Thu 3 Jun, 2010
Cirque Dreams Illumination – REVIEW
Comments (0) Filed under: REVIEWSTags: 2 1/2 STARS, Bank of America Theatre, Broadway In Chicago, Cirque Dreams Illumination, Shubert Theatre
By Venus Zarris
“Less is more” is a statement that more often than not holds true but it appears that the creators of Cirque Dreams Illumination never got this memo. Comically contrived and chaotically cluttered, Cirque Dreams Illumination plays like a Broadwayification of the brilliantly conceptualized shows that have made Cirque du Soleil (no relation or connection to this production) an international phenomenon.
I seldom compare one show to a completely unaffiliated production, but Cirque Dreams takes the concepts of Cirque du Soleil and turns high art into to flashy product. Other than the name starting with Cirque, the similarities are obvious. Amazing international aerial and acrobatic acts are compiled and then framed by a loose atmospheric narrative that is helped along by original music, colorful costumes and creative sets. But despite the glaring similarities and impressive acts, Cirque Dreams Illumination is the poster play for the phrase “often imitated but never duplicated.”
There is a great deal of incredible talent on stage and the show is unquestionably entertaining, but its lack of subtlety and its over-the-top cheesy delivery detracts from the gifted acts that it presents. Let’s talk cheese for a minute. Cirque Dreams Illumination is like a family size pack of processed American cheese food slices, compared to the fine aged and imported Brie that is Cirque du Soleil.
The music is Broadway pop, Each song is belted out without nuance or sincerity. Janine Ayn Romano has a lovely voice and strong presence, but her narrative Reporter/Singer needs to tone down the maudlin interpretation in order for the audience to actually connect. The costumes are gaudy. The set is enticing but far too busy, as is the entire show. Just as you are captivated by an exceptional circus act, fluttering minutia prances across the stage by way of pointless dances or worse yet, performers costumed as giant inanimate objects such as fire hydrants or painter’s overalls. These cartoonish visuals resemble Sid and Marty Krofft’s 1970’s Saturday Morning Kid’s shows, such as Lidsville or H.R. Pufnstuf and make no sense whatsoever.
The Cirque Dreams creators should trust the fact that their gifted aerial and acrobatic acts don’t need the peripheral razzle-dazzle. If left as the focus, the impact of their talent would be far greater.
Still, there are enough of these great acts to make the evening a fun ride. Standing out in this extravaganza of over stimulation are the Percussion Juggler playing a set of drums with bouncing balls, the Director of Passer-byes audience member participation clown act, the Strap Flyer beautifully drenched in water, the Hand Balancers and most impressively the Cube Aerialists. These four women move with spider-like peculiarity, breathtaking grace and unbelievable agility as they form geometric shapes with their combined bodies while hanging from a suspended cube. The only thing wrong with this act is that we only see it once in the first act. This is a show that has never heard the word restraint and so since “more is more” is the theme, why not give us an encore of the most hypnotizing act?
Cirque Dreams Illumination is a lot. It is a lot of visual excess. It is a lot of showy silliness. It is a lot of stealing focus but it is also a lot of incredible world-class circus talent and a lot of fun.
2 ½ STARS
(“Cirque Dreams Illumination” runs through June 6 at the Bank of America Theatre (Shubert), 18 W. Monroe. 800-775-2000)
