I have long been a fan of the magical productions presented by Cirque du Soleil under their blue and gold circus tent. However, the new Cirque du Soleil show inspired by James Cameron’s record-breaking movie AVATAR, TORUK – THE FIRST FLIGHT, was a visual feast for the eyes beyond compare to any of their previous endeavours due to the amazing special effects which allowed the audience to see rivers flowing, ocean waves ebbing and flowing, waterfalls on the sides of mountains, volcanoes erupting, and five completely different and super colorful environments, people, and animals representing the five tribes on Pandora, the alien world inhabited by blue beings in Cameron’s stunning film.
“TORUK – The First Flight,” written and directed by Michel Lemieux and Victor Pilon, is Cirque du Soleil’s 37th production since 1984. The company has brought wonder and delight to more than 155 million spectators in more than 300 cities on six continents. Cirque du Soleil has close to 4,000 employees, including 1,300 performing artists from close to 50 different countries.
Their remarkable new show arrived in Los Angeles for three days at the Staples Center beginning Nov. 11 and will return to the Forum in Inglewood Jan. 12-15, 2017 as part of a global tour of arenas around the world, presented by Visa Signature® in association with Korean Air SKYPASS Visa®. Tickets are now on sale at https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/toruk.
Inspired by James Cameron’s AVATAR, TORUK – The First Flight allows its audience to experience a storytelling odyssey to new worlds of imagination, discovery, and possibility.
Through a riveting fusion of cutting-edge visuals, puppetry and stagecraft buoyed by a soaring cinematic score, Cirque du Soleil applies its unique signature style to James Cameron’s imaginary world of Pandora thanks to an incredibly talented technical crew from 16 nations that sets up and operates the electronic wizardry which enables the wondrous locations to so brilliantly come to live from moment-to-moment, each more awe-inspiring than the last.
Just as impressive is the scenic design of the physical set with a central plateau, surrounding “rocks,” and an enormous, mountainous backdrop of set pieces which is moved by performers to allow the different locales to morph from one to the other in a matter of seconds. The environment is a living ode to the Na’vi’s symbiotic coexistence with nature and their belief in the basic interconnectedness of all living things.
Narrated by a “Na’vi Storyteller” and populated by unforgettable characters, TORUK – The First Flight is a mythical tale set thousands of years before the events depicted in the film AVATAR, and before any humans ever set foot on Pandora. It begins when a natural catastrophe threatens to destroy the sacred Tree of Souls inspiring Ralu and Entu, two Omatikaya boys on the brink of adulthood, to fearlessly decide to take matters into their own hands.
Upon learning that Toruk can help them save the Tree of Souls, they set out, together with their newfound friend Tsyal, on a quest high up in the Floating Mountains to find the mighty red and orange predator that rules the Pandoran sky. Prophecy is fulfilled when a pure soul rises among the clans to ride Toruk for the first time and save the Na’vi from a terrible fate in the enchanting final moments of the show.
The overall effect of the total experience will power your imagination to heights of wonder and awe at the sheer magnificence of so difficult an undertaking. Certainly the acrobatic skills of all the performers are a wonderment in themselves, but this time the technical merits outshine almost everything else thanks to the artistic guidance of Guy Laliberté (Guide) and Jean-François Bouchard (Creative Guide) for Cirque du Soleil, and James Cameron, Jon Landau, Kathy Franklin and Richie Baneham for Lightstorm Entertainment.
It certainly was exciting to be seated so close to James Cameron in the audience and be able to thank him after the show for how much he has inspired others to fly to their own imaginative heights.
In an effort to bring audience members involvement to a whole new level, Cirque du Soleil has launched a first-of-its-kind app for TORUK – The First Flight. Working with long-time technology partner SAP, the app will enhance the overall show experience and enable audience members to be a part of the action before, during and after the performance simply by using their cell phones following text instructions during the show. The app can be downloaded from here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/toruk-the-first-flight/id1060239115?mt=8
Rush to get your tickets for the shows at the Forum before they sell out and get ready for one of the most wondrous theatre experiences of your life as you travel into worlds unknown right before your eyes! For more information about Cirque du Soleil, visit https://www.cirquedusoleil.com.