I stepped from my apartment at 4:30am the morning of April 24, 2002 to the watchful eye of a green-colored, mysteriously large moon. It hung eerily in the early morning sky like a sentinel in suspect, ready to cast doubt on the ambitious plans I had for the day’s expedition, and the Grand Tour as a whole. I couldn’t really say why, mind you, nevertheless I sensed a hint of malice on the full figure of The Man on the Moon’s ever observant eyes: the Mare Imbrium and Mare Serenitatis. And I wondered what craziness he had in store for me on this exciting adventure.
Almost at once after Cirque du Soleil made the announcement of their intention to debut a new show in April 2002, my heart was set on making the attempt to be part of the celebration for the first time and I certainly didn’t want anything to impede that.
Deciding to embark on this journey was one I weighed heavily against until the creation of the Fascination Newsletter, my Cirque du Soleil fan periodical. With its creation came a legitimate means and opportunity to shoulder the expense of traveling to Quebec: not only could I satisfy my personal curiosity, but I could also go in the capacity of the newsletter – to cover the show for our readers. I spoke with Paul Roberts, a good friend and fellow writer on Fascination and the two of us crafted a trip for two; but as the weeks to April melted away, more and more people expressed interest in joining us. By the time I stumbled into the Orlando International Airport I knew whom to expect — we were a group of seven: some from the newsletter staff (Me, Paul Roberts and Keith Johnson, who came very much at the last minute) with the rest made up of various friends and family of each party. With me: Cedric Pansky, a long-time friend; with Paul Roberts, his friends: Ted and Dion; and with Keith, his fiancé: Lucy.
Any and all worries and trepidations were long gone by then. Thus I smiled at my lunar companion, grabbed my belongings and took off for Montreal full-force, beginning my coup-de-grace of Cirque du Soleil fandom.
Vaaaaareeeeeekai!
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“You know, there’s a searchlight on top of one of the towers that is nearby our hotel. We can use that as a guide back.”
“Great! We’ll head for that!”
It’s one o’clock in the morning and we’ve just gotten in – Cedric, Paul and I – to our hotel room (#1506) at the Crowne Plaza Montréal Centre just off the Sherebrook station on the Green Line of the Metro system from an amazing time at the Grand Chapiteau, staked on Jacques Cartier Pier, down in the Vieux Port of Montreal. I want nothing more than to close my eyes and drift off into a blissful sleep, but I can’t; none of us can. The adrenaline continues to pump through our veins, the music still pulses in our ears, our feet still stomping to the acrobatics and our hands applauding their ovation. Varekai, if you couldn’t have guessed, was simply fantastic; I can hardly collect my thoughts…
We would have gotten home quite a bit sooner – actually, our plan was to take the mètro back to our room (it’s only a couple of stops), but our on-site antics (behind-the-scenes tour) lasted a bit longer than intended. The metro closed at midnight stranding us there. Thankfully, Lucy and Keith came to the rescue with a rental, so the five of us – with Cedric on the right, me on the left and Paul in the middle (all three of us crammed in the back seat) – hopped in and we were on our way, through a wonderful, bizarre, and very much unplanned trip through the streets of Montreal – driving through China Town, the Club Scene, turning right on reds (against Montréal traffic laws) and basically getting lost in the maze of roadways that are very much unfamiliar.
Do you know before it was over we were on our way up Mount Royal?
But enough about that; what about the show? As I said, it was simply fabulous. Cirque couldn’t have picked a better spot to display their newest creation either; the pier is located down in the Old Port of Montréal. And we found ourselves in a flurry of activity upon entering the grounds, especially the souvenir tents. Many of the folks were enjoying the room’s heat, compliments of Cirque – it was quite chilly out – but for us (the fans), we were ready to drop our cold-hard cash for some new Cirque goodies!
I was one of the first to enter the souvenir tent and quite regret doing so: I was stopped by a girl hawking the Varekai Creator’s Notebook, a “work-in-progress” psudo-programme book featuring photos of training sessions, costume illustrations and the like. Unfortunately I didn’t understand a word of her animated sales pitch, it was in French! All I could do was smile, nod, laugh and agree with whatever she said. But I suppose it didn’t matter, we spoke the universal language of Cirque and that was all that was needed to complete the transaction.
