By Taylor Breckles (The Cascade) – Email
Print Edition: June 4, 2014
The trademark yellow and blue tent has gone up, taking the dazzle away from Science World, and distracting ticket-holders and passers-by alike. However, the gigantic circus marquee is merely a glimpse at the marvel which lies within its towering peaks: Cirque du Soleil.
The show description describes Totem as “the fascinating journey of the human species from its original amphibian state to its ultimate desire to fly.”
While there have been conflicting reviews concerning the spectacle, I have no doubt about which side I favour after seeing the show for myself. I am pro — or whichever terminology means I liked the show.
If you’re not a fan of evolution, I would still recommend Totem: overall, the incorporation of the theory wasn’t blatant — any audience would enjoy the show.
It’s true this performance didn’t have as many death-defying feats as previous shows, and had a few more filler sketches, but that didn’t take away from the grandness of the show. The feats that were dangerous were spectacular and the comedy was entertaining, though it did get to be a bit much at times.
There were other acts beyond those that were less dangerous, but were nice additions to the show, such as the four girls riding unicycles and throwing cups onto each other’s heads, which was sublime.
The set was outstanding. The very first display consisted of about 10 performers dressed as frogs, who swung and did stunts on bars — only the bars were built onto a giant turtle shell skeleton.
Yes, a giant turtle shell with man-frogs leaping and bounding — with the aid of a trampoline — about it, doing flips and tricks while weaving their way through the shell. Every set was astonishing like that, mainly because of the lights and sound effects, which created a perfect riverbed complete with accurately flowing — albeit projected — water.
The only part of Cirque du Soleil I would complain about is the price of souvenirs. I know it might seem like a very nit-picky aspect to dislike, but it was awfully upsetting for a souvenir- lover like myself. A long-sleeved black shirt with a cool design was priced at about $100. Personally, I find paying almost as much for a shirt as I did for my ticket ridiculous.
The company also hid their cheaper items, such as magnets, key chains, and reusable bags, at the checkout so nobody would see them unless they were buying something else. In fact, nobody could even see the bags until they bought something and the clerk offered them one. I remember reusable bags were a fan-favourite the last time I went, probably because they’re reasonably priced, so hiding them wasn’t a good move in my books. It blatantly makes the company seem more interested in money than in their patrons enjoying every aspect of the experience — after all, souvenirs are what many people look for to remember the outing.
All in all, the show was very entertaining and I will definitely go again. I will recommend the show to anyone who asks, and not just because I’m a sucker for evolution-themed gymnastics. It’s not too late to see the show, and trust me, you should!
