Cirque du Soleil: Breaking the rules of acrobatics

Most of Cirque du Soleil’s acrobats spend their time defying death, but a recent article in The Columbian describes them embracing the Reaper–in their show, at least.

The show, called Corteo, is a blend of Cirque’s usual stunning performances with a distinct narrative. On it’s face it seems a bit morbid: An elderly clown faces his death, and revisits the joys and despairs of his life. For the reviewer, it’s a bold new way for Cirque to entertain, developing a character with a history rather than just impressing the audience with their stunts. Another way to look at it is as a new form of storytelling, akin to theater, but with more emphasis on the movement of the body.

Whichever way you prefer to look at it, it’s certainly a unique show, and tickets are still on sale at Stubhub.com.