Entering the big top was a treat in itself; its flimsy doors parted and my nostrils instantly filled with a strange, cinnamon-like, scent. It was sweet, intoxicating and welcoming. There were sights and sounds all around, the crowd was a-buzz with excitement; us too!
The world of Varekai is a mysterious, lush realm that they say exists deep within a forest – any forest – at the summit of a volcano. In this world an array of fantastical creatures subsist amongst an extraordinary place where anything is possible.
Varekai (pronounced var-ee-kie) is a Romanic term meaning “wherever” or “it does not matter the place” and lives as a “tribute to the nomadic soul, to the spirit and art of the circus tradition, and to those who quest with infinite passion.” The term is homage not only to the acrobats that push their art to the extreme, but also a reminder to the wanderers of ancient Europe: the Gypsy – the universal wanderers.
“The sky lets go a solitary young man,” the press release from Cirque du Soleil eludes, “and the story of Varekai begins.” The solitary young man is Icarus, the fabled son of the brilliant Greek artisan Daedalus. His is a story of how excitement can cloud one’s better judgment. As Greek legend tells, Daedalus crafted two magnificent pairs of wings out of feathers and wax for himself and his brash young son (Icarus). Taking to the skies in a flurry of excitement, Icarus does not heed his father’s warnings and strays too close to the sun, melting his wings. But, unlike the Icarus of fabled tale (in which Icarus plummets to his death) the Icarus of Cirque du Soleil falls into a fantastical world of good and evil where he must redeem himself.
This fantastical world of Varekai plays out on one of the most unique stage structures I have ever seen for a Cirque du Soleil Performance, and we can thank Stéphanie Roy for creating such an engaging scene. In the background, 20-foot poles jet into the sky, simulating the forest the main character (Icarus) falls into. The poles themselves appear bamboo-like but are metallic in nature, and can sway to the winds of change or of the weight of the occasional performer who climbs them. And climb them they do – using strips of a sticky substance that runs the entire length of them.
The poles are but one part of the a structure that will instantly capture your attention upon entering the big top, no matter which door you come through. The stage is cross-sectioned with a catwalk hanging high above the forest floor, accessible only by a single staircase, winding around the forest trees. The stage itself consists of many movable parts, two round areas that are used for the Russian Swing, a risible platform, and three small holes to allow characters to dive below ground. (Believe me the space under that stage is not all that big!)
“On this day at the edge of time, in this place of pure and undiluted possibility, begins an inspired incantation of life rediscovered and to a newly found wonder in the mysteries of the world and the mind.”
There are eleven (11) different performances (acts) by the troupe of Varekai. Each an extension of the world brought to us by Dominique Champagne and the other creators. Varekai is certainly an uplifting, colorful extravaganza that shatters the meaning of the word spectacle. Let me now share with you those amazing performances that brought us to our feet, mouths agape, hands applauding loudly, and our minds exploding with emotions never before felt.
Flight of Icarus
The story of Cirque’s Icarus is a rich one, filled with the essence of freedom. Icarus, played by Anton Chelnokov (Tchelnokov) from Russia – who is the same young (now all grown up) who was previously in Saltimbanco as a third of the Adagio Trio (the child in white). His drama takes flight as he descends into a populated forest full of curious creatures “costumed as mutant birds, insects or exotic hybrid species.” Icarus is ensnared by a net, stripped of the wings that gave him flight, and is hoisted high above the forest floor. His struggle for freedom within the flexible cage touches on emotions harbored in us all. The right to freedom is an insuppressible human quality and is one that Anton Chelnokov plays upon well as he triumphs over his imprisonment. In escaping his harsh encapturement, Icarus flies once again across the heavens in celebration.
But, as he touches the ground he finds himself face to face with a beautiful young creature (Olga Pikhienko), who is as inquisitive about him as he is about her. Unable to communicate, they begin to mime each other, and then… fall in love.
