tonight we went to see the latest cirque du soleil production touring close to us, "corteo". i have a mixed review of it and it's not because i read about it and was disappointed. i knew nothing about the show and went with an open mind. at first, it was great. even before the show started, it was exciting to just sit there and wait. the stage is in the middle of the audience and there was a sheer curtain on each side. the curtains were painted with a scene. the stage had candles. it had a victorian feel to it overall. i felt like buck-tick might come out and start peforming. the show was divided into two acts with an intermission inbetween. there was a special months ago if you bought tickets with your american express card, you would receive a little gift at the show and a coupon for $5 off merchandise. we did this but i didn't bring my american express card to the show and i think the gift certificate is only good if you use your card. it doesn't really matter because the coupon was expired! lame! it was inside a little booklet that we received, (the free gift).

the first performance were acrobats on chandeliers. i thought it was a unique and interesting concept. the acrobats were all female and dressed in old time underwear (just think burlesque). anyway, it was hot. as the first act progressed through the various performances, it was good overall. i thought it was playful and fit the mood overall. once we returned from the intermission and the second act began, it all went downhill from there. i feel like in cirque shows, the performances gradually get better and more spectacular as the show progresses. not so with "corteo". in fact, during the second act i was just hoping for it to hurry up and end because it was becoming painfully long and disjointed. in fact, i had trouble keeping my eyes open because the space had poor air circulation, causing me to feel quite sleepy.

there was one performance though that was so bizarre, i felt like it was the old days of the circus when there were freaks. it didn't feel very cirque-esque. there are two little people in the show and the female (valentyna) is connected to a giant balloon, like she is hot air ballooning. the balloon doesn't contain enough lightweight gas to keep her up in the air and the main character pushes up on her feet to lift her up and invites the audience to do the same. she is passed around the audience like a volleyball. truly, truly an odd what the fuck? moment at cirque.

[update 11/12/07: i received an email from cirque and it included a link to a pdf of the booklet we received at the show. it included an updated coupon that has not expired yet. the email stated that this is for us in advance (of our attendance). sorry, we already went!]