That said, we have seen a handful of live circus acts in the past few years and there are times when I can't help but wonder "Is there gonna be anything new this time?" because there has to come a time when ideas run out, when we have watched too many circus shows and when the acts just start to repeat themselves, right?
Well, I was proven to be wrong when we were at the premiere of KURIOS - Cabinet of Curiosities last weekend. I can't tell you how many times I held my breath, went "Wowwww", thought to myself "How do they even do this?", felt my jaw drop, my heart stop and my mind blown. Oh my gosh. It still makes me tremble and feel excited as I write this and I can't even begin to describe how we were awestruck by the show. Even the kids enjoyed it from start to end and couldn't stop talking about how incredible everything was to them - from the whimsical setups and fascinating costumes to the amazing acrobatics and breathtaking stunts. Cirque du Soleil has never disappointed us but after watching KURIOS, I have to say this is their best production to date and it will definitely be a shame if you miss it.
Written and directed by Michel Laprise, KURIOS – Cabinet of Curiosities is a tale in which time comes to a complete stop, transporting the audience inside a fantasy world where perspectives are transformed and everything becomes possible. Set in the 19th century in a steampunk world, a scientist - the Seeker - believes that there is a hidden world out there and invents a machine that defies the laws of time, space, and dimension. What is real and what is not? Be prepared as the cast of 47 artists from 17 countries - including world-class gymnasts, acrobats, contortionists, hand-puppeteers, yo-yo wizards, clowns, actors and musicians - turn your world upside down.
Image credit: Cirque du Soleil
Did you know? All the performers are responsible for applying their own make-up for every show, which can take them between 40 minutes and two hours. More than a hundred costumes were created to dress the cast of KURIOS and there is total of 426 props used in the show, the most of any production in Cirque du Soleil’s history.
KURIOS features many innovative, unseen before acts which was part of the reason why it blew us away. I have to give my thumbs up to Cirque du Soleil for their creativity and boldness in coming up with these new acts. Their consistent theatrical, character-driven approach - and absence of animals - is something that I deeply admire too. Yup, it's all about the human limits and achieving the impossible.
I asked the hubby and kids to name me the acts they love most so here's sharing some of the our favorite highlights from the show. Check out more clips on my IG highlights or go to Cirque du Soleil's YouTube channel to see more. Before that, here's sharing KURIOS' official trailer which will give you a good idea of what to expect.
1) BANQUINE
This was Angel's favorite act because she was amazed by how the artists could perform such synchronized acrobatics and stack up such tall human pyramids. Their movements and timings were so precise and well-coordinated and while they made it look easy, we all know that it took lots and lots of practice, and falls, before they got to where they are today. I love how this segment has no props at all, just purely skills and determination. You've got to admire them for that.
Image credit: Cirque du Soleil
2) UPSIDE DOWN WORLD
I initially thought that this was just the usual chair balancing act and it probably wouldn't have made it on our list if so. Can you imagine our surprise when we saw that they did the handbalancing not just the right side up, but wrong side down too? Yup, there were two acrobats, one was stacking chairs up from ground and the other was hanging from the ceiling and doing the same thing - just the upside down way. I couldn't keep my eyes off this act and the upside down perspective was so refreshing too - there were gasps from the audience when we looked up and even though we might have an idea of what was coming, it was very thrilling to see the cast upside down and all they had were wires hooked to their backs. It was simply amazing!
Image credit: Cirque du Soleil
3) ACRO NET
This was the hubby and Asher's favorite act of all. The boy was saying "It's like a trampoline" and "How they jump so high?!" while the hubby was impressed by the flawless teamwork among the artists. Using a wide net, they did somersaults, flips and jumped up high onto a ladder in the air, even catching each other in the midst. The hubby said it was not easy to keep the momentum going and the team had to work hand in hand to catch the correct timings, help the peformer in the middle break fall and enable him to keep up the height of his jump. A team effort and a job well done!
