Based on the performance of last night's show, I have understood the following:
If you play all the notes, you're bound to get some of them right!
If you flat omit a bunch of notes, you can't possibly play them wrong!
It's a winning combination if ever there was one!
Sigh...
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Zarkana
Cirque du Soleil, being the circus machine that it is, is pumping out yet another new creation! This one is to be performed at Radio City Musical Hall in New York from June 9th until sometime in October. The first video introduces you to the story behind Zarkana while the second one provides more of a 'behind the scenes' look at things.
I must say, it looks like a pretty cool show. It's been a long time since I've seen one of the new shows, seeing as most of them seem to be permanent or semi-permanent and very far away from me. I do have a few friends in this show (I say that a lot, don't I?), and New York is definitely closer to Montreal than L.A., so who knows? Maybe I'll actually make it to this one.
I must say, it looks like a pretty cool show. It's been a long time since I've seen one of the new shows, seeing as most of them seem to be permanent or semi-permanent and very far away from me. I do have a few friends in this show (I say that a lot, don't I?), and New York is definitely closer to Montreal than L.A., so who knows? Maybe I'll actually make it to this one.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Devil's Food?
We have a few days off here in Dijon before we wrap up this leg of the tour. On days off, I like to take advantage of having a functioning kitchen and tend to cook up a storm. While rummaging around in the kitchen pantry today, I happened to stumble upon this:
I know we're a circus, but this just seems ridiculous!
Please Make Note
My wheel is not a towel rack. Towels or other items of clothing found on my wheel will be tossed aside with the same amount of respect that was shown my equipment, which is to say, none.
Repeat offenders will be run over.
That is all.
Repeat offenders will be run over.
That is all.
Monday, May 23, 2011
I Spoke Too Soon
I got my wish.
I wanted the temperature to drop, well, it dropped.
It would appear that that one week of crazy heat was just the Universe's way of saying "Psyche!" before running away snickering, leaving the troupe to take their space heaters out of storage and pile on the layers. And though I do miss being able to wear skirts and dresses every day, I must admit, performing the shows has been much more enjoyable.
And really, if there's any reason to enjoy the cooler temperature, it's that it won't last. The forecast shows sunshine a comin' and when we all start melting into piles of goo backstage, I'm pretty sure I won't be the only one dreaming of cloudy days.
I wanted the temperature to drop, well, it dropped.
It would appear that that one week of crazy heat was just the Universe's way of saying "Psyche!" before running away snickering, leaving the troupe to take their space heaters out of storage and pile on the layers. And though I do miss being able to wear skirts and dresses every day, I must admit, performing the shows has been much more enjoyable.
And really, if there's any reason to enjoy the cooler temperature, it's that it won't last. The forecast shows sunshine a comin' and when we all start melting into piles of goo backstage, I'm pretty sure I won't be the only one dreaming of cloudy days.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
THIEVES!
That's right. The title of this post is entirely in caps. The reason for this is because the subject of this post is not just extremely serious, but downright rage inducing.
If you're not familiar with the workings of the circus community, there is one thing you should know: it's small. I'm not saying that there aren't many people who belong to it, but that the people who are a part of it tend to know everyone else in it. If not personally, through a friend of a friend of an acquaintance's roommate's coach. It's like Six Degrees of Separation, except instead of degrees of separation, it's degrees of connection. And chances are there are more than six.
So when you go and full out steal an act, and I mean copy it move for move, right down to the tiniest of toe points, the person or people you stole it from will find out.
The villains in today's piece are Katarina Zinchenko and Euvgenia Antsiferova. These two utterly classless Ukrainian girls 100% plagiarized the beautiful act of the immensely talented Duo Scarlette. They barely even bothered to change the costume, for crying out loud!
