Cirque du Soleil now in Japan with 'OVO'

Cirque du Soleil is back in Tokyo with a stunner of a show, “OVO.” Plenty of the troupe’s signature jaw-dropping acrobatics are packed into this highly artistic and thrilling two hours. The site of their circus tent this time is Odaiba - the scenic artificial island on Tokyo Bay - adding a fun mini-excursion feel to the trip to go see them. The tent is impressive and grand from the outside, but is surprisingly intimate on the inside; even from my modest seat, I could see every grin and grimace of the performers, and I imagine that a front-row viewing could be a heart-stopping experience.

“OVO” is one of the Cirque’s more light-hearted and family friendly shows to date, depicting an enchanting world of friendly insects and their bustling lives. The fun and adorable characters are sure to be a hit with younger audiences, but some of the acts are romantic and sensual, like the swinging ropes by the butterfly couple or the amazing contortionist spider sisters, making it definitely not just for the kiddies. Wonderful Brazilian-themed music – samba, reggae, Rio funk – performed by a live band also adds grown-up sophistication, and it also cleverly blends in some real insect noise recordings for a lovely effect. Add this to the dark and electrifying mood of the circus and voila, we have a plan for a perfect fun date.

All of the acts are very distinct with stunning costumes and choreography that brilliantly express the characters of various kinds of insects. The sheer physical skills displayed are just astounding, and on a more philosophical note, seeing what the human body is capable of is deeply moving and inspiring. It’s hard to pick up just a few acts, but I’d just mention one more highlight, “The Wall,” which features an impressive stage set with obviously a wall and a stage-length trampoline upon which a throng of quick-moving grasshoppers descend to show off their stuff. The gravity-defying act will have you on the edge of your seat.

I won’t spill the details, but there’s also a hilarious – and sometimes excruciating - comedy sequence by the two main clowns with audience participation. The skill of the clowns to get these reluctant volunteers to engage is quite impressive, especially when considering the general shyness of people in Japan, or elsewhere for that matter when there’s a circus tent full of eyes on you. Some insider information: the character of “The Foreigner,” the strange-looking blue fly, is played by a Japanese performer - which I never would have guessed when watching the show – and is the first time ever for the Cirque to have a Japanese in a star clown role.

After the Tokyo performances end on June 29, the troupe heads to Osaka (July 17-Oct 14), Nagoya (Nov 20-Feb 1, 2015), Fukuoka (Feb 20-April 5) and Sendai (April 23-June 7). Catch them while you can.

Tokyo Venue Odaiba Big Top 1-1-16 Aomi Koto-ku

Access by train 7 minutes walk from Rinkai Line Tokyo Teleport Station 5 minutes walk from Yurikamome Line Daiba Station

Ticket prices Weekdays: Adults 6,500 yen-12,500 yen/ Children 4,500 yen-8,500 yen Weekends and Holidays: Adults 7,500 yen-13,500 yen/ Children 5,500 yen-9,500 yen

For more info on Japan performances and ticket info, visit the English site.

© Japan Today