"For our 11th year, we're bringing IL·LU to Andorra—a bold, colorful world inspired by the playful chaos of a Fun House. Follow Papi and his twins into the House of Illusions and discover the unexpected." - Marie-Hélène Delage, Creative Director

An unlikely fauna and ecosystem spring to life among a group of summer visitors and entertainers from near and far. For a fleeting moment, hand in hand, children and grandchildren, parents and young party-goers burst through the gates of a dreamlike realm that, for the rest of the year, is unreachable. Mystery and folly, laughter and fright—it all comes together in the Palace of Illusions.

Accompanied by his 4 grandchildren, a colourful and endearing papi visits this great Palace of Illusions, which he has been longing to see for years. As they move through the rooms, each as surprising as the last, we discover that papi knows everyone and reveals a mysterious past unknown to his young grandchildren.

The journey through this palace is both poetic and out of the ordinary, allowing them to discover themselves from an unexpected angle. It's a funny and touching adventure that illustrates how generations that are far apart are not so different from each other.

• THE STAGE — The scenography approach changes throughout the show, opening up a gateway from one realm to the next, and provoking unexpected discoveries along the way. Each scene unfolds a surprising world, like a mysterious palace of illusions. While the overall signature is resolutely modern, it is inspired by the aesthetic of the fairs of yesteryear and their bewitching charm. IL·LU is a skilful balance between memories and the future
  
  
• THE MUSIC — Drawing from Cirque du Soleil’s rich repertoire, the musical pieces sustain the show’s performances and transitions in an electrifying rush of energy. The frenzied, gospel-tinged vocals are lifted by a powerful brass section. The musical score navigates deftly between familiar sounds and aural fantasies.
  
  
• THE MAKEUP — An unlikely fauna of zany inhabitants, virtuoso acrobats and eccentric creatures that bring this enchanted place to Il Lu! Inspired by the vintage look of animated puppets, the makeup is highly graphic in style, with splashes of color, strong lines, and stylized hairstyles—flattened and slicked back hair. Eyelashes grow longer and moustaches come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, with a good dose of humor. The result is characters that are sure to surprise.
  
  
• ACROBATICS —
  • The Twins [Hand to Hand & Dance] — In a comic-acrobatic intro, the Twins take to the stage. This hand-to-hand act, mixed with a fusion dance duet, immediately sets the tone: joyful, warm-hearted, and unstoppable. Somewhere between lightness and complicity, this high-octane and heart-warming quartet marks the first encounter.
  • Mechanical Dolls [Japanese Unicycle & Danse] — An acrobatic ballet of a thousand colors in a festive atmosphere, combining aerial silk sequences, dance pieces, and a twirling quartet of unicycles.
  • Divination [Aerial Silk] — The Fortune Teller captivates the audience in a moment of suspension between heaven and earth. At once impressive and comical, the Fortune Teller makes her way inside our hearts and minds as if they were her playground.
  • The Beard [Pole] — This mysterious bearded lady with really long hair fascinates Papi and the audience alike. In a spectacular pole balancing act, she soars gracefully, teetering between the delightfully strange and the glamorously radiant.
  • The Ice Palace [Highwire] — A great classic revisited, this Ice Palace brims with surprises—with a tamed polar bear as Papi’s companion, and a lynx-man performing a buoyant, dynamic balancing act.
  • The Cuddly Toy Machine [Robopole & Hip-Hop Dance] — Reminiscent of the stuffed animal claw machines found in funfairs, this playful and bold number is a unique take on the Man-Versus-Machine challenge.
  • Fright Room [Icarian Games, Spanish Web & Bouncing Ball Manipulation] — High-energy acrobatics meld with chills and thrills in a nod to the haunted houses found in amusement parks.
  • Carrousel [Flying Trapeze] — A breathtaking final act in which a carousel comes to life—on the fringe between poetry and sheer thrill. An epic, exhilarating, emotionally-charged finale that leaves everyone holding their breath in awe in the face of such beauty.
    
    
• PERSONAGES —
  • Papi: A character as mysterious as he is endearing, Papi is the living memory of the Palace of Illusions. Beneath his prankster granddad persona lies a surprising past.
  • Les Jumelles (The Twins): Curious, fearless and always ready to follow Grandpa on his adventures, the fives Twins discover with amazement a world where appearances are often deceptive.
  • La Diseuse (The Fortune Teller): An extravagant and enigmatic mentalist, at once comic and mysterious, La Diseuse seems to know everything about the palace's visitors—including the spectators—and has plenty of surprises up her sleeve.
  • Other Characters Include: La Mère, L'Ourson, Monstre Bonbon, Cavalier and Cavalière, Les Poupées, La Lampe, Lynx des Neiges, La Femme à Barbe

Creative Team

• Director of Creation — Marie-Hélàne Delage
• Show Director — Lydia Bouchard
• Assistant Show Director — Véronique Giasson
• Performance Designer — Philippe Aubertin
• Performance Designer — Ginger Ana Griep-Ruiz
• Set Designer — Alexis Laurence
• Make-up Designer — Geneviève Vincent
• Costume Designer — Nicolas Vaudelet
• Lighting Designer — Éric Champoux
• Musical Director — Antoine Seychal
• Choreographer — Katerine Leblanc

Acts / Music

• Animation —
• Opening —
• Hand to Hand —
• Set Reveal —
• Japanese Unicycle —
• Interlude — "Nos Dejo" from Corteo
• Aerial Silk —
• Interlude —
• Perche — "Here By The Window" from Amora
• Interlude —
• High Wire —
• Interlude —
• Robopole —
• Interlude —
• Icarian Games —
• Interlude —
• Flying Trapeze — "The World Above" from Stelar / "Battle Of The Man" from Volta
• Finale/Bows — "Jingle Bells" from 'Twas The Night Before