Cirque du Soleil has long been synonymous with wonder, escapism and mind-blowing performances. Yet, upon attending their latest show Echounder the big top at the Place des festivals Zibi in Gatineau, I felt, for the first time, a certain disenchantment.
I am not a neophyte; Echo is the twelfth Cirque show I have attended. While visiting the federal capital, I decided to introduce this Quebec gem to my nephew and niece. But while I was hoping to rediscover the magic that made this Quebec institution famous, I was struck by a feeling of déjà vu.
Sure, the costumes were gorgeous, and some numbers caught my attention. But overall, the show was sorely lacking in highlights, those unique moments that usually leave us speechless.
Added to this are the lengths that should not have existed. And I am not even talking about the technical problems that delayed the start of the performance by 25 minutes. If these setbacks are inevitable, the Cirque could have compensated by shortening the intermission, rather than letting the audience, especially the youngest, lose the thread. Accompanied by my 8-year-old niece and nephew, I was able to notice their growing disinterest during the second part of the show.
One of the most troubling aspects was the glaring dissonance between the show’s ecological, if slightly moralistic, message and the reality on the ground. How can Cirque du Soleil claim to preach the importance of the environment while continuing to sell plastic water and beverage bottles and other disposable products?
In 2024, when every gesture counts, it would be high time for the Cirque to put its principles into action. Wouldn’t the addition of water stations and the use of biodegradable containers be a minimum for a company of this size?
And what about the costs? $335 for three tickets, a bottle of water, a cotton candy, a bag of candy and two lollipops. These figures are dizzying, especially when you consider the quality of the show, which was far from living up to expectations.
This exorbitant price reinforces the unpleasant impression of contributing more to the enrichment of rich (and voracious) shareholders than to supporting an authentic artistic work. It is therefore not surprising that nearly 15% of the seats remained empty at this performance – a finding that, in my opinion, is directly linked to the exorbitant prices in an already difficult economic context.
Finally, one last detail that left a bitter taste in my evening: the welcome. It is unthinkable that in 2024, in Quebec, I would have to fight to simply get “bonne soirée” in French. This language, which has contributed to the unique and international character of Cirque du Soleil, seems more and more relegated to the background.
In conclusion, it is very likely that Echo is the last Cirque du Soleil production I attend. The magic seems to have dissipated, and with it, my desire to relive the experience.