Washington DC: TOTEM by Cirque du Soleil – Now Playing!
It’s Wednesday night in Baltimore and hundreds of excited attendees stare at a comically over sized turtle shell bathed in cool blue light that both challenges and entices their conceptions of reality. Unconventional clowns maneuver through the space engaging the audience and pushing the boundaries of expectation by breaking the fourth wall. Everything about this space says ‘Let’s Play’, relax, and let the Cirque into your world! Beneath the massive gaudy striped tent (the Grand Chapiteau) lies a fairytale land worlds away from the power lines, big city, car horns, highways, and commuter trains that line the entrance to the tent. Choose to enter the blue and yellow gates to wonderland and you you will embark upon the majestic world of TOTEM by Cirque du Soleil, the latest masterpiece from the famed group, now playing in Baltimore through April 24, 2011.
Cirque is about to start and audience members are but cogs in the giant fantasy machine where nothing is as it seems. A cacophony of organic and supernatural sounds sporadically bellows from ominous locations around the arena. Heads dart from side to side in an attempt to find continuity in the madness. Welcome to TOTEM by Cirque du Soleil! The lights dim then quickly intensify and the show begins with throngs of amphibians leaping across the stage as a human disco ball descends from the ceiling signifying the heavens and the earth. Madness, beauty, and mystery ensues, delivering a visual narration of the evolution of a species from the simplest terrestrial life form to the extraterrestrial.
While at times it seems loosely strung together in contrast to some of Cirque du Soleil’s other tightly themed shows, it is nonetheless spectacular. TOTEM unveils a cornucopia of performances that have at least one thing in common, they challenge the lengths at which the body can be pushed, tested, stretched, contorted, and utilized to convey emotion. There were times during the evening where the performers appeared almost supernatural in the acts they were unfurling on the floor and in the air. This is not your grandparent’s Circus!
Beyond the spectacular floor and the amazing physicality of the actors, Cirque du Soleil always has some of the most beautiful costumes and sets of any live show to date. Though the sets may be somewhat simple, every piece shines on stage and less is really more. In TOTEM giant reeds which later double as blades of grass conceal the live orchestra responsible for the amazing music heard throughout the show. No detail is spared in Cirque du Soleil’s shows and even the orchestra is costumed to theme. With as much movement as is required from the performers the costumes are extremely intricate and elaborate and seem to hold up under the abuse and pressure. To tie everything together, TOTEM implements a high end projection system that changes the appearance of the stage from running water and streams, to exploding volcanoes, to bone dry deserts, it is incredible to watch!
Acts throughout the show range from Native American Spirit dancers ring dancing in super speed, tribal girls on unicycles tossing bowls onto each other’s heads from their feet, twirlers, acrobats, jugglers, aerial acts, and so much more! Every act is uniquely fascinating to watch, as the laws of time and space seem to bend before your very eyes. In addition to the costumes the lack of costumes is very entertaining as well. There are several scantily clad performers with very incredible bodies that are not afraid to show them off!
TOTEM was extremely entertaining and satisfying… don’t miss this show. If you haven’t bought your tickets yet, you still can, click the link below to receive 20% off the ticket price! TOTEM will be playing now through April 24th, 2011 at the Westport Waterfront in Baltimore!
Click here to buy your discounted tickets to TOTEM!
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