Seriously people, especially those getting into aerial work - Youtube is not an encyclopedia. Whatever moves you see, whether technical or artistic, are the result of a great deal of training and research by the person you see performing them. The moves, acts, etc. you copy from professional artists directly harms their ability to make a living. Plus, it makes you a total douchebag and will do nothing more than earn you the scorn and contempt of the entire circus community.You should have seen the reaction when the ladies of Duo Scarlette posted this act of thievery on Facebook. And it wasn't just other artists venting their disgust, but casting directors from companies like Cavalia and Cirque du Soleil as well.
Like I said, small community.
The original Duo Scarlette version is, without question, far superior. Unfortunately for our copy cats, unlike technique, you can't steal artistic integrity. Or any integrity for that matter.
Here are the ladies of Duo Scarlette:
To be outraged by the goons, go here.
If you're not familiar with the workings of the circus community, there is one thing you should know: it's small. I'm not saying that there aren't many people who belong to it, but that the people who are a part of it tend to know everyone else in it. If not personally, through a friend of a friend of an acquaintance's roommate's coach. It's like Six Degrees of Separation, except instead of degrees of separation, it's degrees of connection. And chances are there are more than six.
So when you go and full out steal an act, and I mean copy it move for move, right down to the tiniest of toe points, the person or people you stole it from will find out.
The villains in today's piece are Katarina Zinchenko and Euvgenia Antsiferova. These two utterly classless Ukrainian girls 100% plagiarized the beautiful act of the immensely talented Duo Scarlette. They barely even bothered to change the costume, for crying out loud!
Seriously people, especially those getting into aerial work - Youtube is not an encyclopedia. Whatever moves you see, whether technical or artistic, are the result of a great deal of training and research by the person you see performing them. The moves, acts, etc. you copy from professional artists directly harms their ability to make a living. Plus, it makes you a total douchebag and will do nothing more than earn you the scorn and contempt of the entire circus community.You should have seen the reaction when the ladies of Duo Scarlette posted this act of thievery on Facebook. And it wasn't just other artists venting their disgust, but casting directors from companies like Cavalia and Cirque du Soleil as well.
Like I said, small community.
The original Duo Scarlette version is, without question, far superior. Unfortunately for our copy cats, unlike technique, you can't steal artistic integrity. Or any integrity for that matter.
Here are the ladies of Duo Scarlette:
To be outraged by the goons, go here.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Little Chap of Horrors: Revenge of the Show
When it was over, A turned to me and said "I think that's the worst show we've ever done." I paused, remembering this gem of a show, and said "Yes. Yes it was."
It was a close call. The show in Voiron had an impressive and seemingly unending number of technical and performance related snafus. Last night's show had its share of mishaps as well, but not at nearly as bad as Voiron. No, what made the difference and really cinched it for last night's show is that it was trying to kill us.
Things started off innocently enough, as they often do. But something wasn't right. Already, I felt ill and had to step aside on several occasions in order to settle my stomach. When the time came for the solo trampoline act, it was clear that this was not a show to be trifled with.
During this act, there are four of us beneath the trampoline in order to execute certain artistic cues, so we have a pretty sweet view of what's going on. As such, we had front row seats to the ensuing horror. O over did a move, landed near the edge of the trampoline, got tangled in the pads that cover the springs and fell onto the drums, taking the high hat with him.
The sound of the crash was bad enough. The singer bravely going on with her song while the music faded away was painful. The sudden silence from the audience was frightening.
To my left, I could see O in a crumpled heap on the floor. P went to see if he was okay, and O got up to finish his act. He picked up where he left off, but the musicians were slow on the uptake because, well, holy crap, man! You just fell off the trampoline and took out a drum set! Are you sure you're okay? Because I think everyone here would understand if you wanted to cut the act short!
And so on.
So while he admirably finished the act, the degree of malaise was tangible. Afterward, while we were backstage preparing for the next part of the show, I asked O if he was alright. His answer?
"Oh, I'm fine. I just dislocated my shoulder." *
A dislocated shoulder is, of course, the definition of 'fine'.
