NASHVILLE |DATE: JANUARY 20, 2011
FROM: MARCEE RONDAN/TODD BRODGINSKI/AARON FETERL
CIRQUE BERZERK
UNIQUELY BRINGS “DEATH” TO LIFE
DURING ACCLAIMED RESIDENCY AT CLUB NOKIA IN DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES
25-SHOW RUN TO CONCLUDE JANUARY 30
At Cirque Berzerk–now in an acclaimed 25-show run at CLUB NOKIA at L.A Live through January 30–death is the ultimate destination. This is a metaphorical death, of course. More specifically, it’s the death of inhibition. It’s the death of contentment. It’s the death of convention. It’s the death of the impossible.
CIRQUE Berzerk stands at a juncture between Greek mythology, Weimar cabaret, gothic ballet, burlesque, circus wonder and a myriad of other influences just outside the “norm.” At every performance, the cultural underworld opens up, and all of its denizens roam free for an unforgettable night.
The Los Angeles performance troupe has created a show like no other. Walking through the courtyard at L.A. Live, guests are greeted by a fire-breathing stone archway brandishing the show’s moniker. Inside, the concert venue turns into a rustic big top complete with an ornate, tribal, and slightly urban landscape. This underworld morphs along with the set pieces and the 28 performers who engage in everything from death-defying acrobatics on high wires to a trampoline finale that’s as hypnotic as it is hilarious.
At the heart of this circus, the performers tell a tale of transformation in the wake of a pact with Death. Played by show co-founder and musical director Kevin Bourque, Death is the ringmaster of Cirque Berzerk. The lines he utters after we meet our lovely heroine, Dame Deceased, prove portentous.
Under a top hat with a gallows smile, Death announces, "I can offer you bliss in my beautiful abyss, you just have to be willing to die. Oh my dear, it's such a small thing. It happens to every pauper and every king."
Death and sex are the two things that we all share in common, and Cirque Berzerk appeals to viewers on that most primal, poetic, and powerful level. The young Dame lets go as the show progresses and eventually becomes a sexual goddess in her own right. However, visitors get a front row seat as it all unfolds.
"We tell a story via the circus,” Bourque explains. “Our influences include Cirque du Soleil, Weimar Republic cabaret, and the dark carnivals of the 1930s. When we started writing the story, it was very loosely based on the myth of Orpheus following his wife Eurydice into the underworld. However, we thought Eurydice was more interesting because she actually spends time in the belly of the beast."
In Cirque Berzerk’s case, their Eurydice is the red dress clad Dame Deceased. She’s sexy and sultry like a sensitive femme fatale, and she’s in for the “ride” of a lifetime once she meets Death and all of his comrades.
Co-founder and artistic director Neal Everett sums it up best: "The essence of this circus is living life to the fullest. The Dame gets to experience all these amazing things when she dies. She goes on a journey and learns about everything she missed out on in life through all of these dead people."
Those dead people certainly don’t act dead though. The performers contort every which way, fly through the air, seduce via song, flip upside down, and dazzle the audience with an undying charm. It’s like Moulin Rouge as if it were directed by David Lynch.
The aesthetic instantly pulls audiences into Cirque Berzerk’s dark embrace. "We wanted the look to be really raw and edgy,” says Everett. “It doesn't have to be glitzy, fancy, shiny, and brand new. It has that dirty, rustic, and unfinished feel to it. There's something amazing about walking into a circus tent. That’s the feeling we aimed to capture, and we bring the show really close to the audience."
The audience can see, hear, and feel every single motion from the stage. Cirque Berzerk’s team elegantly entwines everything from sexy synchronized burlesque dancing to viscerally vibrant trapeze work. Death leads the Dame through seductive rings of pleasures and sins. She’s tempted and titillated along with the viewer.
There’s something to be said for feeling every little moment. Cirque Berzerk shows the importance of living with those feelings.
Artistic director and co-founder Suzanne Bernel adds, “We live in a day and age where so many people want to dull every sense. Even though it's a bit painful and she has to find her way, the Dame has to actually experience things as opposed to just being one of those drones in the briefcase scene we open up with."
The show’s first visual is of our lonely protagonist volleyed between men in suits stuck in the hustle and bustle of modern city life. She’s not connected to anything until she signs the pact with Death in blood and takes the journey downward.