Icarian Games
Icarian Games is not only an energetic performance but an audience pleaser as well. The discipline is a variety in the genre commonly referred to as antipode. Antipodes (the plural form) are persons dwelling at opposite points on the globe. But, in the case of the Icarian Games, the antipodist is the porter, or the artist lying upon his back in a specially created incline chair. His job is to be a prop used only for tossing and juggling the voltigeur (flyer) with his feet – unbelievable! The three brothers that make up the team known as the Rampin Bros. – Javier Santos Leal (“Javi”), Pedro Santos Leal, and Ramon Santos Leal (“Moncho”), from Spain) come from a seven-generation family known as the Santos-Rampin, which explains how easy they make this art look. Their energetic performance brings down the house and their exciting choreography will raise the heartbeat.
Spinning Meteor
In every Cirque du Soleil show there is a nod, a hint if you will, to the Chinese Circus. In Varekai, the Spinning Meteor (here, referred to as the “Water Meteors”) makes a triumphant comeback after first being featured in the 1986 show “Le Magie Continue”. Unlike “Magie’s” performance, the Spinning Meteor’s here are performed by 3 cute Chinese boys (Bin He, Junping Yang, and Siguang Li). Janice Kennedy in the Ottawa Citizen put it best: “Three young boys toss spinning meteors into the skies, twirling about with elegant energy as they catch them, over and over”!
Aerial Straps
The second of three aerial acts is a spectacle called the Aerial Straps. Performed by Kevin and Andrew Atherton (from the United Kingdom), they fly on the scene as one. But just as soon as they catch your eye, they become two angels flying amongst the stars. Their performance blends the skills needed for a Tissu, with the demanding arts of the Banquine. You’ll be amazed as this brotherly duo soars from one end of the big top to the other, then returning virtually to the same spot from which they left. Or, launching away from one another and meeting in mid air! The Aerial Straps is a powerful and yet very elegant performance. The two brothers also make a re-appearance later in the show as guardian angels for the – as yet – unredeemed Icarus.
Georgian Dance
One of the most energetic dances on earth is the Georgian dance. Known for their quick twists, spins and leaps, the dance is performed by three male dancers: Temur Koridze, Badri Esatia, and Khvicha Tetvadze (all from Georgia). One of the highlights of the performance is during the clashing swords element. The house lights dim as the stage became aflame, highlighted by the sparks of the crashing swords. A shocking and wonderful way to end the first half of the show.
Intermission
Normally I wouldn’t say much about an intermission for a Cirque show. Quidam’s is as spooky as it is thought provoking with the Generics giving up their souls (in red balloons). Varekai ends on a more positive and upbeat note, thankfully. The energy from the Georgian dance continues right on through the next 20 minutes. People get up, visit with one another and while they are away, the stage is set up for the second half of the show. The lights then lower with the sound of dripping water still ringing in our ears, which has been playing throughout the entire intermission, and the show begins. Once again the big top fills with the buzzing of bees – filling with an array of them, arranged in an optical display that is simple, elegant and beautiful. Words fail when it comes to their display of light and music – it’s almost as if Cirque is lulling you to contentment. It really is a neat effect! But while the display of light and music continue overhead, the stage is being set below for the opening act – Body Skating.
Body Skating
The second act is opened by a colorful and lighthearted act known as Body Skating. An array of acrobats virtually “skates” across this smooth blue surface performing an energetic and playful show of strength, timing and fun! Their costumes mirror their jolly nature in colors of red, green, yellow, blue, and purple in curious splashes of all! These acrobats will have you smiling in no time!
Solo on Crutches
The show takes a darker turn with the Solo on Crutches performance by Vladimir Ignatenkov (Russia). Flanked by ominous creatures from deep within the forest and helped by the guardians of Varekai, he shows Icarus that he can stand on two legs despite all that has kept him down. This act is simple and yet difficult at the same time; Ignatenkov twirls about the stage, feet far from the ground!
Acrobatic Pas de Deux
The Solo on Crutches performance gives way to the duo of Oleg Ouchakov (Russia) and Tatiana Gousarova (Ukrane), who perform an acrobatic slow dance with lifts, twists and mid-air spins. Their quick movements and fast drops fluttered hearts and kept us on the edge of our seat! Both artists were previously seen in Quidam’s Banquine act.
