SASKATOON — OVO. The term means “egg” in Portuguese. It is symbolic of the life cycle and birth of numerous insects.
The word also serves as the title and broader theme for Cirque du Soleil’s latest show that is in Saskatoon from July 27 to July 31.
According to Cirque du Soleil’s website, OVO is a rush into a colourful ecosystem teeming with life, where insects work, eat, crawl, flutter, play and fight. It is home to a world of biodiversity and beauty.
It’s one thing to see this biodiversity and life cycle performed seamlessly before an audience’s eyes.
Yet, to really see how this ecosystem thrives, one must examine not the end product, but the process behind the show where people can escape reality for a few hours.
The cast and production crew for OVO is approximately 100 people from over 25 different countries.
Yes, these are just numbers, but the complexities behind weaving together a performance can be equated to the idea of an ant “colony,” where each person has a separate role, but is all working towards a common goal in the end.
For example, six washing machines and two dryers are transported to each show. There is a dedicated cast of five solely to feed what can be equated to a “mini wedding” three times a day. Not to mention the various technicians, designers, and trainers that are all working behind the scenes, developing what would be considered the base of the colony. That can include anything from the stage itself, to costumes, props, sound and lighting equipment, catering, fitness equipment, international passports, and more.
From the performers’ side, artists come from around the world. The athletic endeavours to reach this world-class level stems from former Olympians (this particular show features two ), the gymnastics world, and circus school just to name a few.
The work to get to Cirque du Soleil can often be a life-long endeavour, but really, the work to build the colony begins once integrated into the ecosystem.
An athlete’s daily regiment can consist of individual weight training, circus training, flexibility, cardio, training on stage, and doing their own makeup. Of course, none of this is possible without the 20 semi trucks that haul all the necessary equipment from site to site, often setting up overnight in one day so that when athletes arrive a day or two later, they can focus on their craft.
One of those athletes is Yann Masia. The France native specializes in Chinese poles, but just like insects in a colony, takes on several roles with other members of the cast.
Once completing his particular act, Masia, along with a hoard of other members, will thrust themselves back into the world of work and play, participating in varying choreography numbers in the performance and carrying a multitude of props.
Each role will have a minimum of one backup person to the lead, with athletes also having open class time during the day to educate themselves in other skills that peak their interest.
Despite the physical and mental stress of constant high-level performance, Masia points out that those who are in the business like himself have long adapted to this personal lifestyle via years of training.
“I don’t feel like it’s a job. We are meeting people from all over the world, and discovering every day.”
That joy of seeking and learning is one that senior publicist Janie Mallet can relate to.
At a young age, Mallet was introduced to the world of Cirque du Soleil, where she remembers the feeling of inspiration and simple amazement.
Who can blame her?
Whether it’s the high-level artistic gymnastics, contortionists, tumbling and trampoline acts, aerial straps and trapeze, Russian cradle, diabolo juggling or clowns, the delicately intricate weaving of multiple world-class acts simultaneously will bedazzle any eye.
Yet, theatrics is simply not enough. COVID-19 nearly wiped out the company, with the inability to house performances and a dried-up revenue forcing the Cirque du Soleil Entertainment Company to file for bankruptcy protection in June 2020.
Despite the bugs in operation, the resiliency of its members, along with financial backing, laid the grounds for rebuilding. That included OVO, a show that has been put on since 2009 and is considered one of the company’s most traditional Cirque experiences.
Fast forward to today, and over 20 different experiences are available to the Cirque du Soleil lover in 21 listed countries, ranging from Andorra, to Brazil, to the Republic of Korea and beyond.
In some ways, OVO is a manifestation of the company's continued growth and adaption to the world around it. As Mallet puts it “… it is still a story of adapting to change, meeting new people, a story of love, friendship, and a story of inclusivity and diversity…there’s something that’s telling, relevant, and at the same time, entertaining.”
All those elements of the story, along with the on-stage and behind-the-scenes crew that make this experience flow naturally, is why this colony remains strong.
For tickets specifically for the OVO show, check out https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/ovo or for additional information visit https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/ to learn more.
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