Image credit: Cirque du Soleil
4) ROLA BOLA
This balancing act was Ariel's favorite one and she was truly amazed by 'the uncle who can balance on cylinders'. Sure enough, we have seen this act over the years and while it has always been an exciting one because it looks like the performer could fall over any time, KURIOS took it to the next level when this artist had to do it in the air while moving to and fro on a big swing. Yup, impossible, right? And surprisingly, he did it so well! We had the chance to meet him afterwards and I told him in person how awesome his act was and how much my kid enjoyed it.
Image credit: Cirque du Soleil
5) THEATRE OF HANDS
This is the one that started off slow and was unlike any other Cirque du Soleil acts we had seen so far. I mean, hand puppeteers? Surely that's not their forte and a highlight of the show, right? It turned out that all five of us enjoyed this segment so much because of the creativity, humour, expert techniques and seamless flow. The hands told the story of a person, clad in miniature hat and and shoes no less, who could dance hip-hop, swim and eventually fell in love. It was amazing to see how they filmed it right before our eyes and while this didn't make our hearts stop like those signature death-defying stunts, it did capture all of our hearts and left behind such a wonderful memory of the show.
Image credit: Cirque du Soleil
Other than the above five acts which have been highlighted, audiences are also look forward to:
- Aerial Bike
No trapeze act? Don't worry, they've got one that's even better - a bike that takes off into the air. See how the female performer does trapeze like tricks on it and even turns it upside down. She is so strong and inspiring!
- Contortion
These contortionists never fail to draw all the 'oooohs' and 'aaahhhhs' because they can do what we feel is humanly impossible. Flexible, strong, steadfast and unwavering - you have our admiration.
- Yo-Yos
Be amazed by the tricks and techniques from the two-time world Yo-Yo champion Black. How can he have perfect control and be so masterful at these Yo-Yos?
- Aerial Straps
See how the conjoined twins get separated as they fly above the stage and do amazing acrobatics that require incredible strength. They were literally flying above the audience seated at the front so that was quite a thrill to see them up close.
- Chaos Synchro 1900
We love juggling acts but this juggler takes it to the next level - both literally and metaphorically. What I love most is how he combines with dancers and percussionists to bring forth an amazing act with catchy beats that create a fantastic atmosphere for the audience.
- The Invisible Circus
This amused the kids most because we've "never seen anything like this.. and we never will". Yup, a circus made of cast who cannot be seen - including a lion - be stunned and keep your eyes peeled to the stage to see what happens next!
Image credit: Cirque du Soleil
Image credit: Cirque du Soleil
Also, don't forget to admire all the beautiful and intricately designed costumes on the characters who each plays an important role in the show. One of our favorite moments was seeing how Mini Lili emerged from Mr Microcosmos' big belly - that utterly surprised everyone in the audience too.Image credit: Cirque du Soleil
KURIOS - Cabinet of Curiosities is definitely a spectacular show that we will talk about fondly for a long time and we will always remember how it took our breaths away. It is suitable for the entire family and even the little ones will be fascinated, amazed and hopefully inspired by all the amazing acts. Catch it from now to 18 August at Under The Big Top!
Thanks for having us at the premiere, Sliding Doors Entertainment, and for your dedication and continuous efforts to bring wonderful shows to our shore.
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KURIOS - Cabinet of Curiosities
EVENT DATE
Sat, 6 Jul - Sun, 18 Aug 2019
Tues - Fri: 4.30pm, 8pm
Sat: 4.30pm, 8pm
Sun: 1.30pm, 5pm
VENUEUnder the Big Top
Bayfront Avenue, beside Marina Bay Sands
DURATION Approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes
(including 30 minutes interval)
TICKET PRICING
From $95 onwards for adults and $85 for children (aged 2-12)
Note: Children under 2 years of age may be admitted free of charge provided they do not occupy a seat (they must be seated on the lap of a parent or guardian).
Get your tickets here before they are all gone!For more information about the show, go to https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/kurios.
Disclosure: We were invited by Sliding Doors Entertainment to the premiere of KURIOS - Cabinet of Curiosities in exchange for writing this review. All photographs are my own, unless credited otherwise. All opinions are our own.