At first glance, the alliance between humor and the circus may seem self-evident given the immemorial aggregation of the clown and circus arts. However, in the show of its tribute series that the Cirque du Soleil dedicates to Rock et Belles Oreilles, The Circusthe symbiosis does not happen. The brief appearances of key characters from the group’s repertoire (Mr. Caron, Stromgol, Mrs. Brossard, etc.) generally hit the mark, but the sketches — except for the one imitating the show Budding geniuseswhich makes fun (very, very gently) of the artists in the spotlight — fall flat. This is particularly the case with the insipid interventions of the mistress of ceremonies, played by Sinem Kara, which torpedo the rhythm of the show.
However, it starts off with a bang, with the stage area of the Cogeco Amphitheatre (a main stage as well as two more modest ones, on either side of the first) being stormed by roller skaters and dancers to the strains of the hymn to the desire for celebrity. I Want to Pogne. Note that Alex McMahon’s arrangements of RBO musical classics bring to them a very lively festive momentum that suits the deliberately corny cabaret atmosphere (with lots of glitter) that was intended for the production. Some of these reinterpretations shine all the more because, as in the opening number, they are the driving force behind an exciting choreographic and acrobatic profusion, orchestrated by director Jean-Guy Legault.
As for the circus feats, however, the feeling of déjà vu alternates with dazzling. The spectacular duet of the brothers Fadhili and Ibrahim Ramadhani, where one climbs and descends steps and then a ladder while balancing his partner on his head while he is himself upside down, leaves one speechless. Similarly, the three-person contortion session delights with its uniqueness and creativity. Some other numbers are certainly well executed, but are less astonishing because they have already been seen and appreciated elsewhere in similar forms. This is the case with the Icarian games practiced by the Slomeau family and the manipulation of towels, whose movements threaten to reveal the nudity of the performers. Furthermore, does not the final number of the wheel of death strangely recall the one that closed the tribute show to Robert Charlebois, All spread outsecond opus of the series, in 2016?
Thus, a more exciting evening is predicted for the audience that rarely frequents the big tops than for the aficionados of circus art. But one question remains: will RBO’s faithful be satisfied? Some might consider their work somewhat watered down, since jokes and terms that do not correspond to contemporary sensibilities are ousted. The song Erotic-ugly has even been stripped of any licentious remarks. Let us nevertheless advance that this only adds to the good-natured side which lends itself nicely to this type of production. All the more so since this update is assumed explicitly and with mischief, notably in the introductory video taking up the zanily illustrated speech of the ineffable priest hosting a news bulletin for the hearing impaired.
Cirque du Soleil promised a tribute show and that’s what it delivered. Star characters, cult songs (Hello police, The wild fire of love…) and references to the comic universe of this troupe, whose body of work is part of Quebec’s cultural heritage, abound.
Is the result a happy one? Let’s say that it is uneven. It proves without wanting to be that not everyone can be RBO, for example by the pitiful version of the World Toura flash news review that is only humorous in its inclinations. This is probably not the way the creative team intended to highlight the talent of the members of the glorious group, but the effect is nonetheless there.