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By Sue Merrell, The Grand Rapids Press
September 23, 2004
"Cirque Dreams” is anything but a restful fantasy. It’s the kind of dream you might have after watching 20 hours of Olympics videos while munching chips and salsa. Make that spicy salsa.
This is athletic perfection set to haunting, Broadway-style melodies, with Dr. Seuss scenery and psychedelic lighting.
The two-hour show enthralled a half-full house of about 1,300 Wednesday night in DeVos Performance Hall. The performers spoke not a word, but the audience rippled with gasps of “Wow!” “Amazing!” and “Unbelievable!”
The show starts in a simple, gray bedroom with oversized, cartoonish furniture, but when the house lights go out and the ultraviolet stage lights come on, suddenly a whole world of Whoville-type houses appears.
Acrobatics, juggling, trapeze and rope tricks are woven into a loose story about a derby-wearing dreamer, Martin Lamberti, who steps into the grandfather clock and discovers a magical place where it’s possible to do a handstand on a stack of eight chairs or twist a foot up under the chin.
Part clown, part mime, Lamberti blends the acts together humorously by unsuccessfully attempting various feats such as rope climbing or the giant German wheel after an expert demonstration. But by the end of the first act, Lamberti reveals a few surprising talents of his own. In addition to being a pretty fair juggler, he had the audience at the tip of his baton when he conducted five bell-ringers from the audience to a melodic finish.
A pair of Russian balancing acts -- Yevgen Vikovskyy on a tower of chairs and Victor Dodonov on a “Cat-in-the-Hat” combination of rolling cylinders, cubes and cones -- had audience members holding their breath.
Another Russian, Sergey Parshin, twirled gracefully from a rope and then paired with Canadian trapeze artist Elise Barbeau for some beautiful aerial work on lengths of silky fabric. Barbeau also did some amazing combinations with trapeze partner Veronique Rivet.
American Joseph Ross had everyone gasping as he appeared about to smash his head on the dizzying German wheel. And Mongolian contortionists Byambasuren Janchivdorj and Indra Tsogtbaatar twist their bodies into shapes even pretzels can’t make.
While these feats are being performed, there’s a constant light show giving costumes and wigs a surreal glow. Or musical muse Luly is vocalizing in some made-up but lovely language. Or company members are dancing some jazzy Broadway choreography or prancing in white, tiger-striped leotards.
In fact, one of my favorite parts was the juggling of some giant cone and cube shapes. With the addition of special lighting, the stage looked just like those swirling screen savers on a computer.
There’s something for everyone at “Cirque Dreams.”
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