Performing Arts - Cirque du Soleil: Quidam

A young girl in the throes of ennui is transported to a magical world of imagination and spectacle in Cirque du Soleils Quidam, an Emmy award-winning recording of the one of the circus travelling live performances. Lonely, bored and ignored by her parents, Zoe conjures a reality of entertainment populated by a whimsical cast of characters who are portrayed by over-the-top clowns and nimble acrobats. With the title meaning nameless stranger, Quidam is a visual performance that interprets the fantastic journey Zoe embarks upon through the power of her own mind. As Zoe escapes the confines of her home life and the dispirited energy of her mother and father, she manifests mysterious companions to accompany her: John, who essentially serves as her guide through Quidam Target, a gleeful human bullseye Boum Boum, an aggressive and confrontational clown who is in turn fearful when confronted by others The Clown, literally named Aviator, whose wings are lacking in substance and Chiennes Blanches (the White Dogs), a silent chorus responsible for ushering the main characters on and off stage. Impressive feats of contortion, coordination, and balance bring Zoes fantasy to life. A fifteen-person ensemble performs the banquine act, an Italian tradition of synchronized performance that harkens back to the Middle Ages. Other ensemble acts include skipping ropes, in which twenty acrobats coordinate a variety of jump rope tricks, and Spanish webs, in which overhead performers traverse the space above the stage through the use of tracks and trolleys. Partner and solo acts include a tumbler enacting tricks using The German Wheel Diablo, a master of the Chinese yo-yo The Statue, a two-person balancing act a solo hand balancing act acrobats twirling between large aerial hoops and an aerial contortionist who defies gravity with the aid of a silk fabric. Utilizing lavish set designs, modified everyday clothes as costumes, and lighting design that evokes a fantastical yet gloomy atmosphere, Quidam is a lushly captured display of Cirque Du Soleils darkly fanciful live show. A testament to the ability of Cirque Du Soleil to evoke magic through circus acts, this film transports the viewer into the theater with Zoe and her capricious companions.