Thanks for the memories!

I wanted to but couldn't!

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

Blistering performances.

Today (26/02/17) I saw Varekai at The First Direct Arena, Leeds. This is the second Cirque du Soleil I have seen (La Nouba - 2008), so I expected something spectacular. If I am honest I was not blown away. The performances were very good, but throughout the show there were only about 4 major performance parts. I expected to be blown away the whole way through. The music was very good and the performing was seamless, I just expected more. This experience was not helped by the fact that the seating arrangement and placement of the stage meant that we could not see a part of the stage for the whole performance. This was not noted when we bought the, very expensive, tickets, that I thought were close to the front. Instead, they had taken away a portion of the lower seating to have a deeper stage, but this meant we were high up with a bar in front of us, which then dropped down to where the stage was, this blocked our view. This was not indicated in any seating plan when booking the tickets and it really did ruin the experience. I would not watch the show again, I will wait a few years and find a show that is set up properly in one place and not a travelling one, because I am sure an established show in a single venue would not have this problem.

fantastic colors costumes riveting physical feats...progressive in all ways including the magic music...illuminating the concept of evolving with the dream and the myth..so opposite to the world we tinker with in absolute terms...think I will begin painting again....nice article...applauds and salutations, embers creating wings..daunting oppositions ,liberating physical musical ...Varekai? well yes of course a word I have never heard before...such a collaboration ,coaxing the colors of freedom...sneaky humour tip toeing through the land mines of reality..swatting the proverbial laws of one reality...collective a war of emotion..bringing the flame revealing the pains and joys all seated in our souls individually cast into a circle of like minded pains and joys...a battle is won and a struggle worthwhile because emotion is born again and a gain...casting our hope line to the celestial firey circle of time...Poppa G. Brum

This isn't the first circus with a story I've seen, but its the best. No animal acts, clowns in minicars or individual stand alone performances, this sort of circus is highly stylized with a usually vague story, singing and music to blend one act after another.Some of the performers come from long lines of family acts, but there's also a fair number of Olympic caliber athletes looking to work their talent outside of competition. The acts are not all great, but are at least good and a few are exceptional. I thought it was pretty amazing that they are all done flawlessly in front of a live audience: Not one dropped prop, clumsy trip, dorky fall or wardrobe malfunction.I'm not often drawn to the artsy/pouffy sort of humor. It tends to be too French for me, and it just doesn't appeal. Not all things French, just their humor. Any sound effects resembling gastrointestinal activity are apparently the ultimate comedy. The least appealing parts of Varekai involved that same French humor, and knocks the score down a little. I enjoyed the other comic acts in the show, whether they were French or not.You can't beat a live circus show, but there are some advantages with watching this one on a widescreen. It was shot in HD format so it naturally takes in wider shots, and there's many angle shots, overheads and closeups that the live audience would never see. Colors are almost oversaturated but thats because so much of the circus is in bright primary colors. Varekai even has a DTS soundtrack and employs all the 5.1 system to good effect. The 2nd disc has some bio info on the performers and a short on getting selected and training for a live performance. The DVD set comes in a foldout box within a box, and gets an 8/10.

I saw the entire DVD -AND- I saw it live. Meaning I attend to the theater and saw it live. It's a show more than a movie. It's so amazing too. It's a lot different than the DVD, it's much better live. So, for advice, you shouldn't say you hate it until you've seen the real thing. The acts are very clever and amazing, it nearly defies gravity! Completely AWESOME. The clown acts are funny, too. If it comes to your town, go and see it! You don't have to get front row either, because the theater is somewhat small (unless you are seeing it in Montreal, Quebec.) Unlike other Cirque du Soleil shows, this one REALLY has a story to it, and it's brought out very well. One of the best, a must see!