Created to celebrate its 15th anniversary, Cirque du Liban’s latest show, “Fontana,” sent ripples of excitement and laughter through Friday’s opening crowd.
Having been postponed about two weeks due to Lebanon’s nationwide protests, the team was determined that the show must go on.
Gathering a troupe of 30 acrobats, dancers, musicians and stuntmen, “Fontana” presented a series of death-defying acts and feats of flexibility, on a stage that doubled as a mobile dancing fountain.
The two-hour show at the Beirut Waterfront began with the whole troupe, dressed in fire-themed costumes, bursting onto stage to the sound of Queen’s hit “We Will Rock You,” revamped with an operatic segment sung by soprano Tatyana Mysak.
Three acrobats remained on stage, taking to silk ropes for an aerial performance, accompanied by Destiny’s Child’s “Survivor.” The women showed off their agility and strength while twirling to the ground and twisting back toward the top of the tent, much to the audience’s delight.
The show slowed for the next segment, with Mysak returning to the stage and standing at a spot-lit podium. The crowd got its first look at the dancing fountain, which rose and fell in time to the music.
The troupe reignited the energy with a contraption resembling a rotating box-end wrench with a pair of acrobats inside the end loops, using their weight to keep the device spinning. The pair jumped and flipped both inside and outside the loops, stopping the hearts of many a spectator.
Between acts, clowns and dancers distracted the audience, coming down to the stalls to interact with children and entertain with their antics. Some performed small slapstick sketches - in one, a clown mimed being chased by a bee - while others invited audience members to score hoops in a handheld basketball net.
Among the crowd’s favorite acts was one combining contemporary dance, aerial stunts and a lot of water. The circular stage’s floor paneling fell away to reveal a pool, leaving only a small central space rimmed by fountain shoots.
A pair of dancer-acrobats delivered a beautifully choreographed romantic number, spinning together in the air from ropes, as a tunnel of water fell from the ceilings around them. At one point, the girl was suspended by the neck, held only by an attachment the man gripped in his teeth, made to look effortless. Combined with the soft blue lighting and sparkling “rain,” the whole segment was mesmerizing.
After a brief interval, a trapeze show was set up for a team of acrobats, who delivered thrilling summersaults and jumps between ends of the tent, followed up by a trio of flamenco-dancing drummers.
While these acts are a staple of many circus performances, the segment that followed brought some originality to the table.
A white grand piano was wheeled out, followed by dancers dressed in ballerina costumes evocative of “Swan Lake.”
As the ringleader played Tchaikovsky on the piano, an acrobat performed on a pair of handstand blocks placed on the piano lid, offering an aesthetically pleasing segment that the crowd seemed to enjoy.
This section was topped off with Mysak’s performance of Sam Smith’s “Writing’s on the Wall,” with the fountain reaching so high that a few front-row audience members were slightly sprayed.
The show turned playful once again, with some terrifying crossbow demonstrations, all while the marksman proved he wasn’t actually going to shoot his glamorous assistant.
The finale, a series of motorbike stunts, instilled a sensible amount of fear balanced with awe.
Many viewers were puzzled when a massive ramp was wheeled onstage, with seemingly nowhere for someone to go other than straight into the tent wall.
Little did they know that the bikers were waiting in a concealed tunnel in the middle of the audience, proceeding to fly over crowd’s heads and onto the ramp while balancing on the bike seat.
Overall, “Fontana” is a well-received bit of family fun, offering a break from the country’s bleak situation. Though it offered some rather typical acts, the dancing fountain was an interesting addition to a circus performance, and something not seen in many other shows produced in the region.
The troupe’s skill was evident and the inclusion of a vocalist changed things up for the better.
At a time when many people are short on funds to throw at artistic endeavors, Cirque du Liban has managed to offer a much-needed bit of levity, with some seats costing the same as a cinema ticket.
In the coming months the Cirque du Liban troupe will take “Fontana” on a regional tour that incudes stops in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Oman and Bahrain.
This article has been adapted from its original source.
