Kurios marks the return of Cirque du Soleil to its very best. With the aid of a spectacular steampunk set and meticulous direction, the latest instalment manages to impactfully combine the large-scale extravagant with the intricately intimate. This is a production that travels with its audience through time, space, and dimension, to places with roaring laughs and wild cheers, to those packed with edge-of-your seat anticipation waiting for a single pin to drop…
Within the curio cabinet stage, the show introduces the Seeker – an eccentric yet ambitious inventor, determined to reinvent his universe to bring his makeshift mechanical world to life – one that’s full of warped realities and endless possibilities.
The whimsical nature of the plot allows for creative license that’s expertly executed, intertwining a collection of peculiar but lovable characters with a coherent plotline that leverages both spontaneity and the advantages of a non-linear history. The visuals are remarkable, with steampunk aesthetics saturating every inch of the stage.
Entertainment-wise, no effort is spared to make each corner of the Royal Albert Hall its very own spectacular show. 16 main acts, supported by over 50 acrobats, musicians, singers, and actors, appear to defy our laws of physics in impossible performances. From Volodymyr Klavdich and Ekaterina Evdokimova’s Russian Cradle and James Gonzalez’s Rola Bola to mindblowing contortionists and aerial bicycle acrobatics, the back-to-back feats shock as well as deeply entertain. Handstander Andrii Bondarenko’s tower to the sky is a particular crowd-pleaser, with a mid-act twist that prompts audible awe from the delighted audience.
The score is also certainly worth a mention. The grand live band accompanies the crowd with European folk and jazz numbers, with talented vocals that had us humming along to them well past the end of the show.
With almost 40 years of performances, 26 years at London’s Royal Albert Hall, and millions of enthused spectators enthralled by the magic performed by a global musicians, singers, and actors, Kurios is a fitting culmination. For Cirque du Soleil fans, newbies, and sceptics alike, this is one that guarantees a night of jaw-drops and sheer delight.
‘Kurios: Cabinet of Curiosities’ runs from January to 5th March 2023 at London’s Royal Albert Hall. You can purchase tickets and find out more about it right here.
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