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A Review of Cirque du Soleil’s Delirium
by jeffwith1f |
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 jeffwith1f - at 3:41 pm on Thursday February 23‚ 2006 |
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after years of juggling them, Cirque finally drops the ball |
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 Now…. normally I’m pretty positive about things. I try to look for bright sides in things, I try to give credit where it’s due, and in general, I try not to talk trash. That being said, this show would have been better titled “Disasterium”.
Truly. It is two hours of my life that I will never get back. I suspect that somehow along the way they managed to steal my birthday, but not in a whimsical, magical way. I am ashamed to be an artist, I am ashamed to be a musician, and I am ashamed to be Canadian.
Normally Cirque shows are fantastic triumphs of acrobatics, set-design, and costumes. I have seen one other show at their permanent set-up in Disney World, and this seemed to be more typical of their performances as they have been described to me, and indeed, it was quite the engaging spectacle. Delirium, however, appears to be a show that has been put together to tour stadiums and less permanent venues, and seems to be lacking in both the spectacular acrobatics that are the hallmark of Cirque shows, as well as a cohesive engaging theme or any trace of quirky humour.
The show features a man in a suit that is suspended above the stage from a balloon looking thingy for most of the evening; he periodically disappears into it partially, or entirely, only to be birthed out again. While suspended above the stage, he spends the better part of two hours either twitching or looking quizzical and wooden at the proceedings below.
Meanwhile, taking place on stage, is a combination of the following:
-everything that’s wrong with modern dance
-a musical ensemble that’s a cross between mediocre world music and mediocre rock
-soft-core gay porn
About 1/3 of the show takes place behind drawn opaque curtains, which I suspect were intended to allow for projections to appear on top of the action on stage, but frankly neither effect worked well, at least from our vantage point, this made both the projections and the live action on stage difficult to see.
Other props and players seemed to be superfluous, or underused, and even, at one point appeared to brake-down. The finale showered the crowd with a smattering of fake flower petals while the drummers drummed, the guitar players strummed, and the actors waved at the audience and hugged each other, all inexplicably set amongst giant inflatable sperm. If I weren’t so busy containing my rage, perhaps I would have waved them good bye and good riddance.
The handful of clearly talented acrobats that get to strut their stuff in traditional cirque style do not save this show from the onslaught of pretentious and ill conceived nonsense that the audience is forced to endure between highlights. It’s as 2 dimensional as the stage on which it is performed. Truly “craptacular”
Five Thumbs down.
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 UKGirl - at 3:52 pm on Thursday February 23‚ 2006 |
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 I was there and would like to back up everything jef says - what he failed to mention were the scores of people who didn't stay to the end. We spent a lot of the show getting up to let people pass us on their way out.
Truly craptastic.
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Edited by UKGirl on February 23‚ 2006 at 2:53 pm |
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Jess - at 3:55 pm on Thursday February 23‚ 2006 |
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 Ah yes the true test of a bad production. The semi-mass exodus.
Not even bad enough for a masse exodus.
Hope you didn't spend too much on it. 
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UKGirl - at 4:00 pm on Thursday February 23‚ 2006 |
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The tickets were a gift from the chairman of my company for Christmas. So no $ spent, but on the downside, I still have to write him and thank him for the tickets. On the upside the president of my company went as well and she and her fiance walked out 45 minutes into the show, so we weren't the only ones who hated it - she's going to go as far as writing a letter of complaint.
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Jess - at 4:02 pm on Thursday February 23‚ 2006 |
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Wow. Well yeah if their bought for employees of the company, I would probably complain too.
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jeffwith1f - at 3:24 pm on Friday February 24‚ 2006 |
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 i kind of half expect to be rolled by some balancing miming french contortionist now....
the fear.
excuse.
le fear.
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jeffwith1f - at 4:47 pm on Saturday February 25‚ 2006 |
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I want my birthday back
otherwise I will get old.
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jeffwith1f - at 12:59 pm on Friday June 8‚ 2007 |
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I love UM
UKGirl and I have noticed that the Delerium tour appears to be making it's way back up this way again, and we noted it being advertised on Television the other night.
I though to myself, well if anyone wants to check out reviews, my UM review would probably show up.
If you search on Cirque Du Soliel Delierium Review, this article comes up as hit # 5.
can we take it to # 1?
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jeffwith1f - at 1:01 pm on Friday June 8‚ 2007 |
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holy crap. nearly 4000 people have read this.
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Universal Sea - at 1:11 pm on Friday June 8‚ 2007 |
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 They are in Melbourne right now.
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jeffwith1f - at 1:08 am on Sunday June 17‚ 2007 |
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now hit # 3
and so close to 4000 reads.
I can taste the revenge.
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jeffwith1f - at 12:37 pm on Thursday June 28‚ 2007 |
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woo hoo!
4000 reads!
take that cirque!
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