THE BALLOON MAN

The Circus Comes to Town

Cirque du Soleil’s Amaluna delivers jaw-dropping stunts

from-  buedu.edu/today/the-circus-comes-to-town

By Paula Sokolska (COM’15)

06.16.2014

BOSTON,MA--The uneven bars, a classic gymnastic event, premiere at Cirque du Soleil in Amaluna. Photo by Laurence Labat

The circus has come to Beantown. And we’re not talking about just any circus. Cirque du Soleil’s current production, Amaluna—a modern twist on Shakespeare’s The Tempest—will amaze you with its feats of strength and acrobatics.

Set on a mysterious island governed by goddesses and the cycles of the moon, the story of Queen Prospera (Shakespeare’s Prospero), a shaman with magical powers, unfolds. The queen conjures up a great storm in preparation for the coming-of-age ceremony of her daughter, Miranda. The storm leaves a group of young men, led by Prince Romeo, shipwrecked on the island. An epic romance between the prince and Miranda ensues.

Fans of the Montreal-based Cirque du Soleil won’t be disappointed by the troupe’s signature awe-inspiring acts: acrobats, juggling, gymnastics, as well as aerial and underwater work. But what’s unique to this particular show is its feminine emphasis—70 percent of the cast is women, unusual for Cirque du Soleil shows. Amaluna was conceived and directed by a name familiar to Boston theatergoers: Tony-winning director Diane Paulus, artistic director of the American Repertory Theater, in Cambridge.

With its clingy, harlequin costumes, expert tumbles and twirls, and a modern plotline brimming with trials and tribulations, Amaluna is the jaw-dropping can’t-miss of the summer.

Cirque du Soleil’s Amaluna is playing through July 6 at the Boston Marine Industrial Park on the Waterfront, 6 Tide St., Boston. Tickets range from $25 to $145. Find performance times and purchase tickets here. By public transportation, take any inbound Green Line trolley to Park Street, transfer to an inbound Red Line train to South Station, and take a Silver Line bus to Northern Avenue at Tide Street.

Paula Sokolska can be reached at ps5642@bu.edu.