The next attempt on one of the artist's lives was right before the trapeze act. D got off easy though. She noticed the giant knot in her cords as the trapeze was being pulled up and was able to take it down, undo the knot and start over.
Unwilling to accept being foiled so easily, the show would exact its revenge. And of course, there would be just the opportunity to do so, for there is not one trampoline act in the show, but two!
Once again, things began innocently enough. I had just finished my first sequence and jumped off the trampoline to join A in front. He turns to me and starts going on about something being weird. I though he was referring to my arm-hook with O (recently dislocated shoulders will make that move tricky) but then he said something about the trampoline being off. I thought he meant we needed to push it closer to the wall. But then he crawls over me to look at the foot of the frame. The foot was in, and everything was fine. At least I thought it was until A picked up a piece of the frame that had some how come loose and fallen off.
Now, it doesn't matter how unimportant an element of your equipment may be. If you see a part of it laying on the floor instead of doing whatever the hell it's supposed to be doing, especially while you're performing on it, you freak the funk out.
For the remainder of the act, all I could do is look on in horror as the trampoline made a terrible clunking sound every time someone did anything on the left side of the trampoline. And of course, at this point, it was mainly the big bulking guys who were executing the tricks, so the clunking was that much more terrible. By the end of the act, I was performing by rote. I couldn't tear my eyes away from the bed. I held my breath as I did my last trick (conveniently executed right where the bit of the frame broke off) and hoped. Somehow, we made it through.
Normally, for the curtain call, the acrobats all stand on the frame of the trampoline and the musicians stand in front of the trampoline. Then the acrobats jump down and we all stand together. I can tell you that the musicians were mighty confused when suddenly they found themselves flanked by six extra people. They, of course, were oblivious to the trampoline's predicament. We had no desire to stand on the edge of a broken frame.
And then it was over. We made it out alive... this time. It was only the first show of the week...
* This is something that happens to him with startling regularity. His shoulder once dislocated mid-act (mid-twist, actually) and all he did was stop jumping, pop it back in** and keep going.
** If ever you dislocate your shoulder, do not attempt to put it back yourself. First time dislocations can be very dangerous as there may be complications such as breaks, torn soft tissue, or other internal damage (there are lots of nerves and things in there). You can permanently damage your shoulder or arm. Get to a hospital ASAP. The difference with O is that it's happened so often that the path is made. Which is why it pops out as easily as it pops back in.
It was a close call. The show in Voiron had an impressive and seemingly unending number of technical and performance related snafus. Last night's show had its share of mishaps as well, but not at nearly as bad as Voiron. No, what made the difference and really cinched it for last night's show is that it was trying to kill us.
Things started off innocently enough, as they often do. But something wasn't right. Already, I felt ill and had to step aside on several occasions in order to settle my stomach. When the time came for the solo trampoline act, it was clear that this was not a show to be trifled with.
During this act, there are four of us beneath the trampoline in order to execute certain artistic cues, so we have a pretty sweet view of what's going on. As such, we had front row seats to the ensuing horror. O over did a move, landed near the edge of the trampoline, got tangled in the pads that cover the springs and fell onto the drums, taking the high hat with him.
The sound of the crash was bad enough. The singer bravely going on with her song while the music faded away was painful. The sudden silence from the audience was frightening.
To my left, I could see O in a crumpled heap on the floor. P went to see if he was okay, and O got up to finish his act. He picked up where he left off, but the musicians were slow on the uptake because, well, holy crap, man! You just fell off the trampoline and took out a drum set! Are you sure you're okay? Because I think everyone here would understand if you wanted to cut the act short!
And so on.
So while he admirably finished the act, the degree of malaise was tangible. Afterward, while we were backstage preparing for the next part of the show, I asked O if he was alright. His answer?
"Oh, I'm fine. I just dislocated my shoulder." *
A dislocated shoulder is, of course, the definition of 'fine'.
