Two years ago I had the pleasure of attending Cirque du Soleil’s production of TOTEM. This year the travelling circus/international behemoth, and purveyor of all things amazing was back in Melbourne with its hit, KOOZA. From its humble beginnings in Montreal, the Cirque du Soleil group now employs over 4,000 people across the world providing artists with a great home, and audiences with exceptional artistic talent.
KOOZA, unlike many other Cirque du Soleil productions, doesn’t have a set theme or storyline. Instead, it presents a clown’s journey through a subcontinental wonderland. The performances explored acrobatics and the limits of the human body in ways that you didn’t believe were possible.
As you walk into the Flemington grounds, you can’t help but feel a sense of awe. The big top is BIG. The sounds of drummers can fill your eardrums from several hundred meters away, and your pulse starts to race. Inside, the setup is just as cool with multiple bars, a DJ both, and various nooks and crannies to explore.
After six months of bikram yoga, I have a new appreciation for how un-pliable the (okay, my) body is. Seeing the Mongolian contortionists pull off ‘standing bow’ like taking candy from a baby, and then contorting in ways that shouldn’t be possible, will leave you incredulous.
After the intermission, you are presented with Wheel of Death. It really does look this way, and the fear that you have for the two Colombian performers runs deep. There are many edge of the seat moments here, followed by relief, followed by back to edge of the seat. KOOZA is worth it just to see them!
The amount of effort and skill that goes into crafting a production like this is inspiring. From the set and apparatuses which are custom made, to the gorgeously intricate costumes, the live band throughout, and of course highly skilled performers Cirque du Soleil represents the arts like no other show on earth.
I can’t wait to see what they come up with next time they visit Australia! KOOZA will run under the bigtop at the Flemington Racecourse until 26 March.
– Rukmal
Co-founder of The Plus Ones, Rukmal lives and breathes events.
KOOZA runs until 26 March 2017 at the Flemington Racecourse. Buy tickets now.
