Cirque du Soleil: Alegria

(Blue Cross Arena, 25 September 2009)

At a Starbucks, it is hard enough to place an order just when the barista is listening and to recall one's name and the drink's name and ingredients in the right order. In comparison, on an aerial high bar, group performance is near to impossible, requires uncommon intelligence and skill. The skill looks like a product of desperation, not aspiration to beauty---perfection in the mundane. The impression is reinforced by the scenes in which athletes are forced to perform by their ugly masters, unnecessarily introduced to set off the athletes' perfect bodies.

Alegria lacks the class of Moulin Rouge, another celebration of physique. Alegria's goal, however, is not to honour class. Class embodies civilization and hence requires an object for imitation, whose availability is a matter of chance. Instead, Alegria honours hard work, which is universally available.