review: Cirque du Soleil's Luzia is an enchanting voyage to Mexico

MONTREAL

This past weekend was the grand opening of Cirque du Soleil's Luzia under the big top in Montreal's Old Port.

The entrance to Luzia in Montreal's Old Port. Photo by Courtney Castelino

Luzia, like other Cirque shows, does not utilize traditional storytelling through narrative, but instead has a general theme and feel, using props, lighting and costumes to create a magical world that it invites the audience to step into. 

Luzia's theme is based on Mexico; the title is derived from two Spanish words: "luz" (light) and "lluvia" (rain). The show sets the atmosphere using insects, birds, reptiles and fauna from that country to help create the setting. The stage for the opening sequence has a giant bed of brightly coloured flowers. The close relationship between Canada and Mexico is represented by the monarch butterfly, who migrates between the two nations each year.

The standard pre-show announcement is cleverly concealed as an in-flight announcement on a plane to Mexico, setting the tone for the transformative journey.

One end of the stage is flanked with a large, flat circular object that is lit up and positioned in various ways throughout the show to create dimension. I expected it to eventually morph into the Mayan calendar, but it never did, which made it feel like a bit of a missed opportunity to create a dramatic and visually stunning feature.

Incredible balancing skills amid a retro beach setting. Photo by Courtney Castelino.

The band's costumes incorporate intriguing details, like a crocodile head, that add to the surreal nature of the setting. The dancers' costumes also include snakes, crabs, and iguanas, artfully integrated into the costumes bodices or headpieces. Classic Mexican archetypes are also used, like luchadores, mariachi bands, and fiesta lanterns. The music is a mixture of genres, but serves to convey the sense of the Mexican spirit through song.

The setting is vaguely retro; this is especially felt during a bathing scene, where the artists are dressed in vintage style swimwear.

As is traditional for Cirque shows, the scene opens with a clown who serves as a quasi narrator and for comic relief. The clown has found himself unexpectedly in this strange land and is searching for water to refill his canteen. As noted before, rain is a recurring theme in Luzia, recalling the Aztec rain god Tláloc, who was invoked when water was needed for to grow crops. My favourite scene featured a jaguar and a cenote; the interactions between the acrobat and the jaguar both tender and respectful, symbolizing the delicate nature of the relationship between people and the environment.

The performer rises up from a cenote, as a jaguar observes. Photo by Courtney Castelino.

The show is a dazzling tribute the diversity of Mexico, both from an ecological perspective, as well as a human perspective. The scenery is spectacular, with some unexpected, but charming elements included, including a water feature that drew a delighted gasp from the audience.

The artists' performances were no less thrilling, from dual swings, unbelievable feats of strength, a mind blowing contortionist, and more. Sometimes, at least from my angle, it felt like it was hard to concentrate on the athletes, because your eye is drawn to all the other things going on on the stage regardless of their level of importance. A few times, it felt like I missed the most important part of an act because I was focusing on something other than the primary performer. That being said, because it is so organic, even if you miss something, it won't detract from the overall show experience.

You won't want to miss this one! I think that Luzia ranks as one of Cirque du Soleil's most magical shows. Luzia is under the big top in Old Montreal through August 24th - click here for more information or to get tickets, and check out the official trailer below.