Latest Cirque show gets creative with insects
It’s no secret circus acrobats are often seen as sexy. On Seinfeld after all Jerry was enthralled with Katya a Romanian gymnast offering access to “a magical world of sensual delights that most men dare not dream of.” Cirque du Soleil’s already ramped up this reputation with shows such as Zumanity an erotic cabaret-style revue and does so again with Ovo a production about um insects.
Strange as it might seem Ovo ’s press kit celebrates its “sexy vibrant” cricket costumes and a “sexy” spider who tries to seduce a fly. The emphasis on insects’ sexiness explains publicist Marie Claude Asselin helps counterbalance the negative reactions they sometimes draw. In the hands of director Deborah Colker the first woman to helm a Cirque show they’re portrayed not as creepy crawlies but rather as part of a vibrant colourful natural world.
“We want to make sure the people in the audience won’t get scared about the costumes” Asselin says which should reassure any entomophobes who might attend. “Insects are all around the world they are always around us and if you take time to see those insects and just to observe them it’s really really beautiful.”
Robyn Houpt however isn’t entirely convinced of this supposed beauty. In an ironic bit of casting she portrays one of the spiders and found the prep for the role — all performers are required to watch a video about insects as part of their training — rather unnerving.
“I studied spiders which is really hard for me because I’m really afraid of spiders” she says. “I am totally scared of them it’s so funny. People laugh at me for that.”
Houpt joined Cirque du Soleil in 2002 and appeared in three of its Las Vegas shows before touring with Ovo which debuted in Montreal in 2009. She says her diverse background which includes stints in rhythmic gymnastics and breakdancing seemed well suited to performing with the troupe.
“I just felt that it would be a good home for all of my random skills that I didn’t quite know what to do with.”
Despite her useful past experience though Houpt’s fear of spiders isn’t the only hurdle she’s faced. Her role in Ovo which she describes as among the most challenging of all the Cirque shows she’s done requires her to literally bend over backwards along with a series of other impressive but painful-looking contortions.
“Being a spider involves a lot of strange unnatural positions” she says “so it kind of hurts.”
Despite the physical demands she faces Houpt says she’s mostly just suffered “strains and sprains” while with Cirque. The possibility the laws of gravity could suddenly kick in as she and a swarm of other artists run up and across an eight-metre vertical rock wall doesn’t phase her.
“I try not to think about that on purpose” she says. “It’s mostly important just to stay focused on what you’re doing and then you can avoid stuff like that.”
Focus is certainly a requirement for fellow spider Li Wei’s routine which almost makes Houpt’s look easy in comparison. While merely standing still on his wildly swaying slack wire seems like a huge challenge Li also performs somersaults and handstands on it and rides a tiny unicycle upside down.
It’s an apt symbol of the delicate balance Cirque du Soleil maintains in its shows combining adult sensuality with childlike whimsy. It’s a formula Asselin says that’s helped Ovo appeal to audiences of all ages.
“We’ve realized by travelling from city to city that all the kids all the grandparents everybody enjoys the show” she says. “Small kids one year old are impressed by what they’re seeing. So it’s kind of fun to see that to see everybody leaving the show with a smile on their face.”
