Cirque du Soleil’s delicious new “eggs”stravangza is a winner
Hold the fly swatter! “Ovo,” Cirque du Soleil’s fascinating new outing, is more than a headturner. It’s simply outstanding.
A memorable, often spellbinding frolic from beginning to end, the show, which opened in The City last fall, has settled into its San Jose digs. But in a fun turn, the outing takes audiences inside the inner workings of the ecosystem. More specifically, a place where a bountiful universe of bugs—all kinds—engage in great mysteries. Here, Cirque’s clever creatures fret over the arrival of a mysterious egg–by a neurotic fly (fittingly)–which forces everyone to question the egg’s existence and perhaps their own. In other words: This is the best eye-candy of the season!
Kudos to writer/director Deborah Colker—she’s actually the first female director in Cirque’s history. (Cirque celebrates year 25 this year.)
“We’re here to create art,” insists Colker, who hails from Rio de Janeiro and has a background as diverse as the show. She studied psychology, played piano and even thrived in volleyball before transforming her artistic self through dance and choreography.
“Ovo,” by the way, is “egg” in Portuguese.
With “Ovo,” she says, she and the company wanted to change what people saw in Cirque, and to surprise themselves as well.
That’s evident in the show’s storyline, where insects thrive in pursuit of discovering food, diving into play and looking for love. Fifty-four artists from 13 countries make up the titillating affair, one that performer Michelle Matlock says may surpass expectations.
“This is about love and the story is a lot simpler — maybe not as dark as some of the other Cirque shows have been,” Matlock notes.
Matlock’s celebrity soared with her one-woman show “The Mammy Project.” Here, she morphs into a lead role—a ladybug determined to capture the romantic affections of a fly.
Anything goes in the Cirque universe, but Matlock is clear that the outing is more about celebration than anything else.
Beyond the romantic story, expect riveting acrobatic acts: The finale features the jaw-dropping endeavors of 20 artists running, jumping and leaping directly up an 8-meter vertical wall. It’s quite the feat — for any insect.
GTv experienced Cirque, first hand. Take a peek at our behind-the-scenes coverage here.
IF YOU GO
Cirque du Soleil: Ovo
Under the Grand Chapiteau, at Taylor Street Bridge – Lot E, San Jose (Through March 21)
For ticket information, click here.