Triple Trapeze
The Triple Trapeze is a wide, static (non-moving) trapeze performance suspended from the ceiling by four equal-length ropes. Four spidery-dressed females (alternating performances by: Stellah Umeh, Zoe Voctproa Tedstill, Raquel Karro and Susanna Defraia Scalas, Helen Ball, and Cinthia Beranek), spin, gyrate and roll with their amazing grace and attention to detail. It’s called Triple Trapeze because the ropes create three bars which the girls may use to accent their performance.
Hand-balancing on Canes
Olga Pikhienko, another Quidam alum, performs this beautiful hand-balancing act dressed in an angelic white sequined costume. Her body sparkles as she contorts herself upon one, two, and even three canes as they’re moved about on stage. Her performance mirrors that which was seen in Quidam during her tenure, only here it is more sensual than sexual.
Russing Swing
The Russian Swings are without a doubt the absolute show-stopping act within the entire show. The Swings have previously been featured in Saltimbanco (making its Cirque du Soleil debut) and in the Las Vegas extravaganza “O”; and each time the discipline has made an appearance, its spectacle is compounded. For Varekai, acrobats are hurled high into the air where they are then caught by (and landing upon) the wrists of their partners, who themselves are situated on a multi-staged platform. The set is also flanked by two canvas sheets that stretch from floor to ceiling; “Ooooo’s” and “Aaaaahs” punctuate the air when an acrobat flings across and lands in one! If there was ever an act in Cirque du Soleil that I feared for the acrobat’s life, this would be it. And rightfully so, the crowd gave the troupe its own standing ovation during the performance!
Interestingly, while the crew sets up most of the apparati, for the Russian Swings the acrobats anchor the swings to their rotating floor manually as the act is introduced. Tonight the cast had a hard time getting the swings setup too, Paul and I noticed immediately, which resulted in an improvised bridge between the two songs used for this part of the show.
Varekai ended on such a high that the spectators did not (or could not) sit back down in their seats. The standing ovation continued right through the dancing finale, which (by the way) is not yet set in stone). The show is very much a work in progress after all and will continue to be that way until Toronto. Even so, that knowledge doesn’t take away the fact that the set was awesome, the costumes colorful and the acrobatics out of this world!
The Wanderers of Varekai
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Before we had even set foot into the Big Top that evening, a behind the scenes tour immediately following the show was already waiting for us. All we had to do was hang about the big top after the final curtain call, wait for the patrons to leave and be met by Head of Automation – Pascal Sioui – who would lead us on our journey backstage. We actually met him just prior to the start of the show; he came over and met with Paul (the two are good friends) and we went over again what to do to meet up with him later. It was my first handshake with the man; he looked exactly like his picture from the web!
Pascal was very nice and easy going, but busy as all get out. Head of Automation has a big responsibility to keep things going. All the movements on stage – the turning Russian Swing tables, the stage-hole covers, even the rising island was all under his command. It was his job to make sure they were not only operated safely, but performed on queue when requested. And if the machinery didn’t work automatically (as programmed), he had to find a quick-fix on the fly to keep the show going.
Stepping behind the curtain and into the furious world of the behind-the-scenes of Cirque du Soleil is always an interesting treat. While each touring show is set up similarly, because each has its own unique set of acts and needs, each offers its own compelling view of just what goes on after that final curtain call. It’s not all the same, and our group got to experience it first hand with Varekai after the night’s performance.
It took quite some time for all the patrons to file out of big top tonight; in fact, by the time the last of the VIPs were exiting, the stage crew had already dismantled the Russian Swing apparatus and was folding up the dismount matting for the night. And while one set handled the swings, another worked furiously to anchor the Triple Trapeze, remove the canvas sheets the Russian Swings flyers flew into, and stow any remaining equipment that might have been left around by the artists. This was an unusual point of view from a patron’s perspective – generally this happens out of the watchful eye of the spectator, and for good reason! But it was all very fascinating to watch just how quickly these folks worked. It truly is a testament to their training and dedication that these folks can do what hey do night after night (and sometimes twice a night) for the sake of the show.
