By Khalida Sarwari
Mark Shaub has been a tireless worker for the past nearly seven years, 12 if one counts the years before he took a short sabbatical. Of course, that’s not hard to do when your office is a stage where magic is created and your colleagues are contortionists and trapeze artists.
Shaub, artistic director of “Luzia: A Waking Dream of Mexico,” Cirque du Soleil’s latest production, has four shows under his belt, but the thrill of evoking a sense of wonder and surprise from audiences on a regular basis hasn’t gotten old.
“For me, it’s a company that I’m still like a kid when I come into work,” said Shaub. “There’s a lot to, I think, to look forward to when I get up in the morning.”
Shaub’s role is to supervise productions on the road and work with Cirque’s artistic team, which comprises the artists, coaches and stage managers as well as the wardrobe department and physiotherapists.
“It’s kind of a double-edged activity where you work very hard to maintain the original concepts, but you work a lot to evolve and develop and not let the show stagnate,” he said. “It’s important to let the artists develop, and once they go on stage, it’s their show. They have a lot to say about the interpretation of it.”
The French-Canadian circus arrived under the massive white-and-gold Big Top at Taylor Street Bridge in San Jose on Feb. 9 and will remain through March 19. Described as a poetic and acrobatic ode to Mexico, Luzia is a multi-layered exploration of the country’s culture, history and mythology. In fact, Luzia is a portmanteau for the Spanish words “luz” (light) and “lluvia” (rain), which are both important elements of the show.
“It’s not a cliched idea of Mexico, but really, we’re evoking a lot of the beauty of that country and the different aspects of that country throughout the show,” Shaub said. “It’s a lovely little show, and I think it’s one that, to me, fits well in California. It fits well here.”
Mexico’s vibrant landscapes, architectural wonders and the spirit of its people are brought to life through a talented cast of 44 performers that includes acrobats, jugglers and contortionists. There are a total of 11 acts with names such as “Running Woman,” “Beach Clown” and “Football Dance,” many of them reflections upon the themes of speed, monumentality and rain in all its manifestations. The production was co-written and directed by Daniele Finzi Pasca.
Enya White, who is featured in “Cyr Wheel and Trapeze,” an act where two young women dance on stage in large hoops against a setting sun, is one of the show’s breakout performers. As her co-performers roll among “quiotes” (agave plants), White appears on a trapeze and performs a series of acrobatics, at times hanging by only one heel, her smile never wavering. As her performance picks up in intensity, she and the trapeze are shrouded in a curtain of rain. Indeed, water is a major element of the show and one that was a first for Cirque. The appearance of rain on stage was achieved by placing a water basin under the stage floor and creating a rain curtain from the ceiling.
“It’s a really magical image for the audience,” White said. “It’s super amazing to work with water. It’s also hard when you go upside down in the rain, so you have to find ways to not have water in your eyes, (but) it’s really fun and it’s different.”
It’s the artist’s first show with Cirque. White, originally from Montreal, was enrolled at a circus school a few years ago when she was invited by the company to join its newest production. “I thought it was a really nice concept and it looked really fun, so I decided to join the adventure,” she said.
Cirque has now become like a big family to her, she said, and their camaraderie is palpable on stage. “We all love each other and support each other and I think you can see that throughout the show.”
Luzia is Cirque’s 38th original production. The company boasts nearly 4,000 employees, including 1,300 performing artists from close to 50 different countries.
To celebrate the arrival of Luzia, all three locations of Psycho Donuts is offering a limited-edition donut called “colibrí,” (hummingbird in Spanish) a raised yeast donut filled with a passion fruit custard. The donut is glazed with a peach icing and sprinkled with a powdered sugar hummingbird on top.
For more information and tickets, visit cirquedusoleil.com/luzia.
Link: Cirque du Soleil’s ‘Luzia’ fuses light and rain under the Big Top
