Quidam: Existentialist Circus

“Skipping is part of the adventure of the little girl” in Quidam, said Adrienn Banhegyi, a professional rope skipper from Hungary who is with Cirque du Soleil.

At first, Banhegyi said, her family and friends did not understand why she would want to join up with a circus. In her country, she said, it’s not such a big deal. Once she showed them some videos though, they began to understand.

One of the most challenging things about joining the circus, she said, was learning to do her own stage makeup. Aspiring professional acrobats are recruited at gymnastic events and from circus schools; some attend auditions. After acceptance to Cirque du Soleil, athletes attend training in Montréal to be turned “into artists,” as Francis Jalbert, a publicist with the company, put it.

Banhegyi is one of the 52 acrobats, musicians, and singers working on Quidam, a Cirque du Soleil show coming to Hartford at the end of this month. The company’s employees come from 18 countries and speak 25 languages. English and French are the primary languages spoken, but sometimes, with many Russian and Chinese performers employed, translators are necessary. There have been times when 15 interpreters have been around, but Jalbert explained, “English is worldwide.”

For those who perform with the group, it’s not all fun and games, though if others are like Banhegyi, they are definitely enjoying their work. Every week, the company holds meetings during which they look at videos of past performances, analyzing what could be done better or differently.

“Every show is different,” Jalbert says. Unlike films, they are “not static in time.”

This is the value of the live performance. In an age when many are content to remain in their armchairs, some realize that even the best video can not capture the magic and ephemeral quality of a show. As Jalbert said, “people can still be entertained by real people.”

The video below, taken yesterday afternoon, demonstrates Banhegyi’s skill, but fails to capture the moment that this happened within. There was no warm up, no stretching, no music, and no one counting off. She picked up the rope and began skipping:

Quidam — which Banhegyi has solo performances and side acts in — is not a new show, but the theme is as relevant today as when it was first performed in 1996. It centers on a little girl who feels ignored, alienated from her parents; as she seeks their attention, they continue to be absorbed in their own worlds. As a result, she retreats into her imagination.

Unlike other Cirque du Soleil productions, the characters of this show are all human. No insects this time.

There is the possibility of audience interaction, so those who seek the opportunity to be brought onto the stage might want to sit toward the front. Instead of being under the Grand Chapiteau, this will be an arena show at the Civic Center; it’s the first Cirque du Soleil performance in Hartford that will not be inside of the iconic yellow and blue striped tent. To make the show “more intimate” they will be using half the arena. Other adjustments have been made to adapt the show from Big Top to arena.

“People will be flying over your head,” said Jalbert.

At the Wadsworth Atheneum on Thursday evening — August 4th — there will be a drawing to win tickets or discounted admission to Quidam.

Cirque du Soleil’s Quidam will be at the Civic Center from August 31st through September 4th.