Daredevil skips rope on spinning wheel in Colombian Wheel of Death Photo: Laura Moore
Le Noir, The Dark Side of Cirque, opened at the Sydney Lyric Theatre on Thursday March 19 and plays until Saturday April 4.
A unique and electrifying theatrical experience, it features 22 of the greatest circus performers in the world, all award-winning athletes and many stars of previous Cirque Du Soleil shows.
World-class acrobats, specialty acts and comedians are the centrepiece of this cutting edge production that is enthralling audiences on its world tour.
For its Sydney premiere the Sydney Lyric Theatre will be transformed, for the first time ever, to seat audiences around a custom-built stage, offering a spectacular 360 degree view of the performance and bringing the action closer than ever before.
The acts include skaters Jessica & Jeronimo who spin at break neck speed on a 1.5m stage, only metres from the audience; Aerial Cradle with Chilly & Fly, a jaw dropping ‘aerial ballet’ performed for the first time in Australia by Alexandre Lane and Emilie Fournier; Pas de Deux, a combination of dance and acrobatics telling a story of love through movement and amazing technique; and the thrilling Colombian Wheel of Death which sees daredevils Angelo Rodriguez and Carlo Macias perform high risk feats atop and inside a pair of spinning wheels rotating high above the stage.
Skaters Jessica and Jeronimo spin at break neck speed on a 1.5m stage Photo: Laura Moore
Producer Simon Painter said the concept behind Le Noir was to take the best cirque performers in the world and produce an intimate style show where the action is centimetres away from the audience rather than in a huge auditorium or arena.
“Part of the concept is to make the audience experience the show rather than just watch it and a number of sophisticated special effects are employed to make this possible,” he said.
Le Noir, The Dark Side of Cirque, Australian tour:
Lyric Theatre, Sydney until April 4. Book through Ticketmaster or 1300 795 267
Melbourne: State Theatre, Arts Centre April 9 to 18. Visit site to book.
Adelaide: Festival Theatre, Adelaide Festival Centre, from April 22 to May 2. Book: BASS or 131 246
Canberra: Canberra Theatre Centre, from May 6 to May 10. Book on website or 02 6275 2700.
