Slava’s Snowshow Melts Hearts in Perth

Slavas-Snowshow

I’d forgotten just how good Slava’s Snowshow is and how many surprises there are along the way while watching the show. I last saw the show almost four years ago when I took my then ten year old son.

I headed along to the opening night of the current season of Slava’s Snowshow at the Regal Theatre last night. It’s been said that Snowshow is to clowning what Cirque du Soleil is to Circus.

It was a dream. A dream that on Thursday the 13th it snowed in the auditorium of the “New Opera” theatre in Moscow. Snow covered the entire floor, all the chairs, and all those who sat in them. A marvellous dream it was. Well-disposed oligarchs and icy pop stars in tuxes smiled in beguilement, even dropping themselves into the gathering snowdrifts. Suddenly a wind began to blow, hard as only hurricanes know, and music to deafen one’s ears to sepulchral silence. Fear gripped us in anticipation of what was to come.

But the lights came up – and out shuffled a clown with small, meditative Kabuki-theatre steps: a figure in vastly-oversized yellow overalls and red fluffy slippers. A rope in his hands coiled into a noose, then – slipping like rosaries through his fingers – framed his face in portrait, became a leash, then a jump-rope, and then an Alpinist’s life-line… a hawser from which a friend – one of a clan of buffoons in hats with helicopter-blade ear-flaps and ski-esque elongated booties – dragged himself out…

I dreamt that there is no such thing as postmodernism, but only the primacy of feeling, an ancient purity of emotion. The touch of fine fingers on a spot-lit balloon in the dark… And – look – the balloon has flown away! Slava the clown weeps. With forbidding whistle, he sternly orders it back; with gentle persuasion, he beseeches the escapee to return; he blisters and boils with rage, then whistles out his longing. And the balloon drifts back, bulging a fat yellow smile, dangling its rosy little thread by his side, and then! – explodes in his arms. The poor baggy sod in red slippers – he couldn’t withstand the momentary bliss of his sudden repossession…

I’m feeling a little conflicted right now. I so much want to tell you about the magic of the show. I want to describe the excitement of the various elements which make up the experience but I don’t want to spoil the surprises for anyone who may go to the show. And I can assure you, there are plenty of surprises.

You may have been to shows before that let a few audience members interact with the cast. This show isn’t like that. When you go to Slava’s Snowshow everyone will have opportunity to be part of the show in one way or another.

It may be called a ‘snow show’ but it has the effect of melting hearts. You can see walls continuing to come down until each and every person in the theatre is totally immersed in the experience. Even those adults who earlier sat quietly as they enjoyed the entertainment on stage are transported back in time to become children again.

I don’t want to spoil it for you, but one of the most moving moments is when the action moves from the stage and ends up with adults effectively being given license to play like children. I defy even the most hard hearted to leave the show without having been swept up in the glorious emotion of the evening.

Slava’s Snowshow is on in Perth at the Regal Theatre until the 4th of August. If it ever comes to a theatre near you … don’t miss it.



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Cirque Du Soleil – OVO

ovo

Pauline and I were privileged to be guests at the opening night of Cirque du Soleil’s OVO on Sunday night. It’s difficult to judge the Cirque du Soleil shows against each other but I reckon that Ovo is my new favourite. I think I’ve seen about four of Cirque Du Soleil shows.

OVO is a headlong rush into a colourful ecosystem teeming with life, where insects work, eat, crawl, flutter, play, fight and look for love in a non-stop riot of energy and movement. The insects’ home is a world of biodiversity and beauty filled with noisy action and moments of quiet emotion.

When a mysterious egg appears in their midst, the insects are awestruck and intensely curious about this iconic object that represents the enigma and cycles of their lives.

It’s love at first sight when a gawky, quirky insect arrives in this bustling community and a fabulous ladybug catches his eye – and the feeling is mutual.

OVO is overflowing with contrasts. The hidden, secret world at our feet is revealed as tender and torrid, noisy and quiet, peaceful and chaotic. And as the sun rises on a bright new day the vibrant cycle of insect life begins anew.

I posted an update on Facebook during the intermission. “I’m sure that most of the performers are aliens. The thing they’re doing are not humanly possible. Incredible.” It’s hard to believe that the human body can bend into so many different shapes. I reckon that I could probably force my body to bend like that if I had my skeleton removed. The performers were absolutely amazing.

Check out this video for a sample of the amazing show.

