Chaos Attraction

Alegria

2022-08-24, 8:34 p.m.

Today's work: online bridal shower, me figuring out my knitting during Zoom meetings, me watching Squatty Potty commercials while keying work things, because yes, I am able to do that. That is amazingly Quite A Thing, right there.

I did work on some interview questions today, I swear. I should have had them all done tonight, mind you, but...oh well. My brain was only so into that and I did do actual work at work.

After work, I went to see Cirque du Soleil: Alegria. Years ago in Florida I saw the Disney Cirque (La Nouba, I think) and thought, "If I have the opportunity to see another one again, I should," and thus I did. I bought a peacock scarf there, just for kicks.

I normally dislike shows without a plot. I note that Cirque shows...sorta...have a plot, which they helpfully explain to you in the program. The "main character," Mr. Fleur (red suit, big hair), we're told is the court fool who decides he's going to put on the crown and take over after the king dies. In most worlds, that would be a plot in itself, but really it's just various groups of people doing cool things onstage. The Aristocrats are all in fancy teal suits--some are dressed up as comic with stuffed boobies and bums and the like, some are more acrobatic, and supposedly on the side of Mr. Fleur. The Bronx are the street kids, in bronze shorts and mesh shirts, doing more "street" stuff on the ground. The Angels wear white and tend to do all the air stunts. There's two singers, one in white (think Frozen) and one in black (think Black Swan).

There's two clowns that probably have the best non-stunt stuff in the show, supposedly also allies of Mr. Fleur. They start out with having a glove-slapping fight, then literally jerk off each other's guns vigorously before doing their own not-very-fatal Hamilton duel. That made my night right there laughing.

The actual plot of any circus act, though, is really watching people set their own butts on fire (okay, just the one guy) or set off a giant confetti snowstorm and wondering if they're going to survive the act. So that keeps you interested as a plot!

My favorite stunts was the couple hanging in the air, very sexy, very good at balancing and doing tricks and generally being awesome. There was a fire dancer. There was a hula hooper who also at one point got a giant Slinky (people loved that). There's two tracks of trampolines they break out in the second act for the Bronx people to bounce on--looked super fun. There's a giant net/trapeze/swings in the sky to finish out the show. They have musicians on the stage, one of whom has the world's most portable and shiny cello she literally walks around with.

By the end of the first act, the stage is covered in confetti due to the aforementioned "clown sets off a snowstorm." During intermission, I thought, "I feel sorry for whoever has to clean that up," and that would be the clowns, who come out with a cleaning cart and two large brooms, which they briefly sweep with before going into a tango and then hitting each other in the crotch. Then a bunch of the aristocrats come out with (fancy) leaf blowers and they just BLOW that confetti outta there. The only time ever I didn't hate leaf blowers.

There's also a royal staff that Mr. Fleur toys with, which starts to lose power in the second act. Then the clowns come out and one of them can get it to turn on again--and play "Alegria" to the tune of "Hallelujah." The other clown just makes it make a car alarm noise, and the three of them fighting over it makes quite a combination of sounds before one of the clowns finally breaks the bulb off. Oops!

Anyway, I was quite entertained. I note they keep the tent VERY COLD, so I was glad I grabbed a last minute jacket before I left the house. They also had very nice portapotty trailers with their own sinks and even soap, which was impressive. I didn't take forever to get out of the parking lot, either! So, a good time was had all around and a standing O was given.


previous entry - next entry
archives - current entry
hosted by DiaryLand.com