Cirque du Soleil: Quidam

This circus act is simply incredible. There has never been anything done like it. It is fresh, unique and most of all it is stunning in it's presentation. The colors, the music, the pacing, the very gifted performers all add up to a breath taking event. My home was never so quiet, in awe, yet energized as we watched this spectacle. Comments such as "Unbelievable", "Wow", "I can't believe this!", "No one can possibly do that", and more, were repeatedly shouted out as we watched. This is much more than a film. It is alive with a spirit of it's own. You'll remember "Cirque du Soleil: Quidam" forever. This is a must see event. My family and I will travel far to catch this performance live....as will many others I'm sure.

*Singing* Quidam, Quidam... la nuit recule... d'un reve a lautre tu valses.....

sorry, I just can't stop singing the song (I have the soundtrack and know the words).

Anyway, I saw the show a while back, and it just blew me away. Everything was so bright, colorful, graceful, dramatic.... I can't explain. Just read the other comments and watch it when you can. Trust me here, it's AMAZING.

How do you define something that's part circus, part theatre, part Las Vegas spectacular, part concert and part performance art? It's hard, but then if you could define Cirque du Soleil in any conventional terms it wouldn't be as incredible. It's something that words do not do justice, and which truly has to be seen to be believed. Like all live productions, it is best when seen in person, but the video of Quidam is an acceptable substitute for the real thing. It captures the spirit of the production admirably, as well as the dreamlike quality inherent in all Cirque shows.

There is some shadow of a story in this particular production involving the journey of a lonely and bored little girl, but the real reason to watch is the artistry of the performers. The individual acts are all astonishing. A personal favorite of mine is the German Wheel, involving a single acrobat whirling across the stage in a large metal contraption (be sure to get a good look at this guy's face; that is the expression of a man who loves his job). The Aerial Contortion is another standout, both beautiful and painful to watch as a woman twists and writhes while suspended above the audience by a length of red silk. A highlight among the group acts is Banique, a troupe of acrobats leaping through the air propelled and caught solely by their teammates. And as with all circuses, there are clowns--strange, surreal, and occasionaly disturbing clowns, but funny nonetheless.

The original score was composed by Benoit Jutras, and is one of the best soundtracks written for a Cirque production (Jutras' daughter plays and sings the role of the young girl). The music, along with the brilliant lighting and whimsical costumes, combine with the performers to make Quidam an unforgettable experience.

I love Quidam. I went to go see it when I was 13, and fell in love. The performers are outstanding, and the music is perfect. I love circuses, and after the video came out, I instantly went and bought it. The video is great, and even though some of the camera angles don't always show the best picture, it is worth the money. If you like Quidam, don't forget about Dralion, Nouvelle Expérience, Saltimbanco, Alegria, and Journey of Man. All of those listed are exceptional, and I give them all 10 stars!

If there is one video without much talking in it that I love, it is Quidam, presented by the fabulous artistes of Cirque Du Soleil.

The story of Quidam (pronounced Key-Dam), follows a little girl named Zoe, who is bored and trying to get the attention of her mother and father. When all of a sudden, Quidam, a man who holds an umbrella and a bowler hat but has no head, comes through the door and drops his hat. Zoe picks it up and runs after him, but he doesn't see her (not surprising...) and walks out again. Zoe puts on the hat and all of a sudden, her dull, boring world is transformed into one of colour and vibrance! Her mother and father are lifted into the air and John, a man in a purple suit, and Fritz, a creature with wild red hair join her in her journey around this colourful day dream.

Throughout the entire show, John will come back and entertain the audience, whether by throwing darts at a target that is strapped to his head, making a metal hula hoop into a halo or juggling three red balls and a hat rack. Be sure to look for this extremely funny guy!

With performances by people such as Chris Lashua (the German Wheel), Isabelle Chasse (Arial Contortion on Silk), Wu Di, Siqi Yuan, Xin Zhao and Xue Zhao (Diablos), Rene Bibaud (skipping ropes), Olga Pikhienko (handbalancing), Philippe Azoulay, Alain Cattonne and Guy Pannequin (Clowns), The Spanish Webs, Statues, Fatima Hedman (Cloud Swing) and the Banquine troupe, you'll think your eyes are playing tricks on you.

With any luck, you'll get your hands on this video or DVD, I know I will be quite soon.