Cirque du Soliel, OVO...

Thursday, August 29th, we had a grand date. We would go to Rupp Arena in Lexington to see a Cirque du Soliel performance entitled "OVO". As is our habit now, we went in on Hwy 421 so we could have our dinner at Firehouse Subs. Yum!!

Then on to the Kentucky League of Cities parking lot to see if there was a space for our car. We were surprised to find only a couple of cars in the lot and no one attending the lot. Once into OVO we realized this is a much smaller event and most people parked in lots across from or closer to Rupp Arena. While they spent $22, we spent $0. Yeah us! And, Thank You KLC!!

We had nice seats and a good view of the performance. With these shows, they only use half of Rupp Arena. The costumes are always over-the-top great. This show featured an egg (OVO) that traveled around at times in the performance. The creatures we all insect like creatures. The back end of Rupp Arena had a huge climbing wall built there. During the performance, the insects would climb the wall, peek out of doors in the wall, and jump from the top of the wall. 

The thing that was different with this Cirque du Soliel performance from others we have seen, was the use of only one act at a time on the stage. Normally there are two or three different acts going on at once making it difficult to know where to focus your attention. This particular show only had one act at a time on stage with the insects performing a running story between acts as they set the stage for the next act. There were also holes in the stage that would open and a creature would pop up to do their thing on stage. 

The first act was insects on these very flexible poles. When they finished, they would curl around the pole and let go till close to the bottom. Then they would grab the pole for a quick stop just before hitting the floor. 

The next act was a contortionist. I swear, the young lady had a bottom half to her body and a top half. They appeared to be joined by a swivel at the waist. It was often hard to tell which body was where. Very flexible person. 

In OVO, the olio act, was a specialty act performed downstage while the upstage set is changed. In this case the story running throughout the show was a romantic interest developing between the lady bug and the insect in blue carrying the egg (OVO). 

The act that followed was a girl performing on the hanging fabric. She started out appearing to come out of the fabric like coming out of a cocoon. Then she did all types of aerial tricks using that strand of fabric. 

This was followed by the two people working with two rings on ropes. 

We were fascinated by the tube-like character. Claude and I finally determined it was one person in the tube suit that was extremely limber. 

During the next olio act, the lady bug had help from some very tall insects with the blue bug. 

While this was happening, they set up the equipment for the flying trapeze artists. 

The next performance was two people on one trapeze.

Another controtionist performed. Again, I am always amazed at how the human body can bend when started at a very early age to learn these skills. Claude asked me if I thought they would have arthritis problems as they aged. I assured him that was very possible. 

During the olio act that followed, the blue insect climbed the wall and the lady bug opened a door. They had an animated conversation. I was amazed at the blue insect with those LONG feet climbing that wall. 

A man with a yo-yo like contraption then tossed these things in the air and caught them on the roped and twirled and juggled them around. 

The ever amazing girl who twirls from her hair on her head. 

Trampolines were brought out and placed at the bottom of the climbing wall. Then loads of grasshoppers jumped from the top of the climbing wall onto the trampolines and bounced back up to the top of the wall. It was fascinating to watch them climbing the wall, jumping and bouncing way up high. 

At the end, the egg (OVO) was moved from the side of the stage to the center of the stage. All the insects came out to take their stage bows. 

Claude and I had an excellent time. We do love a good Cirque du Soliel performance.