Going on now under that big tent you can't ignore alongside the connector: Midtown Atlanta, Georgia is home to the U.S. premiere of Cavalia's Odysseo, with performances now through January 8, 2012.
The show is composed of various staged vignettes showcasing the combined talents of humans and horses. It's more graceful than a rodeo, more spontaneous than ballet (horses will be horses, after all), more visual than plot-oriented yet is character-driven, and more spectacular, impressive and even more technical than dressage.
The show is fantastic. It ranks among the best live performances that I've ever seen of any type. It's probably No. 1* -- for the past few days I've been trying to think of something that tops it, and I can't.
*This means that at the present time, Midtown Atlanta is home to an unusual juxtaposition. In one day you could take in two shows and conceivably witness both the best and the worst staged performances teaming animals and humans. It is my fervent hope that whoever is responsible for the dolphin show at the Georgia Aquarium sees Cavalia's Odysseo and learns how a performance can be entertaining for all ages, showcase the talents of humans and animals, and create stagings of grace and beauty.
During a live performance, especially one in which I can sit back, relax and observe without actively listening to dialogue, my mind wanders. Here are some of the random thoughts that popped into my head while watching Cavalia's Odysseo:
- During the first vignette where horses mingle together without any humans present on stage, one horse licked another's neck: Was something sweet rubbed onto that horse's neck to attract such an action, or was it unique to this performance?
- As the humans stroll in, the light changes. Suddenly the dirt arena on stage looks like a dabbled forest floor. Humans dance, bound and flip with maneuvers that would impress an Olympic gymnast. Four guys in billowy bright yellow pants stand above their compadres because they're wearing blade-like stilts, reminiscent of the blade-shaped prosthetics that amputees might wear to run in races. When not bouncing and flipping, they're hamming it up with the audience. In addition to eliciting oohs and ahhs with their athletics, they drew laughs from the audience. They were like fawns in a Shakespearean play -- in fact, the whole segment seemed like a loose interpretation of A Midsummer's Night Dream.
- Later, some different scenery seemed inspired by Tim Burton's stylistic preferences. There are also trips through an Africa savannah, the American Southwest, Niagara Falls and more. The effects make the stage seem HUGE.
- This show employs many talented athletes who make defying gravity look easy. Based on his comments during America's Got Talent, I couldn't help but wonder: What would Piers Morgan think of the male pole dancers in the carousel scene? (Note to Parents: Cavalia's Odysseo is not at all suggestive and is suitable for all ages.)
- It's easy to be impressed by grand gestures, but even the small ones help you realize how the professionals make what they do look easy. At one point four women dangle upside down, suspended by long white fabric scarves. Their dance moves position the fabric in various inventive ways. Suddenly, the circular brace from which they're hanging starts to rotate clockwise. They hold half the scarf between their toes and hold the other half out in front of them with extended arms--it looks very beautiful, billowing white fabric cascading down to trotting white horses. But I'm not confident that I could grasp fabric between my toes and hold it while being spun at a moderate speed while hanging upside down. Could you? Yet grasping fabric between toes is the easiest part of those ladies' routine!
- Back when I was single, I may have dated one too many engineers. At several points during the show I was pre-occupied with trying to figure out the logistics and functionalities of various physical mechanized structures instead of watching all the pretty horses and people. For example, when the carousel rises back up toward the tent ceiling while carrying several human performers (no horses), how do they get out and down? I scanned the scaffolding and never saw them depart. Yet when that prop descended, it was empty, so I know they don't spend all night trapped up there.
- How does everything work? Cavalia answers some common questions.
- I predict that any child who sees this show before Christmas will add a horse to his or her gift wish list. And since most of those kids probably won't get horses, Santa's going to have some explaining to do!
- This is a live performance on all levels. The music is not recorded; above and to the left and right of the main stage live musicians perform.
- The horses do what well-trained horses will do. At no time did I fear for their health and safety. The number of animals performing in cooperation with all the other stagings and maneuvers is what is unique and impressive.
- Intermission arrives as a surprise. There's more? Stay! The best is yet to come.
- After the opening night performance, members of the media were invited to a reception in the Rendez-Vous Lounge. I'd hoped that members of the cast might also attend (I'm told they arrived after I'd left). All I really wanted to do was touch just one of those male performers' arms--any guy, not one in particular. They are so ripped and obviously strong that I was just curious to know what that must feel like to the touch. Like cement, perhaps. Because, although I can lift a suitcase into the overhead bin, you could squish around the jelly that is my arm for hours and never hit stone.
Bottom Line: Most highly recommended. A must see.
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment