It is a night at the circus at the Theater at Solaire as Tim Lawson & Sam Painter, in partnership with GMG Productions, present Cirque Alice, a circus adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”. The delightful two-hour show blends music, dance, acrobatics, and magic to showcases the human body pushed to its physical limit. It is both awe-inspiring and heart pumping, leaving the kids in the audience and myself thoroughly impressed by the show.
The show loosely follows Carroll’s classic tale: Alice (Layla Schillert) pursues the White Rabbit (Raphael Papo) down the rabbit hole and into Wonderland. There, she encounters many eccentric characters based on the novel, each bringing a distinct act to the stage.
Most of them are acrobats and gymnasts, such as The Tweedles (Temesgen Adole Zada and Leul Derreje Ashebir), who balance atop one another and while one is balancing on the other’s legs, the lower performer juggling his partner at a frightening speed! Another standout is example is Vladyslav Tsarov as the Snap-Dragon, an aerialist who does beautiful poses in the air while suspended from a single pole.
The show is packed with these death-defying stunts that push the limits of the human body and mind. I’ve never seen a circus show live before and it’s really quite an experience. The Doormouse (Daniel Onofre) performs a balancing act that grows increasingly precarious with every level. When you see it in front of you, how high Onofre gets, and how unstable his platform is, you can’t help but get stressed out but are also amazed by the skill that it takes to perform this stunt.
Creative Directors Kirsty White and Ash Jacks McCready do a splendid job creating the flow of the performances. Schillert delivers a strong vocal performance as Alice, she gets to sing operatic songs like “The Flower Duet” from Lakme and “Ave Maria” in-between some performances, while the Mad Hatter (Darren “Dizzy” Partridge) does a comedy act with magic that includes audience participation.
To transition between major acts, dancers dressed in lavish costumes perform with great choreography by Dane Bates, keeping the show’s energy fluid. The White Rabbit doubles as a violinist who also takes the spotlight at times to help keep things moving along.
The pace is fast, and while the acts are shorter than they seem – feeling extended only because they can be intensely stressful (if it involves high-altitude balance acts) or beautiful (like many of the aerial stunts) – they help create such an experience that you feel constantly engaged. No single one performance is better than the other; rather, each showcases its own distinct artistry and unique skill set.
The Caterpillar is brought to life by Munkhjin Tuvd, Bayarmaa Ganbat, Shinechimeg Otgonbayar, and Dolgorsuren Ganbold, a quartet of skilled contortionists and acrobats. Their choreography cleverly mimics the shifting movement of a caterpillar’s legs as they climb atop one another to form incredible physical tableaus.
The March Hare (Viktor Hladchenko) is a hoop acrobat who performs amazing thing with a Cyr wheel, while the Queen of Hearts (Vladyslav Tsarov) is a solo contortionist and gymnast who strikes seemingly unimaginable poses atop an elevated crescent hook.
My personal favourite? The Flamingos (Duo Daylight: Anna Stelmakh and Evgenii Slepukhin), rope aerialists who essentially perform ballet in the sky. Their routine is graceful and romantic, and the stunts that they do tells its own story.
It is an incredible production: simple in concept, yet executed wonderfully. I never thought I’d go and enjoy a live circus show so thoroughly, but the sheer wonder of the performance took me by surprise at how it made me feel. Judging from the audience’s reactions around me – especially the kids – I wouldn’t be surprised we were all inspired by that show as well.
My Rating: 4.5 Stars
Flying acrobats, daring aerialists, and a Wonderland like no other: Cirque Alice is a must-see spectacle for the entire family. With only few performances left, don’t miss your chance to experience the magic before it closes on October 25. Secure your seats now through TicketWorld!
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