The staff even had most of the celebratory “confetti” that rained from the skies during the show’s finale swept up. It was nothing more than red, moon shaped thin-art tissue paper, but that didn’t stop Paul and me from grabbing a handful to keep as souvenirs anyway. We fans just love that kind of stuff.
Once the activity on stage ceased and as soon as Pascal finished his end-of-show check-list, he gathered around the group and began to take us on a behind-the-scenes back-stage tour of Varekai!
Pascal immediately led us around the points of the stage, settling near the bamboo pole forest. And as he went on about some thing or another, my mind wandered off and I reached out and placed the palm of my hand upon the stage: a simple gesture of reflection about all that I had seen (the show) and what I had yet to see (the behind-the-curtain aspects). It seemed appropriate to connect to the stage and the experience in this manor. This tactile response made for an even lasting memory and I’ll never forget how cold the stage was even just after the show.
The “Bamboo” poles were also a treat see up close. After I had planted my hand on the stage, I immediately put it on one of the poles that made up the “forest” of Varekai. I was surprised to find these poles were purely metal, and not of a plastic substance I thought they might be made from. Giving them a thump also proved they were hollow and not solid as I also had thought. The backs of the poles were affixed with a red colored sticky tape-like substance, which ran up the entire length of many of the poles. This sticky-tape, I surmised, was used for ease in climbing similar to what the Chinese Poles artists in Saltimbanco and Mystère must use.
It was quite some time before we actually made it back stage too because by the time we got close to the poles, we actually went around the set into what I would call the “staging” area. This is an area that exists between what the audience sees and the real back stage room where the artists congregate before coming on scene. The view from this angle was quite extraordinary. Looking out through the forest into the spectator seats was something I had not expected to see. And it seemed to put the experience into perspective and heightened my thirst for more behind-the-scenes follies. Getting to see what the artist sees? Oh yeah!
It was there we met up with Paul Bannerman, the drummer for this exciting new show.
Mr. Bannerman turned out to be a very nice man, young and quite passionate about his job and his role in the show. He was so enthusiastic in fact he was delighted to take all nine of us on a min-tour of his musical world, with many of us actually climbing up into his drummer’s box (no more than two at a time, thanks to a warning by the backstage crew.) While up there, he explained how he communicated with the rest of the musicians and they with him; how he watched the show from monitors rather than live; and how the music of Varekai fit with the acts themselves. Both Paul Roberts and Keith Johnson were in their element here – with Keith being an Audiophile and a Behind-the-Scenes kind-of guy, and Paul Roberts being a musician himself.
While I enjoyed getting a glimpse into the drummer’s world, most of what Keith and Paul Roberts had engaged Paul Bannerman with was over my head. So I didn’t find it as fascinating as say… looking out through the forest from the musician’s area. Nor did I find it as compelling as actually walking out onto the stage through those poles – just as the singers, the musicians, and many of the characters/acrobats did during the performance. I dared not go right onto the stage, however, but I was tempted.
Did you know that not only was I actually able to touch the stage, put my hand the poles that made up the forest, and see the where the music was played, but I also saw and touched the big balloon John Gilkey totes around during the show and the fancy light poles used to create the “firefly” effect that opens the second act? It was all very, very cool!
The second half of our tour began when we left the “staging” area for the backstage area.
That is, once they pulled us away from Bannerman!
You can actually see this backstage area from outside the big top – it appears to be another small tent right beside the Grand Chapiteau – but small it is not. In this extension, the performers have access to everything they need: costuming, make-up, a spa, showers, lockers, a tumblers mat, and even a video system set up so they can view their performance in that night’s show. It was an amazing site to see, and we were able to explore each of these areas in further detail.
Take the costume/make-up area for example. I was surprised at how cramped the quarters there really were. On one side of this sectioned off booth were the costumed, hanging there in all their glory. And on the other were two or three tables with mirrors – places for the cast to put on their make-up. Being there amongst the costumes was a real treat and I had to cop a feel on one or two before we left the area. We also got to see where the performers apply their make up – looking right into the same mirrors! I was dumbfounded at how cramped, flimsy and cheap the set up was. Cheap or not, though, it did serve its purpose. I imagined the young boy who played Icarus taking off his make-up after the show, while I looked into that mirror. It was strange to see my face staring back. And, I also saw a few of the performers milling about – running into John Gilkey (quickly), one of the Water Meteor boys, Alberto the clown, and “Mad Max” himself!