The next attempt on one of the artist's lives was right before the trapeze act. D got off easy though. She noticed the giant knot in her cords as the trapeze was being pulled up and was able to take it down, undo the knot and start over.
Unwilling to accept being foiled so easily, the show would exact its revenge. And of course, there would be just the opportunity to do so, for there is not one trampoline act in the show, but two!
Once again, things began innocently enough. I had just finished my first sequence and jumped off the trampoline to join A in front. He turns to me and starts going on about something being weird. I though he was referring to my arm-hook with O (recently dislocated shoulders will make that move tricky) but then he said something about the trampoline being off. I thought he meant we needed to push it closer to the wall. But then he crawls over me to look at the foot of the frame. The foot was in, and everything was fine. At least I thought it was until A picked up a piece of the frame that had some how come loose and fallen off.
Now, it doesn't matter how unimportant an element of your equipment may be. If you see a part of it laying on the floor instead of doing whatever the hell it's supposed to be doing, especially while you're performing on it, you freak the funk out.
For the remainder of the act, all I could do is look on in horror as the trampoline made a terrible clunking sound every time someone did anything on the left side of the trampoline. And of course, at this point, it was mainly the big bulking guys who were executing the tricks, so the clunking was that much more terrible. By the end of the act, I was performing by rote. I couldn't tear my eyes away from the bed. I held my breath as I did my last trick (conveniently executed right where the bit of the frame broke off) and hoped. Somehow, we made it through.
Normally, for the curtain call, the acrobats all stand on the frame of the trampoline and the musicians stand in front of the trampoline. Then the acrobats jump down and we all stand together. I can tell you that the musicians were mighty confused when suddenly they found themselves flanked by six extra people. They, of course, were oblivious to the trampoline's predicament. We had no desire to stand on the edge of a broken frame.
And then it was over. We made it out alive... this time. It was only the first show of the week...
Bwahahahahaha....
* This is something that happens to him with startling regularity. His shoulder once dislocated mid-act (mid-twist, actually) and all he did was stop jumping, pop it back in** and keep going.
** If ever you dislocate your shoulder, do not attempt to put it back yourself. First time dislocations can be very dangerous as there may be complications such as breaks, torn soft tissue, or other internal damage (there are lots of nerves and things in there). You can permanently damage your shoulder or arm. Get to a hospital ASAP. The difference with O is that it's happened so often that the path is made. Which is why it pops out as easily as it pops back in.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Hot Hot Heat
We are back beneath the big top and the big yellow tent has been joined by a second yellow giant: the sun.
Holy mother of hot... I had forgotten what it's like to perform sous chapiteau come summer time. And while it may only be the beginning of May, summer is definitely here. The past few days have seen temperatures in the high twenties. I'm from Canada. To me, 30C is unbearable. So the high twenties is about as much as I can take.
Inside the tent however, is another story. There isn't even a hint of shade near the tent (or any of the caravans for that matter) so come show time it feels like you've walked into an oven. And don't even think about training during the day.
The juggler has sweat dripping off his face during his act and you can literally wring out his costume after the show. I'd forgotten just how hard it is to do wheel when it gets this hot. No matter what I do, some part of me ends up sticking to the wheel. I either get stuck or thrown off balance as a result. I've been covering myself with talc before my act, but apparently not enough. Every time I go on, my wheel finds some new, unpowdered, bit of skin to adhere to.
But I suspect that the audience has it worst of all. The temperature at the top of the bleachers during the day can easily climb into to the 50C range. It cools down by showtime, but it's still hot up there. And you know that body heat of the thousand or so people seated in the stands isn't helping.
Today is overcast and I must admit, I'm kind of relieved by the drop in temperature. Don't tell my cast-mates, but I kind of hope this keeps up!
Holy mother of hot... I had forgotten what it's like to perform sous chapiteau come summer time. And while it may only be the beginning of May, summer is definitely here. The past few days have seen temperatures in the high twenties. I'm from Canada. To me, 30C is unbearable. So the high twenties is about as much as I can take.
