Cirque du Soleil Paramour tells the story of a young woman named Verna who later transforms into Indigo James after meeting the esteemed Hollywood director AJ Golden. Indigo later finds herself having to make the toughest decision of her life thus far. She must choose between true love and her career as a movie star. After watching the Broadway show the best adjective that I can fathom to describe Cirque du Soleil Paramour would be extravagant. From the costuming and set design to the scenery and overall performance of the cast, everything about this show was both flamboyant and exuberant. I personally really enjoyed the show. I often find myself bedazzled whilst watching plays that are particularly sumptuous even if the content of the show …show more content…
For example, in comparison to the spectacular dance numbers, fantastic singing, and gorgeous scenery the acting seemed to be a bit subpar. By no means am I trying to exemplify that I believed the acting was bad or that the cast was unskilled, although it seemed to be the least contributing factor towards my enjoyment of the production. However, like I stated previously if a production is flashy enough, I will enjoy it immensely in spite of almost anything. Therefore, depending on the type of people the audience consists of the disparity between the acting and design could be inimical or …show more content…
This fact was not expressly stated, but the story’s time period was made evident through the production’s costume design, set design, prop design, as well as through the use of projections. In regards to the costuming, I didn’t find anything garish or gaudy. Indigo was never dressed in the famous, time-specific flapper attire nor were the show’s leading men, AJ and Joey ever donned with waistcoats or canes. Phillipe Guillotel, the production's costume designer did a splendid job of creating a rendition of the 1930's/ 1940’s old Hollywood glam that fit the personalities of each character. For the majority of the show, indigo wore elegant yet glamorous gowns and Joey wore Zoot Suit pants with a white button-up with suspenders. Seeing that Indigo was a budding star and Joey was a normal guy during the 40’s their outfits are fitting and sensible, without going over the top. As for the projections and the set and prop design, it was due to the superficial architecture of the set’s buildings and the usage of projections to exhibit prevalent films and advertisement during that particular time period that made the timing of the story evident to the audience. Because of the work that Phillipe Guillotel, Jean Rabasse who is the show’s set designer, and Olivier Simola who is the show’s projection designer that enabled the characters of the show to truly become a part of that era. These features also aided
Of course Emily Mouton looked hilarious in her big obnoxious orange dress too, if anyone can pull that off it was her character Ernestina. Finally, all the waiters and waitresses corresponding colors looked fantastic, especially when they were dancing, no distractions because they were all the same color! My OCD was not bugging me on that because believe me if they had a shade off I would have noticed.
The production had many elements which for the most part formed a coalition to further the plot. The characters, the three part scenery and costumes represented well the period of time these people were going through. As far as the performers entering and exiting the stage, it could have been more organized. There were a few times when the performers exited at the wrong times or it seemed so due to the echo of the music. At certain moments the music was slightly loud and drowned the performers. Many of the songs dragged on, so the pacing could have been more effectively executed. Though the music was off at times, the director's decision to have most of the songs performed center sage was a wise one. Also the implementation of actual white characters that were competent in their roles came as a great surprise to the audience and heightened the realism.
This major production for Venice Theater was a success in my opinion. It was well worth doing; as I cant remember a moment that was not full of laughter from the audience, as this play kept everyone on the edge of their seats. They did a fantastic job finding actors and actresses who did outstanding with their rolls. Any escapist would thoroughly enjoy this production.
A lot of make-up was worn by flappers that they even put on in public which was once unheard of and considered something done only by actresses and whores. Flappers wore short, straight dresses often covered with beads and fringes, and they were usually worn without pantyhose. Young flappers were known to be very rebellious against their parents, and society blamed their waywardness partially on the media, movies, and film stars like Louise Brooks (Szabo). Louise Brooks was a big part of the Jazz Age and had a lot of influence on the women of the 1920’s.
Since the time period of the show was the 1940s, the woman portraying Billie Holiday wore a very elegant evening gown that sparkled in the stage light along with what appeared to be a large flower clip in her hair. The male dancers wore slacks, button-up shirts, suspenders, and loafers. The female dancers wore dresses what went past their knees, characters shoes, and stockings. Some of the female dancers also wore some type of hair piece. The costumes were tailored perfectly for the dancers. They were fitted nicely around the dancers bodies, but it never prevented them from being able to fully perform. They were able to do all of their battements, pirouettes, and sautes with ease, or at least, that is how it appeared to
One of its numerous strengths was the costuming and set. This musical would not have been the same had these elements not come together to transport the viewer. In addition to the costuming and the set, the actors were very well cast. Each actor was in a role that fit them and they portrayed their characters very well. For example, the man who played Glen really seemed like a greedy Wall Street worker. The choreography was also well done. It fit true to the style of dance in the 1980s and added to the immersion experience. The only thing that could have made this experience better would be to add more music. This may just be a personal preference, but when I see a musical I like for the music to be central like it is in Hamilton or Les Miserables. However, this musical was very good and not much could be added to enhance the
In conclusion, the acting in the production was very good. I was held captivated by the accents and shocked by the language and dialect because I knew that this really happens and has happened. I felt like I could actually change what was happening on stage. For Instance, when the rumble is happening and Bernardo and Riff bring out the switchblades, I gasped. Silently to myself, I said "DON'T DO THIS. THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A CLEAN FAIR FIGHT. YOU GUYS ARE MORE SIMILAR THAN YOU ARE DIFFERENT, JUST BEING FRIENDS." The same occurrence happened when Anita is assaulted by the Jets when attempting to find Tony to save him. I understood her feelings and wanted the Jets to get in trouble for their actions. I became invested in what happened to the
“Flappers.” Fashion, Costume, and Culture: Clothing, Headwear, Body Decorations, and Footwear through the Ages. Ed. Sara Pendergast and Tom Pendergast. Vol. 4: Modern World Part I: 1900-1945. Detroit: UXL, 2004.
The best improvement they could've made to this play would've been canceling it. I guess if I were the director, I would've tried to make it more entertaining, because it was really boring.
If we didn’t have fashion then a lot of people wouldn’t have jobs because there are a whole bunch of fashion designers out there, also all of the celebrities wouldn’t have name brand clothing because there would be no way to make them because we wouldn’t have designers. Fashion of the 1920’s played a very big role in today’s fashion. Including the material our clothing is made out of also the styles of clothing we wear. Many things women wear today first came from fashion in the 1920's. Flappers, shoe styles, and accessories are a few things that we wear today have came from. Many celebrities still wear some things that people wore in the 1920's including flappers. Have you ever wondered what the amazing fashion of the 1920's was like?
Social classes played a major role on what you dressed like in the 1920’s, just like they do now. The highest social class wore more expensive clothes averaging from 100-400 dollars. High class men wore expensive custom tailored suits. Women wore fur coats, silk evening gowns, and bow pumps. Just like today, we judge people based on what they wear. Women wearing these clothes, were often seen as the higher more rich class. Henry Ford is an example of a higher class male who wore expensive suits.
However, overall, I really enjoyed the performance. Even as a Hairspray conniseur and snooty arts school student that I am, I thought it was fantastic. I am very happy for my friends and peers who put on the production, and I wish both the cast and crew good luck with the Schuler’s later this
Multiply criteria— Cirque du Soleil a combination of cultures, an array of artistic talents from around the world; such as, stagecraft (i.e. makeup, costumes, and prop builders), performers both circus and theater, New Age music, and many more people locate behind the scene that also contribute to Cirque success. All these areas tied together created a spectacular show. Partner’s investment paid back and more with the money earned from the shows unique brand. (Kreitner & Cassidy, pp. 234-236)
the play was good. The first act was a little slow and tedious but the