If I didn’t know any better, I’d think there were some serious shenanigans going on in the row behind mine during last night’s premiere of Cirque du Soleil‘s new show Totem in Toronto’s Port Lands district. "Oh my god, oh, oh, oh, no," was such a frequent refrain it was almost comical, as was the slightly less provocative "Yes! wow, oh god, yes!" Foreheads were slapped, jaws dropped.
But that actually sums up the experience as ovation after ovation after ovation greeted Cirque performers: Totem proved to be an enormously entertaining show that was a step beyond even their usual brilliance.
The show involves some sort of take on evolution and water being the spark of life and what not. But, really, you don’t go to Cirque for the storyline — vague, and disconnected as it sometimes is. And there was one hiccup involving scantily clad pseudo-Aboriginals canoeing to a roller skating rink perched on top of a drum. Ahem. The hoop dancer was a nice touch, but there were a few drops and miscues and the performer never really drew the crowd into the performance.
Beyond those minor quibbles, the show was one incredible feat piled onto the next reaching awe-inspiring crescendos at the end of both acts. But being Cirque, even the tiny details and moments between the big performances were something to behold. The stage featured a massive mechanical centrepiece that moved and curled up and in many instances acted as a prop-aid. The clowns were wonderful: one, a stereotypical Italian beach-goer complete with Speedo-esque swimwear, gaudy sunglasses and epic pelvic dance moves; the other — the polar opposite — got the most laughs for simple prop devices such as bouncing a ping-pong ball off metal shoulder pads followed by doe-eyed glances at the audience.
Performance highlights included a unicycling troupe on tall bikes tossing plates from their feet to their heads with synchronized grace, a trio of ripped and athletic performers on rings, a pair of women spinning cloth mats on their feet while posing in a number of excruciatingly difficult to watch strength postures including a climax (cue the back row!) that saw one performer lying on her back on a chair feet up in the air balancing the other on her fully stretched legs while both were spinning mats on all available limbs. Ridiculous! Somehow, Cirque takes it to another level. It has to be seen to be believed, but to make a long story short that new level involves one dude balancing and walking along a slim pole elevated in the air. No, wait. On this guy’s head is a pole, maybe 20 feet long and at the other end is another guy, who is doing a headstand into a little cup! It seemed to defy physics and the bottom guy’s neck was flared out to a genuinely scary level.
The second act sexed things up a bit with a trapeze duo performing a mating ritual. It was a bit cheeky and flirty for a standard Cirque show, but the incredible athleticism and choreography on display when coupled with a bit of cute acting and sex appeal proved a welcome and very enjoyable change of pace. Then came the roller skates, and there is no denying the athleticism on display. ‘Nuff said. And this was followed by some new, fun takes on traditional Cirque standards: juggling and devil sticks. The highlight of the second act — the Russian bars — was another thriller to cap off the evening as performers executed complex acrobatic manoeuvres after being propelled 20 feet into the air by long slim boards held on the shoulders of hefty strongmen. Another standing ovation to end the night.
After witnessing every show Cirque has brought to town over the last seven or eight years, it is safe to say Totem is pushing the boundaries in a number of areas, including technical difficulty and sex appeal, without sacrificing the creative brilliance that makes Cirque the greatest show on earth. There may still be tickets available for purchase as a new block of tickets was recently added. If not, troll Craigslist, follow Kijiji, enter contests… do what you can to see this show.
Totem runs until Oct. 9 under the Grand Chapiteau in Toronto’s Port Lands district