The show’s musical underpinnings prove crucial to its unshakable rhythm. The live six-piece band fuels this romp with thumping bass, pulsating drums, cello, three singers–opera, rock and blues–and guitar. Bourque elaborates, “The musical influences go from Count Basie to Moby and Orbital. We made a distinct piece of music for every act. However, each separate composition fits the vibe of the whole show without falling into one style. The music traverses a lot of different styles along the way.”
The music mirrors the visuals in that respect, and various influences cavalcade upon one unique display. The critics have responded to this one-of-a-kind night on the town (see below).
There’s an inspiring message at Cirque Berzerk’s core. It’s that spirit that lasts a lot longer than the show itself even. “In order to do something great, you have to think outside the conventions of society,” concludes Bourque. “You have to go beyond to do something that fulfills you as an artist, athlete, or whatever you’ve chosen to be. The story really speaks to me. If you go outside what everyone says your limits are, you’re going to find something amazing. Our story is proof.”
Bernel echoes that sentiment. "I want people to come and feel like they can take a risk. I want them to feel inspired. I hope they leave Cirque Berzerk feeling like they can do anything.”
That’s exactly what any great show will do.
CIRQUE BERZERK ticket prices range from $19.50 to $80.00. All tickets are available at Ticketmaster outlets or online at www.ticketmaster.com and from 9am-5pm, Mon-Fri at the STAPLES Center Box Office located at 1111 S. Figueroa St. No fees are charged at the STAPLES Center box office or at the Club Nokia box office on show days (open after 5 PM).
Here’s some of the critical praise:
“…The display of raw strength from the chiseled acrobats and pale contortionists takes your breath away. A chorus of whispers and gasps ripples across the audience as they watch these human bodies fold into shapes one never thought possible. The aerial dancers fly above the stage on ribbons, hoops, and trapeze. Perhaps one of the most memorable performances is the trampoline act — four men simultaneously falling and bouncing between a narrow wall and two trampolines, while avoiding a seemingly inevitable collision. In a circus performance like this, plot often seems like an afterthought. Bourque plays the ringleader, Death, who seduces a young naïve woman (Emilie Livingston) to sign her life away for the glitz and glamour of his circus. As four curvaceous women with powerful singing voices sing tunes with dark and twisted lyrics from high above the stage, we follow our heroine's transformation from a buttoned-up woman into a half-naked rebel in the afterlife who succumbs to her animal instincts of unconventional desires…if you have the urge to step out of the daily grind, if only for two hours, then get yourself to the circus.”
—Samantha Harmon, Entertainment Weekly.com, 1/18/11
“The show really does have it all: fire breathers, nightmarish clowns on stilts, contortionists, magicians, burlesque dancing and freaky ballerinas that make Natalie Portman's work in Black Swan look like kids' stuff…The music, composed by [Kevin] Bourque, sets the mood for each of these acts, switching effortlessly from fun and upbeat with a hint of jazz to sounds that are darker, heavier and industrial. It's all performed by a live band (including Oingo Boingo bassist Johnny Avila) placed side-stage, just out of the audience's view. Makeup and costuming are also crucial to this show, of course; it's all very over-the-top, yet key players are dressed in unique getups, so you're never lost as to who is who…Afterward the audience was buzzing with ‘did you see that?!’ comments and retellings of their favorite stunts and scenes. It's truly amazing what these performers are able to accomplish with just their bodies – the timing, focus and control of it all is a beautiful thing.”
–Kelli Skye Fadroski, Orange County Register, 1/8/11
About Club Nokia: Club Nokia, a multi-use music, entertainment and concert venue–located in the heart of the acclaimed L.A. LIVE sports, residential and entertainment district–accommodates over 2,300 guests. Featuring state-of-the-art acoustics designed for live entertainment, Club Nokia is the perfect venue for emerging music acts and cultural shows while also providing excellent space for corporate events and private parties. The theatre brings the latest technology to music enthusiasts including an innovative interactive experience embedded in foot-controlled floor interfaces, touchscreens, and a large LED installation within the lobby of the Club Nokia space. This interactive experience allows users to scroll through the history and the future of Club Nokia events and interact with pictures, video and text messages submitted by fellow concert fans. Club Nokia was awarded “Best New Major Concert Venue” in 2009 at the 20th Annual Pollstar Concert Industry Awards and won “Nightclub of the Year” at the 2010 Pollstar Concert Industry Awards.
For further information on Club Nokia, contact:
MSO
818-380-0400
Marcee Rondan
Todd Brodginski
Aaron Feterl
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