The magnetism of Cirque du Soleil's Dralion is inescapable

Following Cirque du Soleil's phenomenal South Africa debut in 2011, its production Dralion has kicked off the Cirque's return visit to South Africa with a sterling performance in Cape Town for a short run until 10 March, before touring to Joburg from 21 to 24 March.

Each new theatrical, character-driven show has its own unique storyline, soundtrack and style with awe-inspiring stage sets and costumes. Dralion, a name derived from the two emblematic folklore beasts: dragon and lion, symbolises the marriage of east and west, and man's endless quest for harmony with the elements of nature.

Phenomenal stage designs

In Dralion, the four elements of air, water, earth and fire that oversee the natural order take on human form and are beautifully and skilfully depicted in the acrobatic dancers' colourful costumes, their interactions and phenomenal stage designs. Each element is represented by its own evocative colour: air is blue; water is green; fire is red; earth is ochre. In the world of Dralion, cultures blend, man and nature are one, and balance is achieved.

One of the most striking demonstrations of this fine balance is an energetic tumbling sequence in which the artists perform acrobatic moves while balancing on large wooden balls, followed by several Dralion characters - two artists per Dralion - balancing across two balls simultaneously. It has to be seen to be believed.

Equally so, balance is exaggerated in the multi-levelled row of acrobats jumping as one animal through a giant skipping rope without faltering. In another sequence, they resemble pendulums falling from dizzying heights down a great fortress-like facade to trampolines below and then effortlessly bouncing back up the vertical precipice.

Each brightly coloured, opulent and meticulously controlled scene is alternated with the humorous, seemingly clumsy exaggerations of clowns in the pure "absurd" style of Dralion's hand-picked, clown act designer, Michel Dallaire.

Dressed only in black and white, the clowns are a clever, just as masterful, send-up of the main circus acts; their function further enhancing the amazing skill and refined fluidity of their colour-clad counterparts.

Bald heads polished

Before the main show begins, we were drawn in by their foolery as they picked on members of the audience. Bald spots were polished, people were taped to their seats and fun was injected into the mundane, but necessary, safety and security procedures. While the alternating acts bring the audience drama, suspense, excitement, and edge-of-your-seat thrills, the clowns provide respite and light-heartedness as they play tricks on each other. Roars of laughter are quickly followed by gasps and cheers as the audience expresses its appreciation for the amazing control, precision timing, fluid movements and daredevil-like antics of the acrobats.

And, the word "acrobat" doesn't quite do them justice. They are ballet and belly dancers, tightrope walkers, contortionists, gymnasts, trapeze and trampoline artists, jugglers and puppeteers, and more.

And, although they certainly steal the show, the artists are beautifully supported by musicians who seduce the emotions, taking the audience on a magical otherworldly journey using rhythmical beats, haunting and jovial instrumentals and powerful sound thunderstorms that traverse cultures.

This tremendous voyage of physical prowess is brilliantly brought to life by masterful direction and choreography. Dralion's creators span multiple disciplines, countries and eras. They are the best of the best in their specialist fields.

Cirque's pioneers

Founding member, Guy Laliberté entertained 1970s' Quebec as accordionist, stilt-walker and fire-eater, and founded Quebec's first internationally renowned circus with the support of a small group of accomplices. A bold visionary, he recognised and cultivated the talents of the street performers from Fête foraine de Baie-Saint-Paul, originated by Dralion's artistic guide, Gilles Ste-Croix and together he and Ste-Croix co-created Cirque du Soleil in 1984. He was the first to orchestrate the marriage of cultures and artistic and acrobatic disciplines that is the hallmark of Cirque du Soleil. Since 1984, he has guided the creative team through the creation of every show and contributed to elevating the circus arts to the level of the great artistic disciplines.

Ste-Croix's entrée into show business came about in a most unusual and unpredictable way - picking apples in a commune. He mused one day that the job would be a whole lot easier if he could attach the ladder to his legs - and devised his first set of stilts. He became Cirque's artistic director in 1988, and talent searched the four corners of the globe, directing the creation of all of Cirque du Soleil's productions from 1990 to 2000: including Nouvelle Expérience, Saltimbanco, Alegría, Mystère, Quidam, La Nouba, "O", and Dralion.

Dralion's director, Guy Caron was Cirque's first artistic director when the company was created in 1984. He is one of the main pioneers of the rebirth of the circus arts. In 1975, when no circus existed in Quebec, Caron left for Hungary and studied for three years at the École de cirque de Budapest.

Back in Montreal, he was at the forefront of the public entertainers who were precursors to Cirque du Soleil.

A must-see

Cirque du Soleil's Dralion is a perfect marriage of pulse, step, and visual explosion of colour, set, costumes, optical illusions, light and ethereal vapour. The performance truly teases, tantalises and tricks the senses into believing you are in the midst of the interplay between the elemental forces of nature on stage. The magnetic pull from stage to audience is inescapable as we so easily relate with the cycle of life and balancing acts of man and nature.

This rare gem of a show will truly not disappoint and is well worth heading over to the Grand Arena to escape from this world for a few hours into the fantastic otherworld of Dralion. The standing ovation, hoots, whistles and cheers from well-seasoned Cirque du Soleil fans on opening night pay testament to the show's excellence. Booking is at Computicket.

Read more about the show at www.writingstudio.co.za/page1746.html.

Cirque du Soleil's Dralion is at Cape Town's GrandWest Casino until 17 March and at Joburg's Coca-Cola Dome from 21 March. Tickets are available from Computicket. For more information, go to www.cirquedusoleil.com.