Jordan Wright
July 1, 2016
Special to The Alexandria Times
Photo: Martin Girard / shootstudio.ca Costumes: Philippe Guillotel © 2014 Cirque du Soleil
Steam Punk – as in Victoriana science fiction meets techno wizardry – is the quirky new style of Cirque de Soleil’s show, Kurios – Cabinet of Curiosities arriving in Tysons Corner on July 21th. The story, set in an alternate yet familiar past, features a voyage Jules Verne would have envied. Think leather goggles, steam train gadgets and a spectacular array of tricked out props.
Photo: Martin Girard / shootstudio.ca Costumes: Philippe Guillotel © 2014 Cirque du Soleil
The tale of Kurios takes us on a journey into a deeper realm neatly hidden inside the larger-than-life curio cabinet of the “Seeker”. Within this Dr. Caligari-like cabinet he finds a hidden, invisible world where he encounters bizarre curiosities that begin to animate.
Photo: Martin Girard / shootstudio.ca Costumes: Philippe Guillotel © 2014 Cirque du Soleil
Unlocking this Pandora’s box unleashes a collection of otherworldly characters who step into his makeshift mechanical world. The outlandish, yet quite benevolent, creatures turn his world upside down with a touch of poetry and and a ton of humor in an attempt to ignite the Seeker’s imagination and discover a parallel universe. Heart-stopping and brilliantly imagined, it’s a magical journey worth taking.
Photo: Martin Girard / shootstudio.ca Costumes: Philippe Guillotel © 2014 Cirque du Soleil
Written and directed by Michel Laprise, Kurios leads us into the birth of technology during the late 19th century and on a journey into the fantastical minds of the inventors of the great Industrial Age. Laprise, a former actor, director and artistic director, who started his own theatre company in Montreal and trained at the National Theatre School of Canada, has been with Cirque for the past 16 years. He also worked with Madonna on her Super Bowl XLVI halftime appearance and later directed her MDNA tour. He recently sat down with this writer for a brief interview.
You were a Special Events Designer on Cirque’s specialty shows. How did you transition into becoming a director of a large scale production?
I had ten years of theatre myself and pitching to raise money. The department grew and they offered me the job.
How would you describe the story of Kurios?
It’s about a scientist, The Seeker, who looks through the portal at a time when electricity was bringing the world together.
There are 46 artists in Kurios. How are the artists chosen?
In the beginning they were pre-selected through 3-minute demos, and later improvisation auditions. Later I discovered that by directing them, the artists performed better, allowing us to really see their skills. It became a workshop where I honed my director’s abilities.
How long does it take to put together these complex productions?
It took two years of choreography and theatricality and being in the training studio each day to get ready for Kurios. In addition, on site we have a director, two coaches and a captain who continue training the artists every afternoon.
What’s different about this show?
When we started to create it we had heard from our audiences that we were becoming predictable. So I eliminated everything that was habit and predictable. We took out traps and turntables, and the artists are now closer to the stage and the audience can connect to the characters. We also do a tribute to Shelley’s Dr. Frankenstein. It all came out of an 80-page scenario.
Talk about the cool steampunk props?
The props speak to the art of recycling. I wanted it to look low-tech to make it very genuine. This show uses 426 props – the most props of any Cirque show ever.
What’s new about the music?
We have the A Team! The composer, Raphael Beau, comes from Paris and every note is a vulnerability.
What are you working on now?
Last October I started working on my next show for Cirque in Buenos Aires where I spent three months putting together Soda Stereo. It’s based on the legendary Latin rock band and debuts in 2017.
Through For tickets and information to Kurios visit www.CirqueduSoleil.com