'Avatar'-Inspired Cirque du Soleil Show Comes to BJ, Aug 1-12

If you’ve ever been to a Cirque du Soleil show, you know that the Montreal theatrical producer’s acrobats move with the grace and gravity-defying deftness of beings from another world. Now, that notion is being taken to a whole other level with the company’s new production Toruk: The First Flight, which is based on the universe first introduced to audiences by James Cameron in his 2009 sci-fi blockbuster Avatar. Yes, fans of that sweeping interstellar saga will now have the opportunity to see the blue-skinned, highly agile Na’vi aliens in the flesh in the form of renowned Cirque acrobats covered in intricate makeup and costumes, leaping from and contorting upon elaborate sets built to a massive scale that the theatre company has never attempted before.

Ahead of the production’s Aug 1-12 Beijing Run at the Cadillac Center in Wukesong, we spoke with Cirque spokesperson Janie Mallet, who travels with the cast and crew during the world tour, and has had unique backstage access as the talent scurry to put on their show-stopping performances. She tells us more about the surprising connection between the Avatar film and Cirque du Soleil,  how the cast dealt with doing backflips in a costume with a slinking Na’vi tail (it’s even harder than it looks), and more.

This is the biggest production that Cirque has put on yet

How does Toruk set itself apart from other Cirque productions?

It is a different kind of production because we are inspired by the movie Avatar and this is the first time Cirque built on a story that was initially imagined by someone else. However, it works because Avatar is a movie with such a rich universe and so many unique characters and species. 

This will be the first Cirque production that has large-scale puppets controlled by seasoned puppeteers, which works well for kids and the whole family. It’s also different because we have a strong storyline with a narrator, a Na'vi storyteller who carries us from the first moment along this journey and explains everything that’s going on. We still have all the acrobatics that Cirque is known for, but it’s woven into the storytelling.

That’s different from other Cirque productions; we always have good plots but they are usually left open to greater interpretation. In this case, we’re going back to the roots of storytelling, which affects how the show developed.

Avatar and Cirque share surprisingly close ties

Speaking of which, the backstory for this production was almost as compelling as the play’s plot itself. Tell us a little bit more about that.

Yes, we actually worked with James Cameron on previous projects like Cirque du Soleil: Worlds Away a film based on the universe of Cirque. Later, he told our founder that the Na'vi beings in Avatar were inspired by Cirque performers.

Oh wow, I had no idea. But now that I think about it…
It makes sense, right? [Laughs]. Because the Na’vi are extremely agile and graceful. So the best human beings to portray them are our acrobats.

So it’s all come full circle then.
Yes, and the collaboration continued from there. James gave us documents before the movie was even done, so as we developed this production we could stay true to that rich world he imagined. And, from there, our writers also created some new creatures and Na’vi clans, so that we could add our own touch to it. I think that the collaboration worked out really well.

I think it’s interesting that you began this production before the film even came out.
Yes, we began production and kept in touch with James and his team. And then when the movie came out in 2009 and it had such a huge impact, we were especially excited to continue working on it. But it took another five years from there to get to the premiere, find show directors, and work out other details. The team continued to work closely with James to develop the storyline.

Then it was time to imagine the set design and do the casting and costumes. We premiered in Montreal in December of 2015, and it’s been so successful that we’ve been on the road with it ever since.

The acrobats pull off elaborate stunts in this production

What were some of the most challenging scenes for the cast and crew to pull off?
This is the largest show we’ve ever put on, from the audience’s vantage it’s bigger than five Imax screens. That means all the props and apparatuses were so big that the acrobats could not train to use them at our Cirque school in Montreal. Instead, they had to learn on set.

So we have one particular huge new apparatus created specifically for this show that you won’t see anywhere else. It’s called the “bone structure.” It gets built onstage, and essentially it’s this revolving skeleton seesaw [pictured in the lead image above]. It not only turns around but also moves up and down, and five of our Na’vi acrobats do a balancing contortion act on top.

Aside from that, our acrobats had to learn how to move with the tail on their costumes. In rehearsal, they were always stepping on the tails or getting them caught in the rope acts. That took a lot of training to work out.

I bet. The costumes look quite intricate, but not exactly comfortable or easy to move in.
Yes, and the same goes for the actors’ makeup. We are known for beautiful costumes and intricate makeup, but this is a whole other level. The makeup for this production took about an hour to do and every cast member had to do it themselves. So they’d learn it from the makeup department in Montreal, step by step.

It’s complicated because it’s carefully based on the movie, and they’re trying to recreate the Na’vi features, so the nose is larger, eyes are bigger, there’s a bit of yellow and a lot of blue. And the makeup had to be tailored to each artist’s face. It amounted to four different kinds of blue cream and foundations, created specifically for our show, and it took 30 hours of training before the cast could do it themselves, and get into a routine before the show.

Aside from the acrobatic choreography, the makeup and costumes in this production are also complex

Sounds impressive, but taxing.
Well after awhile some of the actors began to like it, because it meant they could take the time to sit down, center themselves, and incorporate the makeup as part of the pre-show ritual. It could help them get into character, in a way. And even though it takes a long time, it’s beautiful in the end and looks like the Na’vi walked right off the movie screen.

You must also be looking forward to bringing this show to China, seeing as the backdrop for Avatar was inspired by the mountains in Guilin.
Yes, it’s very exciting to go where this inspiration was taken from. It’s something we’re all looking forward to. Also, Avatar was such a huge hit in China and was so well received among Chinese audiences that that brings the level of excitement a notch higher. The Cirque brand isn’t that well known in China compared to other parts of the world, but Avatar is hugely famous there. So we’re looking forward to giving you our take on Avatar and bringing the Na’vi to you!

See Toruk: The First Flight at the Cadillac Center, Aug 1-12. Tickets range from RMB 280-780. For more information and to purchase tickets, click 'Read More' below.

This post is paid for by the Cirque du Soleil
Photos courtesy of the Cirque du Soleil