Cirque du Soleil: Varekai (2003)

I love this movie so much

Fantastic!

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.

My wife and I went to a matinée performance of Cirque du Soleil's "Varekai" in the Nottingham Motorpoint Arena. As you would expect, most of the acrobatics were absolutely amazing, as were the costumes. Like other Cirque du Soleil shows, there was some sort of story but with most of the language being their traditional invented one that no one understands, this was not clear. But this didn't really matter. The music and vocals (even though I didn't understand them) were also very good. Regrettably, the circus tradition of using clowns was taken much too far, with about a quarter of the show dedicated to them. Their slap-stick antics were often bizarre or amateurish and at times downright irritating. They may have been entertaining a few decades ago but frankly fell flat and in some cases were risqué and unsuitable for the young children in the audience. So for us, this ruined what would otherwise have been an impressive and entertaining experience. Time for a re-think, SdS?

This is my third show in 20 years. First, Allegria. Then Kooza. Now Varekai. In an arena, rather than a tent or one of their permanent installations, there is not enough height for a decent aerial show. Many acts I'm used to seeing were absent. It was 80% clowning and only 20% acrobatics (and I am being generous in including a baton twirler, break dancer and juggler as "acrobats"). There was about ten minutes of "Oooh" in 2 hours of "Zzzzzzzz". The plot was fuzzy and difficult to understand. The creepy, mysterious enchantment you're used to seeing is completely absent. The music and dialogue were very canned. Although they may always be lip synching to a recording, you could really, REALLY tell. It was like watching "The Wiggles, Live".

fantastic colors costumes riveting physical feats...progressive in all ways including the magic music...illuminating the concept of evolving with the dream and the myth..so opposite to the world we tinker with in absolute terms...think I will begin painting again....nice article...applauds and salutations, embers creating wings..daunting oppositions ,liberating physical musical ...Varekai? well yes of course a word I have never heard before...such a collaboration ,coaxing the colors of freedom...sneaky humour tip toeing through the land mines of reality..swatting the proverbial laws of one reality...collective a war of emotion..bringing the flame revealing the pains and joys all seated in our souls individually cast into a circle of like minded pains and joys...a battle is won and a struggle worthwhile because emotion is born again and a gain...casting our hope line to the celestial firey circle of time...Poppa G. Brum

The show on TV was great, but the show it self... I have no words for it really fantastic!!!! And where is the the name of Gareth!? He (and Ashley) did such a great job and now there just thrown away! I just want to say, watch it! It takes you away in the world of ... VAREKAI!!!