Inside the tent however, is another story. There isn't even a hint of shade near the tent (or any of the caravans for that matter) so come show time it feels like you've walked into an oven. And don't even think about training during the day.
The juggler has sweat dripping off his face during his act and you can literally wring out his costume after the show. I'd forgotten just how hard it is to do wheel when it gets this hot. No matter what I do, some part of me ends up sticking to the wheel. I either get stuck or thrown off balance as a result. I've been covering myself with talc before my act, but apparently not enough. Every time I go on, my wheel finds some new, unpowdered, bit of skin to adhere to.
But I suspect that the audience has it worst of all. The temperature at the top of the bleachers during the day can easily climb into to the 50C range. It cools down by showtime, but it's still hot up there. And you know that body heat of the thousand or so people seated in the stands isn't helping.
Today is overcast and I must admit, I'm kind of relieved by the drop in temperature. Don't tell my cast-mates, but I kind of hope this keeps up!
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Crickets
It's a cartoon classic: you make a point that no one gets or tell a joke that falls completely flat and the crickets of failure start singing their tune. This is, of course, a completely manufactured event. So imagine my surprise when after my little moment of clowning in the show, the regular silence before the punch was filled with... the sound of crickets!
We're performing in the middle of a great big park so crickets aren't exactly out of place. But when I heard them chirping and thought about what crickets usually mean after a moment that's supposed to be funny, and found it happening to me in real life, well... it was very hard not to break out laughing myself!
While crickets may normally mean 'fail', this time around they were an epic win!
We're performing in the middle of a great big park so crickets aren't exactly out of place. But when I heard them chirping and thought about what crickets usually mean after a moment that's supposed to be funny, and found it happening to me in real life, well... it was very hard not to break out laughing myself!
While crickets may normally mean 'fail', this time around they were an epic win!
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Belly of the Beast
I love getting on site early, while everything is still being set up. It's one of the advantages of not having a home and squatting in the caravans. It means getting to see the guts of the circus. There really is something magical about being in the chapiteau before it becomes a performance space.
Being here while everything is being torn down, on the other hand, is actually kind of terrible. There's no more magic. Just the scattered remains of past performances. But I guess that's the circus...
Being here while everything is being torn down, on the other hand, is actually kind of terrible. There's no more magic. Just the scattered remains of past performances. But I guess that's the circus...
Friday, May 13, 2011
Monday, May 9, 2011
Sunday, May 8, 2011
Greetings From a Park Bench
I'm back at the circus for what looks like a three week stint in Dijon. I say 'what looks like' because there is a possibility of prolongations, but they have yet to be confirmed. We're located in a random park where there is currently no internet. I'm actually sitting in some condominium's courtyard stealing me some wifi. I mention this because there is a good chance that updates will be few and far between for the the next little while. Hopefully once the rest of the troupe arrives, someone (hey, M) will be able to fandangle a connection a little closer to the big top.If not, I'll keep you posted when I can!
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Equation
This Surviving the World comic may be referring to writer's block, but I'd say the equation also applies to the creation of a circus act or show.
Especially the 'whenever the hell it feels like it' part...
Click to enlarge.
Especially the 'whenever the hell it feels like it' part...
Thursday, May 5, 2011
What He Said III
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Lights Out
I have a confession to make.
I have a secret desire for show time drama.
I have heard tales of shows having to be canceled due to the power failures or console malfunctions. I have heard tales of the troupe tending to the tent all night, pyjama clad, in order to prevent it from collapsing in the wind. I have heard tales of artists being pulled out mid-show due to unexpected injuries, and the subsequent scramblings to cover for them. I have heard tales of musicians having to play from backstage because they had put their back out and weren't mobile enough to be onstage, or who had to be propped up because they had been hit so hard they were in a daze.
Those last two were actually the same person...
