Cirque's 'Kurios' succeeds with less spectacle, more charm
"Kurios - Cabinet of Curiosities" proves a Cirque du Soleil show remains spectacular even after scaling back its trademark spectacle.
Returning to Chicago after a four-year absence, Cirque stages its latest incarnation - which opened Thursday under the blue and yellow grand chapiteau in the United Center parking lot - with no giant wheel, no tightropes, no trapeze bars.
Yet writer/director Michel Laprise's spirited, briskly paced production is an engrossing, engaging theatrical experience. Featuring a 1930s, hot jazz score by composers Raphael Beau and Bob & Bill and vivid, whimsical costumes by Philippe Guillotel, the 19th century-inspired "Kurios" is more intimate and less bombastic than previous Cirque shows.
Like most Cirque productions, "Kurios" - the company's 35th show since 1984 - doesn't bother much with plot. The story, such as it is, centers around a genial eccentric (Anton Valen) whose examination of the assorted keepsakes and artifacts contained in his curio cabinet propels this circus arts showcase.
Inventive, invigorating and gorgeous to look at thanks to Stephane Roy's fanciful, Industrial Revolution-inspired set which includes a flying machine and mechanical hand, "Kurios" provides plenty of thrills.
They come courtesy of Cirque's always impressive artist-athletes: the saucy, soaring Acro Net trampolinists; Russian strongman Roman Tereshchenko, who serves as a human trapeze for porcelain doll aerialist Olena Tereshchenko; highflying acrobat/tumblers Banquine; James Eulises Gonzalez, who teeters precariously atop a stack of balance boards while perched on a giant swing; and charmer Andrii Bondarenko, who puts a clever spin on the familiar chair balancing act setting the scene in the parallel realities of Upside Down World.
For all that, one of the great delights of this 2014 show is its considerable wit, evidenced by the deliciously sly "Invisible Circus" - "the greatest show you never saw" - presided over by ringmaster Facundo Gimenez, a dexterous physical performer who also does a spot-on impression of a house cat.
Perhaps the most delightful, most intriguing act is the artfully choreographed Theater of Hands featuring Nico Baixas. Projected live onto a small hot air balloon, it tells the story of a hip-hop skateboarder conjured entirely by Baixas' hands. Bravo.
The most poignant moment comes courtesy of aerialists Stuart McKenzie and Vitali Tomanov, as conjoined twins who break free and soar above the stage on straps during in a powerful and graceful homage to sibling bonds and the brothers' independent spirits.
“Kurios — Cabinet of Curiosities”
★ ★ ★ ½
Location: Under the Grand Chapiteau in the United Center parking lot, 1901 W. Madison St., Chicago. (877) 924-7783 or
/kurioscirquedusoleil.com/kurios
Showtimes: 8 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday; 4:30 and 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 1:30 and 5 p.m. Sunday through Sept. 20
Running time: About two hours, 20 minutes with intermission
Parking: $25 in nearby lots
Tickets: $35-$270
Rating: For all ages