msmemory's Birthday (Observed) -- that is, her birthday present was (as we've often done in recent years) Tapis Rouge tickets to the new Cirque du Soleil show. This year's show is Ovo, so a few thoughts thereupon:The theme of Ovo is The Life of Insects. It's actually one of their stronger themes -- whereas many Cirque shows are on a vague theme like Death, or try to kinda-sorta tell a story that doesn't make much sense, this one is about Bugs Dammit. You could go into the show knowing nothing about it, and very quickly figure out that the clowns are The Cockroach, The Housefly and The Ladybug (a female clown, which isn't very common for Cirque). As such, despite the subject matter, it's actually more relateable and down-to-earth than the average Cirque show: it ties into our Disney-trained sense of anthropomorphism.
The acts are great. Of course, Cirque always has great athleticism, but the artistry this time was better than most. The aerials were especially beautiful: there's a silk solo using the silks as a cocoon, which I've never quite seen before and now I'm not sure why, because it was brilliant. And it is followed by a duo sharing a single rope that is, I think, the most pure and beautiful pas de deux in the history of Cirque: ballet-grade dance that doesn't happen to involve any feet on the ground.
The usual faces make their appearances, including the by-now-mandatory sextet of little Chinese girls who appear to be 14 year old buglets, juggling the world's largest kiwi fruit with their feet. But it's all well-done, especially the trampoline/tumbling act, which serves as a deliciously high-energy finale deep in the hive.
Overall, a fine show. Comparing Cirque acts is always tough, given how different they can be, but this is certainly one of the best.
(Oh, and the name? Suffice it to say, there's this egg that serves as the story's McGuffin...)
