London

HOTEL

Cirque Eloize

4****

The Peacock Theatre, Portugal Street, London WC2 2HT to 9 March 2019.

Tues-Sat 7.30pm. Mat Sat & Sun 2.30pm.

Runs 80 mins No interval.

 

TICKETS: 020 7863 8222

www.sadlerswells.com

 

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Review: William Russell 20 February

Marvelous and magical things

An evening of amazing gymnastic feats, inspiring juggling and delicious comedy this celebration of 25 years by the Montreal based company Cirque Eloize is quite simply breathtaking. The 12 strong company is a miracle of co-ordination as one death defying display morphs into another seamlessly. It is set in the lobby of a hotel – the company tour endlessly – into which an assortment of people come and where strange things happen as people meet, are directed to their rooms, lose their luggage, or find themselves stranded without anyone to help. Whether it adds up to anything sensible in terms of story is not the point. It is a framework for what they do and proves ideal. Hoops hurl on, people dance inside them, they are thrown in the air, people become impossibly involved with other people’s bodies, acrobats are tossed in the air, do handstands on their partner’s hands, do them on one hand with one hand, fall to the ground but don’t quite make it, are suspended in the air using ropes to conjure up amazing patterns with their bodies, or walk a loosely hung tightrope without falling off. There is a lovely moment when someone ends up with a suitcase for a head, another when a sofa seems to either be packed with people or to eat them as they disappear into the upholstery. The only drawback is the Peacock sound system does the soundtrack to which they perform no favours – it has a booming echo which distracts from the miracles on stage and spoils the work of singer Sabrina Halde. As an evening for young and old, however, Hotel could not be bettered.

Performers

Andrei Anissimov

Tuedon Ariri

Una Bennett

Julius Bitterling.

Philippe Dupuis

Sabrina Halde

Cooper Lee Smith

Cory Marsh

Cesar Mispelion

Emma Rogers

Jeremy Vitupier

Antonin Wicky

Creative Director: Jeannot Painchard.

Director: Emmanuel Guillaume.

Musical Director: Eloi Painchaud.

Head Coach: Nicolas Boivin-Gravel.

Set & Props Designer: Francis Farley-Lemieux.

Lighting Designer: Matthiey Poirier.

Costume Designer: Kucien Berniche.

Sound Designer: Colin Gagne.

Choreographer: Annie StPierre.

Musical Coach: Jocelyn Bigras.

Photography: Patrick Lagic.