Last Wednesday, Angry Husband and I had the pleasure of attending Cirque Du Soleil’s Quidam in Long Beach, California. Angry Husband and I had never seen a Cirque Du Soleil show. I know, it is shocking! It was the perfect night for us to attend because we both had the next day off, and my parents were able to babysit Angry Kid.
We took our seat and waited for the show to begin. While we were waiting, I read that Quidam has its premiere in Montreal under the Big Top in 1996. Since then, the show has toured on five continents and more than ten million people have experienced the show. The cast features 52 world-class acrobats, musicians, singers and characters.
Young Zoé is bored; her parents, distant and apathetic, ignore her. Her life has lost all meaning. Seeking to fill the void of her existence, she slides into an imaginary world—the world of Quidam—where she meets characters who encourage her to free her soul.
Quidam: a nameless passer-by, a solitary figure lingering on a street corner, a person rushing past and swallowed by the crowd. It could be anyone, anybody. Someone coming or going at the heart of our anonymous society. A member of the crowd, one of the silent majority. The one who cries out, sings and dreams within us all. This is the “Quidam” whom this show allows to speak. This is the place that beckons—a place for dreaming and genuine relations where all Quidams, by proclaiming their individuality, can finally emerge from anonymity.going at the heart of our anonymous society. A member of the crowd, one of the silent majority. The one who cries out, sings and dreams within us all. This is the “Quidam” whom this show allows to speak. This is the place that beckons—a place for dreaming and genuine relations where all Quidams, by proclaiming their individuality, can finally emerge from anonymity.
Angry Husband loved the first act, which was the German Wheel. The German Wheel is where an artist becomes a human spike as he spins, turns, twists, and maneuvers the wheel, performing gravity-defying somersaults and acrobatics.
My favorite part of the performance was The Diabolos. The Diabolo or Chinese yo-yo is a child’s game that the Chinese have evolved into an art form. Three Chinese performers each hold two sticks linked by a string on which a wooden spool is juggled, tossed, and balanced. I was so impressed with their acrobatics while they were tossing the wooden spools, amazing!
Seeing all of the performers was simply amazing. We both kept remarking on their strength and talent during the show. I can only imagine how much training and practice that it takes to put on a show like this. Oh, and the music during the show was very intense and chilling, yet it set the tone for the show perfectly.
But I’m not going to give out all of the details about the show, you MUST go see it yourself, seriously!!
Cirque Du Soleil Quidam is being performed in Long Beach, today and Sunday, April 24th. The shows on April 23rd are at 3:30pm and 7:30pm. The shows on April 24th are at 1pm and 5pm. Tickets can be found online.
Quidam opens in Ontario, CA on April 27, 2011.
Disclosure: I was provided with two tickets to Cirque Du Soleil presents Quidam free of charge. Angry Husband and I enjoyed the show. A few days later, we are still talking about it. Information about the show and photographs were provided by Cirque Du Soleil.
