Ok, ok, it’s not in fitting with my overall theme of cheap things to do in Melbourne but, this is Cirque Du Soleil people! I’ve watched their shows on TV whenever they’re played. And admittedly, I found them inspiring but not compelling enough to see them live. However, when I had the opportunity to fulfil someone’s dream of attending their show, I bought 2 tickets for their birthday and hoped that I would have been taken. And yes, I did. I went to their show on 14/3.

Firstly, nothing I write here, can ever, EVER fully describe the experience of watching the show for yourself. I am so glad I went. Enjoyed it so much that I even went outside of my usual posting habits to add another post!

The show goes for 2.5 hours. And having gone on a Thursday night after starting work early that day, I questioned whether it was the wisest choice I had made in the last few days. I didn’t want to fall asleep during the show, but I needed my bed. We rocked up and there was one of the lead characters walking around from the show happily taking pictures with the people! His costume was awe-inspiring. Plus, it was on some sort of spring stilts. And he made it look effortless, it was impressive. The big yellow tent which can be seen from a far was even more wondrous on the inside. It almost felt like that Harry Potter scene where they go into those tiny tents only to be amazed at the sheer size of the items inside. That’s EXACTLY how it was. Enormous on the inside, it even felt like it was like a carnival in the tent. I don’t know how they did it, but it was amazing.

When seated, there were people, interacting with the audience with butterfly puppets and some of the performers even started playing about on the stage. Then the show began, all the lights dimmed and the world, in that precise moment, changed. The live orchestra and singing, transported you to a different world, the energy of the performers mimicking insects was infectious when combined with their dancing, the lights that the ushers held in the aisles to mimic the night sky, the sounds of the insects around the tent, to the beating of the drums reverberating through your feet on the elevated platforms, took you to the another world.

Ovo is Portuguese for egg and the show was talking about a day in the life of the insect world.

I do not want to give anything away, not only out of respect to the circus and it’s performers but out of respect for you. The transformation wouldn’t be as magical if you don’t experience it first hand. The main characters were able to entertain the crowd without speaking and it got me thinking how much our world has lost the art of communicating through non-verbal means. When they interacted with the audience, who were all good sports to play along, the tent was abuzz with everyone’s laughter. I definitely got my abdominal workout sitting down. Better than any ab machine you can get on those late night TV shopping programs! And before I knew it, the 30 minute intermission was upon us. I was stunned at how fast time flew. And after the intermission, time flew by even quicker. Before I knew it, the show had ended. Parts of the crowd gave them a standing ovation. I couldn’t. I was still stunned, resolving to enthusiastic clapping instead.

If you want to be transported to another world for 2.5 hours and have your visual, auditory and sense of touch whisked into a world of magic, leaving all your troubles behind for those fleeting moments in a fast paced of life, then I highly recommend the show to you. I came away with a great appreciation of the human body and its capabilities and in awe of the determination & resolve of the performers. And all without animals. Cirque du Soleil, I thank you for re-igniting my belief in the magic of the circus once more.

This is one sceptic that’s converted. So much so, that I’m now planning to travel the world to see all their shows wherever they are playing!