KURIOS by Cirque du Soleil in Vancouver

To say that I was excited to see the show would be a complete understatement. I had come across this show in my travels a couple years ago in San Francisco – a poster while waiting for my train – and it looked so interesting – particularly the costume design and steampunk theme. When I found out it was coming to Vancouver, I jumped on the opportunity to go check it out.

Kurios, as all the other Cirque du Soleil shows that come through town is held at the Grand Chapiteau at Concord Pacific Place, close to Rogers Arena. As with the other shows, there are areas to purchase merchandise and eats/drinks if you feel compelled to. There are also some great spots to take photos at both inside and outside the tents.

Inside the tent, the seating is cozy but it would be hard to have a bad view. I always forget how close all the seats are! About 10 minutes before the show begins, they normally have characters wandering and interacting with the audience to keep their attention and it’s pretty fun.

Before we get into spoiler territory, I want to say that this is one of the best Cirque du Soleil shows I’ve watched, and I’ve watched quite a few! The costume design, pacing and acts were all fantastic and there was never a dull moment. So if you have a chance, be sure to check it out.

Now onto a bit more of the show – which might be slightly spoiler-y, so if you haven’t seen it and intend to see it, you should probably stop reading here.

Again, overall I really loved the set and costume design. They were steampunk-themed with a lot of brass, metal and brown elements to them. The robots were a fun addition and utilizing the edge of the stage as a track during certain parts of the show was a great use of space.

Some of the highlights of the first acts included:

The balancing chair act – I’ve seen this before during other Cirque shows, but they switched it up by mirroring it on the ceiling – incredible! It felt very dreamlike and very entertaining to watch.

I loved the metal hand that the contortionists came out on, their act is always incredible to watch. It’s remarkable what the human body can endure.

There were parts in the show that broke up the jaw-dropping acts – mostly fun and light hearted including the Invisible Circus and Dog portion. The music throughout the show was lively and relevant to what was happening on stage, so it was always exciting to hear.

After a brief intermission, the second act started and had some great acrobatics and net work. My favourite moments included the company of men who were bouncing on the net and the performer who was balancing on cylinders. He took it to the next level when he was lifted up into the air (it was so stressful to watch but I couldn’t keep my eyes off!). They always have a clown as the MC, and he always provides an entertaining intro, outro and amusement in between acts.

It would definitely be a great show to watch with your family, on a date night or with friends – it’s perfect for all ages.

For more information on KURIOS, check out their website here: https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/kurios

Running now until December 31st, 2017.