Cirque du Soleil OVO Royal Albert Hall Review: Tricks & Clowns

Cirque du Soleil is in town ‌for a two-month residency from French-Canadian ⁣troupe Cirque du Soleil.

This time they return‌ with OVO, a show first created in 2009 celebrating the world of insects. Bear with: it may not sound like ​the most‌ promising of ⁣themes, but it works remarkably well.

the show​ is essentially⁣ a ⁤series of tricks: foot juggling, slackwire, glow in the ‍dark diablo, a trampoline wall and, of ⁢course, aerial acrobatics.‌ Performed by ⁤different groups ‍from‍ the insect kingdom – clad ​in‍ carnivalesque‍ costumes with shell-backs,⁢ wings and ​antennae ‍- it makes for an otherworldly spectacle.

Just like their insect counterparts, the‍ performers, playing spiders, ants, grasshoppers ⁢and many other insects I don’t ⁤have the ‌entomological knowledge⁤ to identify, ‌are both⁣ delicate and astonishingly robust, contorting their bodies in ways that can only‍ be ⁤described as non-human. Indeed, watching the show, still⁤ and straight-backed in the stalls, it’s easy⁢ to forget you even belong to the same species as the acrobats before ⁤you.

The theme is⁤ a gift for⁣ the set design too, in which stage ropes become webs and climbing apparatus is reimagined as grate, towering⁤ flowers. Paired with an upbeat, ‘Brazilian-inspired’ soundtrack,‍ the show has an infectious vibrancy.

Cirque‍ du ​Soleil’s ‘OVO’ Brings the Insect World to Life

Cirque du Soleil’s⁢ “OVO,”⁣ currently playing in London,immerses audiences​ in the⁤ vibrant and often ​overlooked world of insects. the production, a dazzling‌ display of acrobatics and artistry, doesn’t shy away from the creepy-crawly⁢ aspects of its subject matter, rather celebrating the energy‌ and intricacy of insect life. The show’s performers, clad in stunning ⁢costumes, convincingly portray a bustling ecosystem ⁣filled with beetles,⁣ spiders, ‌and butterflies.

The ​performance unfolds with‍ a series​ of breathtaking acts.Performers balance precariously⁤ on⁤ towering⁤ structures resembling mushrooms, while others demonstrate⁢ incredible agility in ⁤a mesmerizing ⁢spider web routine. A particularly captivating act ⁢features a⁤ swarm ⁣of acrobats simulating the flight of fireflies, creating a dazzling spectacle of light and movement. ​As ​one audience member noted,⁢ revisiting the show ​as an adult brought a new appreciation for the stakes and skill involved, a feeling lost in childhood wonder.

Interspersed between​ the acrobatic feats is a ‌lighthearted narrative centering ‌on a shy⁢ fly⁢ and an‍ assertive ladybird. ​Master Flipo, the colony’s grumpy leader, ​adds comic relief with slapstick routines and a giant fly swatter. ‍The ‍trio’s antics,⁣ delivered in a playful, Cirque-style language, serve as a distraction during ‌set⁣ changes​ and ⁣revolve around a mysterious‍ egg – ⁢”ovo” in ​Portuguese – symbolizing themes of life⁢ and growth.