Photo by Joan Marcus
I've been to see a couple of Cirque du Soleil shows in my lifetime and yes, it has been known for me to attend the odd Broadway musical over the years as well. But what would I make of the French-Canadian behemoth's first attempt at staging a Broadway musical themselves? The short answer is a high-flying, unique spectacle like no other currently seen on the Great White Way and that is why Paramour is our #ShowOfTheWeek!
Despite Cirque du Soleil's global domination in the circus market, the company has never been able to establish a lasting presence in New York City. In Las Vegas, on the other hand, you are ambushed by a Cirque show every which way you look. So why the Big Apple been such a difficult spot to crack? Possibly because NYC and Broadway go hand-in-hand and people take trips to the city that never sleeps specifically for the theatre. And there are so many great Broadway shows on offer, which you can only see in New York. So why would you visit a touring circus show?
With the creation of Cirque du Soleil Theatrical (under the direction of Scott Zeiger), the company hopes to finally become a mainstay in NYC and add another feather to its bow by staging hybrid productions, where the audience can follow a traditional musical (with actors singing and dancing) blended together with those infamous circus stunts, performed by an army of acrobats. Paramour is its inaugural production and is performing solidly at Broadway's Lyric Theatre.
The production curiously doesn't list a writer for its book, although West Hyler is credited as "Associate Creative Director, Scene Director & Story." But the plot is a very simple one, set in the Golden Age of Hollywood, where a big shot film director by the name of AJ Golden (Jeremy Kushnier) discovers his muse Indigo (Ruby Lewis) and her talented songwriter Joey (Ryan Vona) and offers her fame and fortune. Of course, he has other intentions and the classic love triangle evolves, in which Indigo must choose between her true love and a celebrity career.
True, there may be nothing new or exciting about the plot of this musical, but as it is a Cirque du Soleil show, it does offer you a generous helping of unforgettable moments. These are brought to you, of course, by the real stars of the show - the circus performers. A special mention goes to Andrew and Kevin Atherton for their breath-taking aerial straps number and also to Martin Charrat, Myrian Deraiche and Samuel William Charlton for their beautifully magnificent depiction of the aforementioned love triangle through gymnastics.
There are some catchy tunes provided by composers Bob & Bill (Guy Dubuc and Marc Lessard), some grand, over-the-top sets by Jean Rabasse and delightful old-school choreography by Daphné Mauger. This is a promising start for Cirque du Soleil Theatrical and I look forward with bated breath to their next production... The Wiz!
Click here for tickets to Paramour for performances through to 19 February 2017 at Broadway's Lyric Theatre.
Ruby Lewis, Jeremy Kushnier & Ryan Vona in Paramour More Production PhotosOriginally published on