ROBIN’S SHOW RECOMMENDATION: ZARKANA by CIRQUE DU SOLEIL

Zarkana was seen by more than 500,000 people in its 2011 premiere season at Radio City Music Hal, and the show has returned to New York following a history-making engagement at Moscow’s Kremlin State Palace Theatre and performed in a highly-successful engagement in Madrid prior to Moscow.

Written and directed by François Girard, Zarkana blends circus arts with the surreal to create a world where physical virtuosity rubs shoulders with the bizarre. Zarkana is a visual vortex set in a slightly twisted fantasy universe where, little by little, chaos and craziness give way to festivity and love regained. The diverse and crazy talented cast of more than 75 international artists transports the audience into a fantastical and suspenseful world, blurring the boundaries between the real and imaginary.

The Zarkana story focuses on a magician named Zark (Paul Bisson) who has lost his powers, and is searching for his true love (played by singer Meetu Chilana).  In the scheme of things, the story is not discernible, and it doesn’t much matter.  My son and I really enjoyed this spectacle of a show.  It is a feast for the eyes. Inventive, original, thrilling.  One of my favorite  acts was Sand Painting by Erika Chen. The acrobatics are astounding.  The visual effects, including images of serpents, stars, planets, spiderwebs, etc. are eye-popping.   You are transported for 1.5 hours (no intermission), and there is never a dull moment.  And, what a treat to see it at the wonderful Radio City Musical Hall.  My son particularly got a kick out of the clown flying above the audience, with a nod to Spiderman and then the Yankees…which drew laughs.

About François Girard
One of Quebec’s most highly regarded creators, François Girard is equally at ease in cinema (Silk, The Red Violin), opera, visual arts and theatre and has earned an enviable international reputation over the years. A keen music lover, he is particularly known for the hybrid worlds he creates in which music plays a predominant role. His works are recognized for their great musicality, both in terms of sound and image. This is second creation for Cirque du Soleil, following ZED.

Photo by OSA Images

Tickets range from $59 to $125 with a limited number of prime and premium tickets available. To purchase tickets, visit cirquedusoleil.com/zarkana or ticketmaster.com or call 1-866-858-0008.  The shows plays through Sept. 2.

Zarkana Performance Schedule:
• Tuesdays through Fridays at 8pm
• Saturdays at 2pm and 8 pm
• Sundays at 2pm and 7pm
• Wednesday matinees at 2pm

About Cirque du Soleil
From a group of 20 street performers at its beginnings in 1984, Cirque du Soleil is now a major Quebec-based organization providing high-quality artistic entertainment. The company has 5,000 employees, including more than 1,500 performing artists from close to 50 different countries. Cirque du Soleil has brought wonder and delight to more than 100 million spectators in nearly 300 cities on six continents. For more information, please visit www.cirquedusoleil.com.