Cirque du Soleil BAZZAR
Hartford
April 25, 2024
Seeing BAZZAR in Hartford on an unseasonably chilly evening was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. The commercials for Cirque du Soleil, the exotic spelling of the name, and the mystery surrounding exactly what kind of performance it would be made me feel like I was joining a special, exclusive club by finally experiencing the show live.
The experience began before I even entered the big top. It may surprise you to learn this, dear reader, but I am a clumsy person. This fact was reinforced when I arrived at the performance and found that I’d purchased tickets for the wrong day. It was no problem, though, as the staff was beyond accommodating and switched my tickets in just a few minutes, even managing to get me the exact same seats I’d purchased.
When I was inside, I was surprised by how intimate the performance space felt. I imagined I’d be up in the second row of seats as if I were at the XL Center, squinting at the action from a distance. But even from my mid-range seats, the stage was only a few dozen feet away.
Which was great, because it gave me an awesome view of the action as it unfolded. The performers were decked out in colorful, skin-tight outfits, exaggerated suits and almost naughty dresses that gave them the appearance of a traveling performance troupe from 19th century Europe, which I suspect was their intent.
From the outset, the physical prowess of the performers was on full display. Three performers took turns launching each other into the air with a seesaw. They shot each other higher and higher, performing more intricate spins and flips each time. Another performer rode a bicycle, demonstrating all the creative ways that one could make the twin wheeled contraption move.
They played a good deal of the music live as part of the show. There was a background track, but also live singing, guitar and piano layered over it, which provided a dynamic soundtrack to the action happening on stage.
In the second half, the maestro directed the various sections of the crowd to sing, bringing us all together. The fire dancer came out, wowing the crowd with his ability to control two flaming torches, with both sides blazing. The fire danced around him, lighting the entire big top in a lurid glow that delighted the audience.
Next a trio of female performers came out, and went far beyond what I thought were the limits of human strength and flexibility. They built human towers of varying height and stretchiness, all while wearing neon wigs and bright smiles.
The show also featured a juggler who was impressive, even though he made a couple of mistakes. While attempting to juggle six pins at the same time, he dropped a pin twice. I actually enjoyed that element of the show. Obviously all of the performers were tackling difficult feats that someone like me couldn’t dream of doing. But there’s a difference between difficult and challenging; the latter occurs when performers push themselves to the limit of their abilities. I appreciated that the juggler challenged himself in a live performance, risking failure on a task. Five pins is difficult, but six was challenging, and the crowd showered him with applause for the effort.
The one missed note of the entire performance was the lack of clarity surrounding the narrative. I didn’t become aware that there was a story being told until the end of the performance, when the maestro gave his crown to another performer. The pomp and circumstance of the transition alerted me to the fact that he was being rewarded for something; the pantomimed expressions of the other performers showed their anticipation of the event. But I had completely missed everything leading up to that moment, so I felt a little lost in the climax.
That’s a minor complaint though. BAZAAR featured the bizarre talents of a well trained team that put on a show I won’t be forgetting soon. It brought me back to the sense of wonder I felt when I was a kid, watching Ringling Bros. I couldn’t ask for more than that.
NEXT
Cirque du Soleil BAZAAR continues in Hartford through May 5.
Jamil is taking the weekend off. See you next week!
