Cirque du Soleil returns to its roots with KOOZA, a show steeped in astonishing acrobatic feats set to the tale of a clown, the perennial favorite circus performer. The magical adventure transpires beneath the tent raised at National Harbor throughout November.
Luc Tremblay, the show’s senior artistic director, explains that KOOZA is a Sanskrit word meaning “little box.” Innocent, the central clown character, opens the box only to discover that his nemesis, the Trickster, is playing a game. In his challenge to outwit the Trickster at his own game, Innocent uncovers the world.
A victim of trials and tribulations beyond his control, Innocent was conceived by director Serge Roy, a former clown, as a tip of the hat to the tramp characters portrayed by Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, Red Skelton and their comedic peers.
In addition to Innocent and the Trickster, KOOZA characters include two Court Clowns, or jesters, the King of Fools, The Bad Dog, The Pickpocket and the Heimloss who lives beneath the stage. As Innocent wends his way through the strange new world, he is astounded by the electrifying acrobats, masters of balancing chairs, the highwire, the teeterboard, and the trapeze.
“Cirque du Soleil attracts the finest circus performers in the world to its touring and resident shows,” Tremblay says. “KOOZA features a gold medal solo trapeze artist, an amazing contortion act, a unicycle duo that is the most unique in the world and the Quiros family on the double highwire.
“One of the most exciting acts balances on a stack of eight chairs rising 25 feet. The Teeterboard throws acrobats wearing stilts 30 feet into the air and our juggler is rated the best in the world. These are all mind-boggling performances.”
The KOOZA set, a replica of the starry sky, is dominated by the Batacian, a traveling tower inspired by the Hindu culture. The costumes developed from curious fabrics and materials stretch the imagination. The Juggler’s outfit of mirrored squares reflects light, the Rat Cape is comprised of 150 fake fur rats with crystal eyes and the Skeleton costume of molded carbon looks and sounds like bones.
The creative process, Tremblay explains, began with the hiring of various acrobatic acts. Two of them, the Charivari and the Teeterboard, were developed at that time. The entire lineup is then adapted into the story line to reinforce Innocent and his adventures, all told through an original score reflecting multiple influences, from pop and funk to traditional Indian music.
“My greatest satisfaction is seeing the performers evolve, getting better and better as the rehearsals progress,” he says. “When we opened in Montreal, there were four standing ovations after every act.”
If you go
KOOZA, Cirque du Soleil’s latest extravaganza, runs Thursday through Nov. 30.
Venue: The Plateau at National Harbor under the trademark blue-and-yellow Grand Chapiteau.
Tickets: Adults: $55 to $125; Children (ages 2-12 years) $38.50 to $87.50; seniors/students $49.50
to $112.50 at www.cirquedusoleil.com.
