This wasn’t my first "Cirque du Soleil" show, so I knew better than to bring mushrooms.If I had, they would’ve eventually turned on me, forcing me to run out halfway through and miss another beautiful and breathtaking show.
The streak of remarkable fortune (in terms of getting into great shows, at least) continued for me and Erica, as we scored tickets for "Cirque du Soleil Saltimbanco" at the St. Pete Times Forum from our friend Heather, who invited us to come along with her (thank you, Heather). If you’re keeping score at home, we’ve gotten free tickets to "Avenue Q", "Spring Awakening", a "Faust" opera and now Cirque du Soleil in the last year. (If anybody else wants to give us free tickets to something, you’re more than welcome to - we make for EXCELLENT guests.)
Saltimbanco - from the Italian "saltare in banco", which literally means "to jump on a bench" - explores the urban experience in all its myriad forms: the people who live there, their idiosyncrasies and likenesses, families and groups, the hustle and bustle of the street and the towering heights of skyscrapers.
(Or so I’m told - there’s a VERY good chance I simply copy/pasted the previous paragraph from the show’s Web site, because there’s no way I’m smart enough to even attempt to describe the show’s "story.")
The show actually started before it officially began. The colorfully-dressed and slightly off-putting performers came out in their circus gear and warmed up the audience by going into the crowd and getting the people involved with their antics. This stuff was so good, I’m only 1% convinced they used audience plants.
As for the show itself, I was pleasantly surprised by how distinct it was from La Nouba, my only other "Cirque" reference point. Whereas La Nouba is even more abstract in its storyline and DEFINITELY grander and more ambitious in terms of what was happening on stage (it was almost impossible to catch everything) Saltimbanco felt more intimate and focused. The show was divided into clearly-defined segments and each act got their own spotlight segment to shine.
Of course, the similarity between the shows is that they each featured insanely talented and charismatic performers. My favorites were the bungee danglers (probably NOT their official name), the juggler, and the inconceivably strong "hand-to-hand" duo. The most impressive act for me was the twin trapeze artists, who performed without the benefit of a net - they were SO good, I couldn’t really enjoy their performance because I was scared for their lives.
As far as the characters are concerned, the standout was clownish Eddie, a talented mime who brought great humor and got the audience (including a GREAT sport from the front row for an extended sequence) involved.
Another underrated aspect of the show (and, I suspect, all other Cirque productions) is how fantastic the music is. Not only were the female soloist and band stunning throughout, but the show also featured a mighty impressive sequence in which two performers twirled boleadoras while simultaneously creating a great percussive beat.
I said it before, and I’ll say it again. If you get a chance to see a "Cirque du Soleil" show, you should go! (Even if you have to pay.)
Cirque du Soleil Saltimbanco...A
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