But so far, these have only been stories. True, there have been some mini-dramas on this tour. Someone fell ill and we had to replace them or something like that. But there was always ample time to do so and it was more an inconvenience that a proper drama.
I'm certainly not crossing my fingers for someone to get hurt. But there's just something so invigorating about having to overcome a crisis mid-show, the troupe coming together and pulling off a miracle!
So when the lights suddenly went out on the last night, right before the start of the show, I admit I hoped for a crisis. If only just a little one.
It was very strange to be backstage. The theatre we were performing in had a video link to what was going on in front of the curtain. We were able to see how badly the lights were malfunctioning. Whispers of "someone should make an announcement..." were soon replaced by complete and total silence. And not just by the artists backstage. The audience had gone silent too, thinking the show was about to start. When the lights kept flashing on and off it was quickly understood that something wasn't right.
Audience and artists held their collective breath... would P be able to find a solution? Apparently the console has failed...
Unlike the sound console mishap in Geneva, there was a second lighting console to rely on. P was able to transfer all the lighting cues to the backup console and though late, the show was able to go on.
We were lucky, of course. The console could have failed during the show. That would have been truly disastrous...
I have a secret desire for show time drama.
I have heard tales of shows having to be canceled due to the power failures or console malfunctions. I have heard tales of the troupe tending to the tent all night, pyjama clad, in order to prevent it from collapsing in the wind. I have heard tales of artists being pulled out mid-show due to unexpected injuries, and the subsequent scramblings to cover for them. I have heard tales of musicians having to play from backstage because they had put their back out and weren't mobile enough to be onstage, or who had to be propped up because they had been hit so hard they were in a daze.
Those last two were actually the same person...
But so far, these have only been stories. True, there have been some mini-dramas on this tour. Someone fell ill and we had to replace them or something like that. But there was always ample time to do so and it was more an inconvenience that a proper drama.
I'm certainly not crossing my fingers for someone to get hurt. But there's just something so invigorating about having to overcome a crisis mid-show, the troupe coming together and pulling off a miracle!
So when the lights suddenly went out on the last night, right before the start of the show, I admit I hoped for a crisis. If only just a little one.
It was very strange to be backstage. The theatre we were performing in had a video link to what was going on in front of the curtain. We were able to see how badly the lights were malfunctioning. Whispers of "someone should make an announcement..." were soon replaced by complete and total silence. And not just by the artists backstage. The audience had gone silent too, thinking the show was about to start. When the lights kept flashing on and off it was quickly understood that something wasn't right.
Audience and artists held their collective breath... would P be able to find a solution? Apparently the console has failed...
Unlike the sound console mishap in Geneva, there was a second lighting console to rely on. P was able to transfer all the lighting cues to the backup console and though late, the show was able to go on.
We were lucky, of course. The console could have failed during the show. That would have been truly disastrous...
Dark Days Ahead
Canada just voted in its 41st federal election. Seeing as I'm in England at the moment, I've been up since the buttcrack of dawn watching the coverage. You'll have to forgive me if this post is scattered. I'm running on no sleep...
I can't say I'm at all pleased with the result, but it's important to find something positive to say. Fortunately, a friend sent me this video highlighting how the (Vancouver) circus community got involved in the election.
Circus is a beautiful artistic vehicle that can just as easily speak out on social issues as it can entertain. We may not have succeeded in ousting Harper this time, but I can say that this makes me proud of my community.
Meanwhile, here is Harper's victory speech...
That about sums that up... pray for the arts in Canada, folks. The next four years don't look good.
I can't say I'm at all pleased with the result, but it's important to find something positive to say. Fortunately, a friend sent me this video highlighting how the (Vancouver) circus community got involved in the election.
Circus is a beautiful artistic vehicle that can just as easily speak out on social issues as it can entertain. We may not have succeeded in ousting Harper this time, but I can say that this makes me proud of my community.
Meanwhile, here is Harper's victory speech...
That about sums that up... pray for the arts in Canada, folks. The next four years don't look good.
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
