Totem
Posted on February 10, 2012 by Rachel
After seeing the Cirque du Soleil 5 years ago I couldn't resist seeing them again when I found out the new tour Totem was at the Royal Albert Hall. (I have a personal penchant for the Royal Albert Hall after singing with none other than Jason Donovan in Joseph and his Technicolour Dreamcoat when I was only 10 years old)
Totem- where do I begin? Microbes and monkeys, swamps and springboards, lasers and lotharios: welcome to the latest Cirque du Soleil! The opening is wonderful: a spangled man (Joseph David Putignano) descends from the hall's highest point and descends into what appears to be a huge tortoise shell where frogs appear to leap and perform the most amazing acrobatics.
The many highlights for me included a Native American woman being spun around by her neck from a man on roller stakes and Chinese women kicking and catching bowls on their heads, whilst managing to ride around on tall unicycles. At the culmination I counted a grand total of nine bowls and a teapot. Then there's the team of eight Russian men... One guy holds a pole steady on his shoulders as a team of acrobats slither up it, then the pole is then transferred to his forehead whilst the guy at the top does a headstand. Incredible!
The costume design is amazing too. From dazzling Swarovski crystal-encrusting to glittery frogs and unusual clowns, providing a nice twist on the classic circus.
The graphics projected onto the stage are amazingly effective at making the performers and stage become one; Film projections flow across a sloping platform at the back of the stage, suggesting waterfalls or lapping waves. In one sequence, the water retreats creating a beach, with the stage becoming the shimmering surface of the ocean. In another, filmed figures swim into view, emerging from the screen as actual performers. I can't fathom the amount of time it took to imagine and technically work out the set design.
In all, Totem is a visual sensation and such a slick performance that really doesn't fail to amaze and keep you on the edge of your seat!
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