But there is one person we did run into that pretty much made up for that: Olga Pikhienko, former hand-balancer for Quidam, now a character and balancing artist for Varekai. As soon as she walked by, Pascal called her over, and I could see Paul’s expression immediately — he was simply flabbergasted!
We left Olga, Pascal, and the rest of the Varekai backstage crew around 11:45pm that evening chanting – “I met Olga, I met Olga!” in homage to Paul and his daughter’s experience with Erik Karol from Dralion. Not unlike her experience, where she received a kiss on the forehead from Erik just as she left the big top (dumbfoundedly saying over and over “I met Erik! I met Erik!”), Paul and I too had the same feeling. While we didn’t receive a kiss (or any other kind of contact from Olga), just being in the presence of such a fine specimen of femininity was too much – it overwhelmed us both.
The Hidden World at Cirque HQ
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6:45am.
That’s what the time read as I turned over and my eyes fell upon the clock; only fifteen minutes to go before our curtain call. Why did we have to get up so early? Because we had a special treat in store that we definitely did not want to be late for – a tour of the Cirque Headquarters; our next great Cirque Adventure! To compliment our Behind-the-Scenes tour of Varekai, I arranged for us to have a tour of the HQ before we even stepped foot in Canada. That arrangement was made possible by a growing friendship with Cirque du Soleil’s Internet Guru. How we met is somewhat a cliché nowadays, (considering we met online), but we hit it off pretty quickly. We had the perfect working relationship – if I had a question, I’d ask her; and if she could, she’d answer! So when she asked me one morning whether or not I’d enjoy a tour of the HQ building while I was in Montréal, I was stunned. Why? In general Cirque du Soleil does not give tours of their facilities to the general public.
Getting to the Cirque Headquarters wouldn’t be a difficult process, but it wasn’t easy for a group of people without self-transportation. My contact there instructed me to take the Mètro – the Orange Line – in the direction of Henri-Bourassa. “You’ll be on it for some time,” she said. “Look for Jarry station. And get off there.” Once we’d reach Jarry, she continued to explain “you’ll get on a bus, one-nine-three, and take it East to Second Avenue.” The bus trip would also take some time as she said the HQ was quite far from Jarry station. No bother, the five of us retreated below ground at Sherebrooke station and caught the train.
After quite a long trip amongst the citizens of Montréal, we arrived at Second Avenue. At first glance the neighborhood did not look all that inviting. In fact, it was pretty run down! It was a good thing we were a party of five or I don’t think I would have felt safe there. Besides, there weren’t any signs or banners that said we were at
Cirque du Soleil – in fact, there was nothing of the sort! Our eyes spotted a huge warehouse building in the distance and began to walk toward it. It wasn’t until we got closer that we figured out we were in the right location – there was an old Cirque du Soleil touring truck parked in the field right next to it. The building itself (which was quite enormous) was not marked either. Only the numbers 8400 adorned it in black.
If there’s one thing about Cirque du Soleil, they know how to choose a location. The Headquarters building is situated on an old landfill site, which has since been covered over. They chose the site for many reasons – first of which was to revitalize the dilapidated area around them. In fact, that is part of their charter – to remain close to the people on the street.
The lobby was rather barren, except for a metallic sculpture right ahead of us and above that – five Cirque du Soleil clocks – each for its shows: Saltimbanco, Mystère, Alegría, Quidam and Dralion. The clocks had a picture of a scene from their denoted show as its face, and were set to the time wherever the show was set up. Before long a young blond woman came walking around the corner of an unmarked corridor and asked immediately for me. I rose from the bench I was sitting on and introduced myself. She immediately hugged me and said her name (which I’m keeping confidential). We embraced for a moment longer before we began nervous chitchat about our journey down to the HQ, the show the previous night even what we would see on this tour. I introduced Paul Roberts, whom she knew well; Cedric Pansky, my friend; Ted and Dion, who introduced themselves; and Keith and LouAnna. Now the tour could officially begin!
