Kurios is the best Cirque du Soleil production New York has seen. It’s by far the most cheerful, and the most family friendly. Of course, there are the usual zany moments, beginning with a conglom of crazy scientists dressed in white lab coats. A huge clock on the back wall reads 11:10. There’s smoke coming from the ceiling, and the optical illusion of conjoined twins. Cast members carry a huge train overhead. There’s an obviously well-padded enormously fat man, an elegant lady in a straw hat, a fellow with a slinky on his head, and other phantasmagorical characters. A tiny well-dressed lady with white hair sings and glides across the floor, complete with hat and fur stole. It’s hard to know where to look next; the old three ring circus now seems obsolete, and not nearly enough. A couple of caveats: the show really did start on time, and the music, though often quite lovely, is loud. This probably doesn’t faze the many children in the house, or disturb the invisible performers who are represented by spots of light, but for those with sensitive ears, be prepared. You also may want to note that at a few moments in the proceedings, audience members are plucked up and become part of the skits. Cirque du Soleil is like a mini United Nations. The performers come from 55 different countries — no wonder the language they speak and sing during the production is incomprehensible. There are fifty to a hundred of the gymnasts, jugglers, singers, aerialists, acrobats, and tumblers in each show. Each one is in superb physical condition, and an artist at performance as well as athletics. The headquarters in Montreal houses four hundred craftspeople, who come up with thousands of elements for each offering. They push the limits of reality and perception, and while the shows may seem chaotic to the audience, each moment is planned to the most minute detail for the safety of the cast members, and the maximum delight of the viewers. Kurios is the 35th Cirque production, and one of the best reviewed. As we journey with the Seeker into this fanciful Steampunk world, we become enchanted and engrossed in the colorful swirl and nearly impossible feats before our eyes. This is, indeed, calculated to capture the astonishment of Children of All Ages. Time and again we wonder: How do they do it? Only the mad geniuses of Cirque du Soleil actually know. Forget the shootings, political shenanigans, and unrelenting stresses of our modern world for just a couple of hours. Come to Kurios and get lost in the dazzle.
