A young girl, frustrated with her humdrum existence and apathetic parents, suddenly finds herself thrust into a world of pure imagination. Fantastical creatures fill her space. Beautiful women soar above her head on metallic hoops, humans spin at incredible speeds on spindly lines, human statues come to life, and even the simple act of jumping rope becomes a movement of superhuman proportions.
This is young Zoé’s story, and this is her new world—and yours—the world of Quidam.
Cirque du Soleil’s Quidam has been delighting audiences for 15 years, but a major production change happened in 2011. The show is now traveling to smaller cities that couldn’t host month-long gigs in the classic blue and yellow Grand Chapiteau (big top tent), and is instead being shown in large arenas for fewer days. And while return viewers will see that the story and acts have essentially remained the same, there’s an excitement to this new production that can be felt with every performance.
Quidam has been reborn.
“Sixty percent of the cast is brand new and just came direct from the headquarters,” explains Fabrice Lemire, the Artistic Director who was tasked with reviving the show in an arena setting. “What you have is this great energy. They aren’t 
used to being on stage, they are young and motivated, and [most] have not done a Cirque du Soleil show before so they have this excitement, which brings a fresh approach to the older fellows who have done the show for a lot longer. So what you see is this amazing creation with the old group and the new one, where they support and help each other make a better show.”
On the technical side, a new rigging frame now extends out into the audience so the aerial acts—including landings and pickups— all had to be restaged. This also meant new lighting, and teaching all the artists to project their performances to the very back of the theater so that the sam experience could be felt even from the back rows. And though the music hasn’t changed it does feel more intense, with a computerized surround sound that ads a richness one couldn’t hear inside the tent. Still, Lemire says the show holds true to its original roots while still delivering a new experience for all viewers, thanks in part to the new blood both on stage and behind the scenes.
“I have a lot of respect for Quidam’s creator, Franco Dragone,” Lemire says. “I come from a dance background and there’s a lot of romantic choreography to Dragone’s work. He’s also a storyteller. So while Quidam has a simple narration on the surface, there are all these different layers and messages to follow." As with other Cirque shows, many of those messages are up for interpretation, but Lemire adds that "The beauty of Quidam is it’s extremely theatrical and poetic. You still have that storytelling from the beginning of the show to the end, and I protected the content and original concept. But I’ve also kept an open eye for this new blood, to see how these new performers can bring a new flavor to it.” He pauses, adding, “It’s a very magical thing to see. Whether or not you've seen Quidam before, this is truly a new show to experience.”
Get more info on the show, performers, and tickets here.
