Newcastle is in the midst of Cirque du Soleil fever. You can check out our review of the show here and some video from our behind the scenes tour here. During our time backstage at Cirque, we were lucky enough to chat with the show’s creative director, Marjon Van Grunsven and Spanish Web performer, Mei Bouchard. Here’s what we learned.
What you see on stage is only a fraction of what goes into the performance…
Aerial artist, Mei Bouchard saw a lot of Cirque productions when she was a child which inspired her to begin practicing aerial acrobatics as a hobby. In 2011, Mei submitted an audition video through the Cirque du Soleil casting website, and three months later she was part of the Spanish Web team in Quidam.
Every night Mei performs death-defying aerial acrobatics high above the Cirque stage. Mei tells us there’s a strong bond between the members of her team, but the trust extends beyond the people you see on stage.
“It is pretty much your life in their hands, but it’s the same for them. So I think it kind of balances out. But it’s not just the people you’re on stage with, it’s also the rigging team, the lighting guys, the maintenance crews. The list goes on.”
This is the last tour for the Quidam production, but not everyone is happy about it…
Unlike any other Cirque du Soleil show, Quidam does not take its spectators to an imaginary realm of fanciful, larger-than-life characters. Rather, it is an examination of our own world – inhabited by real people with real-life concerns.
In our smartphone-dominated society, Quidam’s themes of disconnection from the world around us are perhaps more relevant now than they were at the time it was first premiered in 1996. Given that, many people are surprised that this will be the last tour for one of Cirque’s most loved shows.
“I wish it would continue to exist, but there’s a time to start and a time to go for everything I guess,” Marjon tells us with a heavy heart.
“This is an iconic classic show, out of all our productions I think this show could easily run another 20, 40 or 50 years because the subject of this show is of today. But I don’t make those decisions.”
Quidam’s artistic director is a Certified Pilates instructor!
Quidam’s artistic director, Marjon Van Grunsven moved to New York when she was just 18 years old to commence her career as a professional dancer and choreographer. After sustaining a knee injury, Marjon discovered pilates and the power it had to help her prevent injury.
“I learnt early that pilates was brilliant in combination with the dance technique I practice to prevent injury. So I decided to always have pilates next to my dance activities,” Marjon tells us while a group of acrobats warm up backstage for their daily rehearsal.
In 2004, Marjon opened her own dance studio in The Netherlands called Memento Bodyworks: Studio for Pilates, Body Therapy and Performing Arts.
Cirque Du Soleil’s Quidam plays Newcastle Entertainment Centre until Sunday Jan 24. Tickets are still available, click here to find out more.