The tour lasted for a little over three hours. We were led around various places within the building. Our first stop was the trophy cabinet, where various awards, Emmy’s and other trinkets were kept that Cirque du Soleil had been awarded with throughout the years. It was interesting to see these awards up close. Not many fans can say they’ve actually done that! Our next stop after that was into the Costume Shop, where they hand make all the costumes seen in every one of their shows – an entire room is devoted to this process; the Shoe Shop, where they make all the shoes for the performers; the Hat Room, where all the hats are made and kept; the Mask Room, where the masks for the different shows are re-created and stored; even the two practice studios, where one of the Spinning Meteor boys were actually practicing and in the other, the Russian Swing number was set up for practice and warm-up.
After our big tour around the various facilities housed within the Headquarters building, the entire group was treated to something extra special. We were led into a small boardroom where we met two other folks from the Cirque Club website. It turned out these young women were actually the folks who replied to the emails, wrote the articles and kept track of the Discussion Board there. Keith had a field day talking to them about various things, while I pretty much stayed quiet. I think he was making enough conversation for the both of us (if not the entire group!). Meanwhile, my contact was wrestling with the computer network connection within the room. It seemed whatever she wanted to show us was somehow tied into the network. As Keith continued talking, the rest of us were quiet; the anticipation in the room was quite thick. I began to wonder what she had in store for us, but was cut short by the lights dimming and the computer projection equipment whirring to life.
“Okay,” she said, grabbing our attentions. “What I have to show you is not to be released anywhere. We’re still working on it and information can not leave this room.”
Whoa, I thought. Was she going to show us clips of Varekai or perhaps some future show?
By then, I was on Cirque overload. We’d seen all sorts of things; felt the costumes; seen hats and masks we recognized from past shows; walked down a corridor adorned with show posters from around the world – they even had posters there for Le Grand Tour and Magie Continues! Our tour even took us by an office that we, under no circumstances, could we enter – she wouldn’t let us! For behind the door exists a gold mine of Cirque pictures, articles, and tapes of their performances (you know, Cirque records their shows each night – wonder where that goes? In that room!) The office was the archive room and she dared not let fans like us in there – we’d go absolutely insane!
“What you’re seeing here is our new web site,” she said, and my attention focused once again on the projection. My jaw immediately dropped upon seeing it. It was full of flash animation, colorful, whimsical and very well done. The web site was divided up into four sections: Spectaculara, IntraCirco, Odyssea and Inspiratum. These options then housed further more elaborate animations and much more information about Cirque du Soleil than their previous site. I tell you, this new site made mine feel like a small insignificant thing compared to what they were developing. My mind went totally numb!
After the Web Site preview we chatted a little more and Keith asked a few more questions of the CirqueClub writers. Our tour ended at the Cirque cafeteria – pretty much where it started – where we were invited to have lunch by the staff. All around us were Cirque du Soleil staff, costume makers, hat makers, shoe makers, Internet developers, performers and yes, even show creators – we ran into Andrew Watson! We were even told that certain people (who she could not name not because she didn’t know their name, but because she wasn’t aloud to) were also in the building. The ladies from CirqueClub joined us and we took up residence at a huge table on the second floor of their cafe. Think of it, seven Cirque fans and three Cirque employees eating in the Cirque cafeteria! Totally out of this world!
At 1:00pm, we finished lunch and our time there officially came to an end. My friend had to get back to work, much to Keith’s chagrin, we pulled him away under protest!
A l’Aventure en Montréal
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Wings.
To soar among clouds is to be among gods –
In a sea of blue and white.
Azure the skies aloft; under, the Strata,
An echelon bathed in delight.
So peaceful it is to fly upon a silver bird.
