Cirque du Soleil - Saltimbanco Review

Cirque du Soleil is a French Canadian performance company based in Montreal, Canada and have come to represent the contemporary circus of the modern era. Cirque du Soleil's various shows employ approximately 4,000 people from over 40 countries with an estimated annual revenue exceeding US$810 million with permanent shows on offer in Las Vegas in the United States.

Saltimbanco, currently on tour in Australia is Cirque du Soleil’s oldest active major touring show and is being staged in major sporting arenas rather than under the Grande Chapiteau which is the trade mark Big Top of the company. Saltimbanco consists of a series of circus feats loosely connected by an abstract narrative with powerful use of a lead female singer and music accompaniment to form the links across the entire performance. As with all Cirque productions the costuming of the performers is colourful and lavish. The show’s running order was Adagio, Chinese poles, Clowning, Bicycle, Canes/Contortion, Juggling, Boleadoras, Russian Swing, Trapeze, Clowning, Hand to Hand, Bungee and a Finale. The extensive use of clown acts between major acrobatic performances allows rest for performers and a change of pace for the audience but watch out, as the clown acts are audience participatory and some lucky people usually find themselves on stage as a partner for the clowns. For Saltimbanco, an added technique involves using the spotlight across the audience to locate a lucky victim with whom the clown then engages with.

All performances are agile, polished and seamlessly delivered with flair, panache and style. The performers have an exceptional standards delivered with confidence and the air of complete mastery of their art. Saltimbanco is a mixture of interperative dance, artistic gymnastics, acrobatics, juggling and mime (being the main form of communication). As Saltimbanco is not a production with large complicated set design, the performers and musicians are fully exposed and visible to the audience which only underscores their skill and ability.  

Perhaps the only drawback for this show is that it is being staged in sports arenas and stadiums hence it lacks the atmosphere and connection of the Grande Chapiteau. The acoustics and spatial dimensions are quite different as stadiums are built for sporting events not performances of this medium. Being the oldest touring show, Saltimbanco also lacks the depth and diversity of imagery and sentiment that Cirque du Soleil's other Australian productions provided - Quidam, Varekai, Alegria in particular but less so with Dralion.  Nonetheless  it remains a show worth seeing and live performance is the most enjoyable with Cirque du Soleil.