A True Snapshot Experience

I once heard someone say, “You’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all,” but that’s not the case when it comes to musicals. Having watched, “Wicked: The Musical,” a couple years ago at the Pantages Theater in Hollywood, I took the opportunity to watch Cirque Du Soliel ‘s show called, “Iris ,” at the Kodak Theater in Hollywood, expecting to feel moved and almost cry at certain moments. I expected an entertainment that told the classic story of life, love, and other mysteries. I based my expectations on hearing friends talk about it in the past and by watching the trailer , but that didn’t even prepare me, in the least, for the story I was about to see.

After taking a seat and before the lights dimmed, actors/performers from the show were already mingling with the audience, teasing, playing, and enjoying themselves as if they were street performers. Instead of money, they sought to make people laugh, and instead of greed, they expressed the childlike hopes of making others happy. And as the lights dimmed, the already present feeling of excitement only added to the anticipation of what was about to happen.

Aside from the performers playing around, the front two columns of box seats were filled with musicians, males on the right side of the stage and females on the left side. Watching and listening to them warm up added to the texture of the show and when the lights dimmed and the show began, it turned into an experience unlike anything I’ve ever had.

The music was beautifully composed, starting from the simple playing of the piano that flowed into an orchestral set of blinding beauty. Accompanying the music, the immaculate performances were spectacular and breathtaking. Whether they were spinning from the ceiling of the theater or fluttering across the stage, everything moved beautifully together to move the audience. From free-running with trampolines to elegant lyrical and ballet dances, the show was a magical feast for my eyes that kept my heart pounding hours after the show.

One that caught my attention and made me laugh hard was the performance of the multi-colored bugs. In many different colors and bug suits, complete with antennas, these acrobats flipped, jumped, and scurried across the stage with precise calculations and dangerous feats. And another that I found inexplicably beautiful was when Scarlett, the main female character in the love story, danced a solo that showed off her flexibility and beautiful lines. Though many had danced before her, her movements were fluid and quite emotional. Watching her reminded me of watching water flow down a stream.

Unfortunately, I couldn’t take any pictures during the performance, nor did I remember to take pictures inside the Kodak Theater, but I did manage to take a couple outside of the theater. I strongly recommend anyone who feels lacking in inspiration and in want of good music and art to go and watch the show. Also to research other shows and videos to watch. As for me, I’ll be ranting and raving about this for a long time, and with good reason.

In short, this experience exceeds expectations.


People also view

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *