du Soleil’s fantastic cast and technical crew must be applauded for taking audiences around the world and away to surreal fantasies in every way.
