Saturday, December 12, 2015

12/12/15: Toruk - The First Flight Visually Stunning

We have gone to many Cirque du Soleil shows over the years and every one has been impressive in so many ways.  Last night we were able to experience Toruk – The First Flight and my two words to describe it are "visually stunning".  It is a show that brings James Cameron’s AVATAR world to life.  We went and saw it at the DCU Center in Worcester but I highly suggest checking out the tour schedule to see when it is coming to you.
The kids were excited for the show.
This show is less about the acrobatics and tricks but more about the story telling with many acrobatics as part of the story.
The show is a living ode to the Na’vi’s symbiotic coexistence with nature and their belief in the basic interconnectedness of all living things.
Many performers balanced on here and were amazing.
The costumes and makeup are awesome.
The show is narrated by a “Na’vi Storyteller” and populated by unforgettable characters.  It is a mythical tale set thousands of years before the events depicted in the film AVATAR, and before any humans ever set foot on Pandora.
The projections are amazing.
Here you can see some of the performers on poles.  All of these performers are such amazing athletes.  They make everything they do look so easy and effortless.
The sets and music were absolutely amazing.
There are 16 puppets in the show.  They represent the creatures of Pandora: six Viperwolves, three Direhorses, three Austrapedes, one Turtapede, two swarms of Woodsprites, and one Toruk. The two swarms of Woodsprites are actually mobiles manipulated by puppeteers.  
Here you can see The Toruk, or Great Leonopteryx.  Six puppeteers on the ground control the movements.
When a natural catastrophe threatens to destroy the sacred Tree of Souls, Ralu and Entu, two Omaticaya boys on the brink of adulthood, fearlessly decide to take matters into their own hands.
 Upon learning that Toruk can help them save the Tree of Souls, they set out, together with their newfound friend Tsyal, on a quest high up in the Floating Mountains to find the mighty red and orange predator that rules the Pandoran sky. 
Prophecy is fulfilled when a pure soul rises among the clans to ride Toruk for the first time and save the Na’vi from a terrible fate.
The tree is beautiful.
Pictures don't do this show justice.  The two Woodsprite mobiles are controlled by performers and is actually a mobil at the end of a 19 foot pole.
There is also an app that you can download to let you interact with the show.  I only downloaded it at intermission but it warned me to go back to my seat when intermission was ending and also had interactive options.  At the beginning of the second half it told me to aim it at the stage and it started making my camera light flash.  At another point it showed me some images.
Here is a video preview:
What an amazing show!  I highly suggest going to see it.  Here is the full schedule:  https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/toruk/tour-dates/  
Find them online:
Disclosure:  I was provided with 4 tickets for review purposes.  No other compensation was received and all opinions are my own.

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