Cirque Du Soleil - O

"O," a Cirque du Soleil production is the third Cirque show I have seen. The theatrical production was breathtaking with various acrobat acts and aquatic tapestry. The production resides at the Bellagio in Las Vegas. 

Directed by Franco Dragone and conceived in 1998, O uses one of nature elements in their production - water. The stage is a 25 feet deep pool with lifts that allow performers to do their various acts whether it be in water or on land as the stage transforms into a pool or a dry conventional stage. O follows Guifa who's adventure transports him into another realm where all his dreams comes true where he meets Eugen, the guardian of the theatre, Le Travesti, the Masked Thief, L'Allume, The Zebras, the Comets and Aurora.  The L'Allume is man who seems like he does not care that he is on fire.  Reading through the Cirque guide, Mr. Ray Wold, who portrays the fire starter has been in all 'O' production since Day 1. 

The show is filled with acts from synchronized swimmers to world-class acrobats. Some of the acts include the Aerial Hoops where performers are suspended in air only using circular hoops to do their acrobatic acts over the pool.  Then there was the barge with eight gymnast performing acts that included balancing on each others body parts - I remembered one part of the act where three performers balance each other on each other but in such a way that you thing it was unreal. Then there is the Bateau or an aerial ship that was used for aerial cradle and parallel bars where the performers fly and catch each other. 

Since the production does require time to change stages, O has two clowns who are friends. They started showing up right before the show starts acting out different skits throughout the theater such as pretending its raining and opening an umbrella with a hole. They surely had a comedic act to the show especially when they are floating around in a submerged home. 

Another act that I truly admire was the contortionists and the duo trapeze. But I think the breathtaking act was the High Dive act - jumping as high as the theater down to the pool in precise areas that got the crowd stuck on their seats. 

So if you happen to be in Las Vegas, go and check out Cirque's O and you surely will not be disappointed. 

Cirque du Soleil site

O site

Bellagio Hotel site