A mesmerising mix of skills and thrills

Varekai, Trafford Centre

IT has become fashionable to have a go at Montreal-based Cirque du Soleil simply because it is a brand bigger than Barnum’s, roaming the world gobbling up the finest circus acts on offer as it goes — and charging heavily for the privilege of viewing.

The thing is, the professionally bored can only maintain it for so long: by the end of “Varekai”, new to the North-West, detractors are invariably like the first-night full-house in the big top on the Trafford Centre car park: standing in awe, mouth agape, cheering. The company’s normal course is to dream up an apparently drug-assisted story and take it from there. This one is about an Icarus-like figure falling to ground in the weirdest of weird forests at the top of a volcano. Or something...

It doesn’t matter; the stories are merely pegs on which to hang costumes so fantastic the BBC costume department would blanch, technical perfection Cameron Mackintosh only dreams of, and acts that are out of this world. The shows also major in extraordinary detail. Wherever you look there are performers off in the distance, even at the back of the forest of tall poles that form the stage backdrop. Let your eye wander and something will be happening somewhere; floor traps open and close and performers emerge or disappear; glowing lights dance round the dark stage, globes of green light fall from ceiling to floor. The talent and imagery are extravagant and abundant.

But then you come to the acts, and even all the peripheral marvels pale. From apparently boneless contortionist Irina Naumenko to the novel opening aerial strap act, which uses a net instead of straps; to the disabled man who uses his crutches to perform extraordinary feats of gymnastics; through comedians Steven Bishop and Mooky Cornish as a brilliantly funny, low-grade magic act (that on opening night grabbed Oldham actor Gerard Kearns as a dupe), to northern aerialist twins Andrew and Kevin Atherton in the most thrilling, high-flying strap routine I’ve seen, they are the best at what they do.

Then there is the finale, a double Russian Swing act of such skills and thrills it has to be seen to be believed.

Cirque du Soleil answers its detractors in the best possible way: it puts on shows that make you experience again the wonder of childhood, whatever your age. Go and wonder.