The trip was an enormous success from all standpoints. Montréal was a gracious city, beautiful and majestic. Montréal was “discovered” in 1535 by Jacques Cartier – an explorer. In 1642, the town was officially chartered and the founders settled along the banks of the Saint-Lawrence, the majestic river that brought them here, in 1642 determined to convert the Native Americans to Christianity. Throughout its colorful history, Montréal has been a French settlement, a British stronghold and a bilingual city. Today, it is the largest French-speaking city in North America. Much of what they built can still be found, lovingly preserved: graceful stone buildings, stately churches, and cobblestone streets. And, did you know that Montréal is actually named for the Italian pronunciation of Mount Royal, the island’s dominant feature? The “mountain” is actually an extinct volcano 232 meters (760 feet) high.
Getting around was no trouble at all on their Mètro system (which consists of 4 lines, each of a different color: Orange, Green, Blue and Yellow) once you understand where you’re going (there are no signs in English due to Quebec language laws).
For purchase, the unit of currency is the Canadian dollar (usually denoted CDN$). Coins are in denominations of 1, 5, 10 and 25 cents, and $1 (a large gold-colored coin – referred to as “Loonies” due to the picture of the Loon on the coin) and a $2 (a large bi-metallic coin – referred to as “Twonies” just because the one-dollar coins are called “Loonies”). The bills are in increments of $5, $10, $20, $50 and $100, and what set the Canadian currency apart from the American counterparts are its brash colors. For instance, the $5.00 bill is blue, the $10.00 bill is purple and the $20.00 bill is green. If you’re lucky to see a $50 or $100, they’re red and brown respectively. It’s such a colorful and interesting currency, much richer and whimsical than what I’m used to.
The people too were very friendly, even if they couldn’t always understand English or we French! (It took me the longest time to figure out what the PFK advertisement was – Poulet Frit Kentucky or Kentucky Fried Chicken!) We found a nice place called “A L’Adventure”, a small Restro/Bar at Jacques Cartier Place. The restaurant resides in a 200-year-old building in one of the busiest streets of the Old Port area and it has a menu that is simply great. From burgers to pizza, and steaks to seafood, this place has it all. It was no surprise that we fell in love with the place immediately. We’d return to A L’Adventure again… and again!
Friendly people but hellish weather – it was definitely something to be reckoned with. It fluctuated from a sunny cloudless sky with a temperature of 13 degrees Celsius (about 55 degrees Fahrenheit) on Wednesday to a rainy, cold, and miserable day on Thursday. On Friday, the winds picked up at a rate of 35 km per hour, blowing everything about. On Friday, the temperature was about 6 degrees C and clear skies – making for a cold night! But nothing could surpass the surprise waiting for us on Sunday morning – SNOW! Lots and lots of it to be exact! It was as if a blizzard blew in from the north it was so bad. Two of us decided to venture out in the snow and came back looking more like snowmen than Cirque fans.
In spite of the weather, Varekai was and is a huge hit for Cirque du Soleil. All of us loved the show. In fact, we loved it so much that some of us saw it three times! (We had guaranteed tickets for the showing on April 25th, but we decided to wait in standby for the show on April 26th and again on April 27th!). I recommend standby for anyone who needs a ticket to a sold out show. Your chances of grabbing a good seat are very good.
That first night in stand-by was my first and a bit exciting as Paul Roberts procured two tickets very quickly from a gentleman who was looking to sell. Unfortunately, that left us with a quandary: purchasing two more tickets! It all depended on how many people didn’t show up for will call (and boy were we a sight to see hoping the masses of people walking down the pier wouldn’t pick up their tickets!) Thankfully, two became available and we were in again – that was so sweet! Probably sweeter than the first showing.
The second stand-by night, however, was an adventure that none of us want to repeat. On Friday, Paul, myself and Cedric (a friend of mine) stood in line for an hour and a half with no success. The show started and tickets were scarcely available. By the time Paul and I got to the window (you could buy two and two tickets only per person), they closed up shop and advised there were no more tickets to be had. Oh no! Seeing the show without Cedric was not an option so we proceeded to sell the tickets to a couple waiting nearby. But, as the sale was about to close, more seats became available and Paul snapped those tickets back so quickly, I thought his arm was hooked up to a bungee chord. While we missed the beginning of the show (and came in during the first act), it was still a wonderful sweet moment to be once again under the big top. Not to mention the fact that we bounced along to the “la-la’s” of the overture as we ran across the big-top grounds into the Grand Chapiteu. Sweet!