The action is so fast that I reckon that even if you went a couple of times you’d still miss bits and pieces. We get so spoiled in this TV age don’t we? Have you ever found yourself wanting to freeze frame a real life moment or watch something you’ve just seen again in slow motion? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if our brains were all fitted with hard drive recorders? I guess they are in a way … that’s where memory comes in to play … but sometimes it’d be great to see things again. I felt a bit that way watching OVO. There were times when it would have been good to be able to rewind and slow the action down a bit.

The costumes and the set were incredible and gave the performance a wonderful sense of the surreal. It all combines to transport you to another world.

If you get the chance to go and see OVO make sure you grab it with both hands.



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Slava's Snowshow in Perth

slava.jpgI’m not a big fan of clowns. To be honest I don’t see the attraction …. yet there’s something about Slava’s Snowshow that may just change my mind.

I took James to the opening night of Slava’s Snowshow at the Regal Theatre last night. They say that Snowshow is to clowning what Cirque du Soleil is to Circus.

On the Snowshow website is a warning.

Weather warning! The forecast is for smoke and fog effects, occasional loud music, brief showers, high winds and plenty of snow. Skies will be clear at first with clowns increasing, becoming more mischievous later in the show. Conditions are not recommended for children under 8. Please note that children under the age of 2 are not permitted in the theatre.

It’s no joke. The show at times is incredibly subtle and at other times is extremely intense. If you’re going to the show, and I recommend that you do, be prepared for a show like no other.

Slava’s Snowshow is unlike anything you have seen on stage before, combining hilarity and poignancy with stunning spectacle and breathtaking images. The ensemble cast of clowns creates a world of wonder in which a bed becomes a boat, a web of cotton envelops the audience and one tiny piece of paper begins an exhilarating snowstorm which engulfs the entire theatre.

I’m feeling a little torn at the moment. I so much want to tell you about the magic of the show. I want to describe the excitement of the various elements which make up the show but I don’t want to spoil the surprises for anyone who may go to the show.

You may have been to shows before that let a few audience members interact with the cast. This show isn’t like that. When you go to Slava’s Snowshow everyone will have opportunity to be part of the show in one way or another.

I don’t think James will stop talking about the show for a long time. It was a lot of excitement for a ten year old. Once we got home he started telling Pauline about what we’d experienced. He still had plenty to tell this morning as he remembered more and more spectacular moments.

Slava’s Snowshow is on in Perth until the 20th of September. If it ever comes to a theatre near you … don’t miss it.



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Dralion – Cirque du Soleil back in Perth

dralion.jpgPauline and I were privileged to be guests at the opening night of Cirque du Soleil’s Dralion last night. It’s difficult to judge the Cirque du Soleil shows against each other but I think that Dralion was my favourite of the three shows I’ve seen.

It’s hard to believe that the human body can bend into so many different shapes. I reckon that I could probably force my body to bend like that if I had my skeleton removed. The performers were absolutely amazing.

I must say that while it would have been great for Emily and James to come with us last night I’m kind of glad they didn’t. If they saw some of the acrobatics the performers were able to do on trampolines I’d be in a constant state of worry that they were in the back yard trying them on our trampoline.

Apart from the athleticism I don’t think I’ve laughed so much for a long time. There’s so much humour throughout the show it’s almost a comedy at times.

The action is so fast that I reckon that even if you went a couple of times you’d still miss bits and pieces. We get so spoiled in this TV age don’t we? Have you ever found yourself wanting to freeze frame a real life moment or watch something you’ve just seen again in slow motion? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if our brains were all fitted with hard drive recorders? I guess they are in a way … that’s where memory comes in to play … but sometimes it’d be great to see things again. I felt a bit that way watching Dralion. There were times when it would have been good to be able to rewind and slow the action down a bit. Seeing people jumping higher than should be humanly possible and then sliding through tiny metal rings high in the air looks like a brilliant illusion but it’s all happening for real and it’d be wonderful to slow things down and see it all happen again. I guess that’s why they produce DVDs of the show.

The costumes and the set were incredible and gave the performance a wonderful sense of the surreal. It all combines to transport you to another world.

After the show we were privileged to be invited to the ‘After Party’ with the cast of the show and a selection of ‘Perthonalities’. It was a magnificent event and the perfect way to cap off an amazing evening.

If you get the chance to go and see Dralion make sure you grab it with both hands.



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