Cirque du Soleil: Alegría at the Royal Albert Hall
Cirque du Soleil’s Alegría is an amazing production blending comedy, acrobatics, fire show, story telling, and beautiful music against a colourful backdrop.
Seeing Cirque du Soleil is simply a fantastic experience with its mind blowing acrobatics, dramatic music, and over-the-top costumes. It has been nearly a decade since Kenz and I last saw Cirque du Soleil. The last time was Dralion at the London O2 (2014); before that KÀ at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas (2004); and Varekai in San Francisco (2002) as part of its Grand Chapiteau Tour.
When my mom friend (Mamacita) invited me to see Cirque du Soleil’s iconic production Alegría, I was absolutely delighted. It is an annual tradition for Mamacita to see Cirque du Soleil. And I was happy to be her date for a lovely mom’s evening out. As my treat, we enjoyed a pre-theatre dinner at Hawksmoor Knightsbridge where we shared 850g of the porterhouse steak complete with sides and desserts before walking over to the Royal Albert Hall.
Alegría: 30 Years On
Celebrating its 30th anniversary, this latest rendition of Alegría, derived from Spanish for ‘joy’, is fantastical and magical. That said, the new rendition of Alegría keeps to the themes of chaos, power and order in the once-glorious kingdom following the death of the king. A power struggle ensues between the old and the new. In between, there are comedic interludes by the dynamic duo of clowns making us laugh throughout the evening.
The athleticism and precision of these performers are mind-blowing and awe-inspiring. You’ll gasp for air when the performers trapeze high across the stage or contour its body into a square. Some highlights were: incredible Fire Knife Show, Russian Bars, Contortion, and the Aerial High Bar. The singing was beautiful with the grand finale being ‘Alegría’.
It was standing ovation all around for a fantastic performance blending comedy, acrobatics, and music. Bravo! Let’s hope it is not another decade before I see Cirque du Soleil again. And special thanks to Mamacita for inviting me for a fun and memorable evening out!
