Reviews 2010
Reviews 2010
✭✭✭✭✭
created and directed by Jeannot Painchaud
Cirque Éloize, Sony Centre, Toronto
October 1-9, 2010
The Sony Centre could hardly have chosen a better show to celebrate its grand reopening after two years of renovations than iD, the latest extravaganza from Montreal’s Cirque Éloize. It’s unusual to have both Cirque du Soleil and Cirque Éloize in town at the same time, but their productions could not be more different. While Cirque du Soleil’s Banana Shpeel is a lot of clown talk and not enough action, Cirque Éloize’s iD is non-stop action, no talk, no clowns.
Unlike Cirque du Soleil or Cirque Éloize’s other shows, iD has an urban setting and a gritty feel. The 16 artists are dressed as teens in hip street clothes, not as bugs or animals in outlandish costumes. The kids are divided into two gangs signalled by red or yellow wristbands. Director Jeannot Painchaud creates a sense of constant tension. Individuals from the two sides may perform duo acts like hand-balancing or contortion, only to be pulled apart by gang members afterwards. One circus art flows seamlessly into the next with dance, not talk, moving along the action. The entire multitalented cast performs a energetic mix of breakdance, hip-hop and tecktonik with stunning precision. It’s only logical that by the conclusion both sides recognize their similarities, give up division and celebrate their community.
Familiar circus arts like juggling and aerial silks are present, but there are less familiar arts as well. Thibaut Philippe constantly amazes with his demonstrations of bike trial, jumping his seatless bike onto objects and off without touching his feet to the floor. Josianne Levasseur does surprising stunts inside the large Cyr wheel as she rolls inside it round the stage. Fletcher Sanchez leaps onto the vertical Chinese pole like Spider-Man where he does incredible horizontal poses and frightening downward releases. All the action takes place against computer-animated urban vistas projected on a back-alley set. The show reaches breathtaking heights in the “trampowall” finale where artists leap from ledges only to bounce back up a wall that is pulsating in time to the music. To see seemingly ordinary people do such extraordinary feats really lifts the spirits. iD is here only a week. Take everyone you know to see it.
©Christopher Hoile
Note: A version of this review appeared in Eye Weekly 2010-10-05.
Photo: Josianne Levasseur. ©Valérie Remise.
2010-10-05
iD