Cirque du Soleil's Avatar is coming to Beijing in August

The circus behemoth's thrilling production based on the James Cameron blockbuster rolls into town

This August, the world's largest (and arguably most ambitious) theatrical producer, Cirque du Soleil, is coming to town to interpret the breathtaking world of James Cameron's mega-hit Avatar.

The world-famous Canadian entertainment company will apply its unique signature style to the extraordinary 2009 blockbuster that was widely praised for its groundbreaking visual effects.

Like the movie, the show is set on the faraway moon Pandora, but the theatre performance is a prequel, taking place some 3,000 years before the events of the film.

James Cameron created a coherent, highly structured world with its own set of codes and natural laws, including a living, breathing ecosystem with its own exotic fauna. When the creators of Toruk: The First Flight decided to evoke the creatures of Pandora on stage through the art of puppetry, they could easily have turned to animatronics – animal figures animated by means of electromechanical devices.

Instead, they chose to create intricate puppets where the strings, rod and controls are intentionally left visible and the puppeteers are in full view. Other elements in the show include a fusion of cutting-edge visuals and stagecraft buoyed by a soaring cinematic score.

Toruk: The First Flight is Cirque du Soleil's first show to be based on a movie, and for fans of the widely popular film, it will most likely be a mark-hitter, not to mention an impressively loud and colourful experience.

Thrilling acrobatics, stunning visuals, special effects and lighting all come together to create an intense theatrical experience, and for the first time in Cirque du Soleil's history, the show also features an English-speaking narrator who will deliver a recap of the action every few minutes.

Toruk: First Flight will take place at Cadillac Arena from August 1-5. Tickets are on sale now. Scan the QR code below to purchase yours.

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