Kurious, a Whirlwind of Entertainment, Opens in Denver
By Lauren Hendrick
Kurious by Cirque du Soleil premiered in Denver on June 11, taking the stage inside a circus tent temporarily located in the Pepsi Center parking lot. The “Cabinet of Curiosities” comes to life with the talents of acrobats, contortionists, aerial dancers, gymnasts, stuntmen – even a comedic character who instructs an invisible acrobat and frequently commands laughter between acts
Each act climbs in intensity as the show progresses, with performers achieving the unthinkable. The first shock arrives when a fit duo of gymnast climb up ladder and begin gracefully showcasing a bar routine, but instead of using a bar, they grip hands. The bigger of the two, a male, tosses a small female gymnast into the air, where she flips and spins, only to delicately land back in his hands. Seamless, without a single snag in the routine, the duo illustrate an extreme level of trust, performing gutsy leaps into the air.
The first performance sets the tone as playful and ambitious, introducing a whimsical cast that only grows braver and more curious in nature. The audience meets a school of fish-like, female contortionists, bending into marvelous shapes as a unit. They arrive on stage draped over on another, lifeless at first, but they gradually begin to bloom into movement. They uniformly strike poses, using each other to create beautiful forms with their backs, legs and arms.
Equally impressive, and into another scene, a group of gymnasts are shown having a dinner party. Things grow mysterious, as one of the gentlemen begins stacking chairs into the sky, climbing up 40 feet only to meet a mirror image of himself having a similar dinner party, upside down. It’s as unusual as it sounds, and his movement further defines the Cirque du Soleil caliber of athleticism.
The acts only continue to impress as the show continues, each character dressed in a style unbound by just one descriptor. The costume design is architectural and avante-garde, pulling from the steampunk aesthetic. It’s fairy-tale like, with exaggerated features and big personalities. The show is artistically matched by the music, powered by a live orchestra creatively hidden behind the elaborate set, showing only shadows of musicians. The entire set is a thing of great creativity, tapping into the curious theme on many levels.
Like each act, Kurious is proof that Cirque du Soleil only gets braver, continuing to leave audience members gasping in surprise.
Kurious tickets are available by visiting https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/kurios/tickets/denver.aspx, with performances running through July 26th.
