Enter the Forest...

Enter the forest / abandon your fears / everything possible happens right here / beneath your feet / creatures conspire / above / the fireflies licking higher / and in between the light and the dark / a story unfolds / a graceful arc / what if / what then

The word Varekai is Romani for “Wherever.” And from that word, an idea: no matter where the wind carries you, you’ll always be home. The creators started with a premise: What if Icarus hadn’t fallen into the sea? What if he had fallen into a mysterious forest inhabited by strange beings? How would his life have changed? As Varekai opens, Icarus falls to Earth. But with his fall comes renaissance – a chance to be born anew. Thus begins a journey of self-realization. Along the path, Icarus meets a bewildering cast of creatures and characters, some of whom oppose his bid for greatness; others guide and support him as he strives once again to reach new heights. In many ways, Varekai is a celebration of our collective desire to rise above – free of our terrestrial ties. Where the myth of Icarus ends, Varekai begins. Welcome to the making of an angel.

In Greek mythology, Icarus was the son of Daedalus, an artisan commissioned by the King of Crete to design a prison for the Minotaur. Daedalus built the Labyrinth. Later, Daedalus helped two other prisoners – Theseus and Ariadne – escape from the Labyrinth and in doing so, betrayed the King. Daedalus and Icarus were imprisoned in a tower on an island from which there was no escape… or so the King thought. Daedalus fashioned two sets of wings from feathers and wax for himself and his son. Before their flight to freedom, Daedalus gave his son a warning: if you fly too close to the sea, your wings will become too heavy for flight; if you fly too close to the sun, the wax will melt. Alas, young Icarus was swept up by his own excitement and pride and he forgot his father’s warning. He flew too close to the sun. The wax melted, his wings came apart, and he fell to his death in the ocean near the Island of Damos. Today, those waters are still known as the Icarian Sea. For people around the world, Icarus is a symbol of youthful insouciance and arrogance, but he also represents courage and our desire to excel.

The Grand Chapiteau does not house a stage, but a universe… a world unto itself. Varekai begins the moment you arrive. Before you’ve even taken your seat, you are entranced by marmots and musicos, lizards and leapers. Creatures slither across the stage and wander among the audience. A feeling begins to grow: anything is possible here.

To Wander is Human...

CELEBRATION: The underworld groans and shakes. Gasses hiss from cracks in the earth. Winds whip frantically, lashing at the trees. There’s something in the air. Something must be done. The Guide – a mystical emcee – takes his place and presides over a ritual incantation, a chaotic choreography of dancers, acrobats, and animals calling out to the heavens. All eyes are skyward. All souls are ready. The message is clear: send us your chosen one.

How proud / we stood in awe / basking in his vainglory / our eyes trained / ever towards heaven / on the wings of pride / he rose / at death’s request / he fell / a feather into our waiting arms / welcome home son.

INCANTATION: The community gathers round. Bowed down. Waiting. The heavens open as our spent star, our angel, makes his fall from grace. Icarus, wings aflutter, comes to rest at our feet. The Guide is there to receive him. A solemn greeting indeed. The Skywatcher, a birdlike creature, plucks at the wings, enacting his own mock flight as the villagers fight over the spoils. Tenderly, the Guide rolls Icarus up in a shroud and the heavens take back their own.

Again / to dance once more / again / a chance to soar / from fire to ashes / ashes to dust / release me from this death unjust / renew my spirit / voice my name / grant me life / again.

RENAISSANCE: Now shrouded, Icarus rises up to the heavens he once so lustfully sought. Give thanks. His prayer has been answered and by the grace of the Gods, his shroud becomes a chrysalis. Writhing, falling, rising anew. His spirit and body are transformed as his father, Daedalus, and the others watch on. Icarus awakes with renewed vigor. He tests his “wings”, and, with a bit of boyish bravado, even imitates his fall from grace… Yet this time, he’s alive, ready to begin the beginning. The heavens lower him gently into a clearing where The Guide awaits.

OLGA: From caterpillar to butterfly; from primeval to promise. Like Icarus, Olga goes through a metamorphosis of her own. In the first act, she erupts from a crater in the earth, a volcanic offering. Once on stage, she twists and turns, a prisoner in her own skin, trying to free herself from her ill-tailored trappings. Hers is a world of worry, fear, and fragility. Soon, she’ll fall in love with Icarus and her world will turn, as will ours.

Am I / alone to suffer fate again / alone with my immortal pain / or will there be someone to share / my gift / my dance / this breath of air / a second chance at life / but where / am I

LES AMOURS (first act): With one wave of his mighty wings, the Guide releases Olga from her subterranean exile. Icarus sees her and is immediately drawn to her side. Their body language is poignant and poetic, yet tentative. Slowly, they draw nearer until finally, their hands embrace. No sooner have they locked their hands in love, than the heavens revolt. Olga flees underground and Icarus is left desperate, disconsolate as before. The Guide does his best to oppose the malign forces… to no avail.

Beauty in full blossom / plucked like a common flower / appreciation or jealousy / desire or rage / … / with time / all emotions fade

KIDNAPPING: Once again, Icarus and Olga have a chance to clasp hands, and once again the Gods revolt. Or rather this time, it’s the Goddesses who revolt. Are they as jealous of Olga as the Limping Angel is jealous of Icarus? Or are they doing the Limping Angel’s dirty work?

The Goddesses descend swiftly and, with the help of some underworld figures, they bind Olga’s feet and draw her up into the mouth of heaven. Icarus is left despondent once again, and he’s forced to watch as the Goddesses perform their aerial wonders. They’re taunting him: say goodbye to your love, Icarus. Say goodbye to your dreams of one day reaching the heavens.

ICARIAN GAMES: With the marmot scurrying about in the background, then Icarians come together to deliver a message of fraternal generosity: we need each other to survive. For Icarus, there’s another meaning. If he wants to reach the heavens again, he’ll need support… The games reach their finale with two Icarians – perched then launched from the feet of their brothers – simultaneously performing a series of twisting back flips. In the forest, as in life, trust is everything.

What’s that noise / … / a sign to follow / or a cry from the past / a glimpse of the future / or a memory held fast / in the ether / or the other sphere / but now it’s ringing in my ear / oh / what’s that noise

THE SKYWATCHER: Part birdman, part crazed genius. The Skywatcher parades out onto the stage with his omnicycle if you will, a fantastic contraption with bells, secret boxes, whistles, and whirligigs designed to capture the sounds and collective souls of the past. He’s the master of symphonies, the inveterate inventor. Gangly and disjointed, with feathers akimbo, the Skywatcher also bears comic witness to the love story unfolding between Icarus and Olga.

Angel of mercy / dove of peace / messenger / of death’s release / on a wing and a prayer / you grant new lease / on life

THE GUIDE: Like a mythical creature or a gothic gargoyle, both menace and protector, the Guide is omnipresent: officiating at the sacred circle of the Fall; orchestrating Icarus in his every move. Choreographer and ritual healer, Guardian of time and alchemist of renaissance The Guide sees all, knows all, and controls all.

Balls of light / sweep across the sky / like fireflies / waiting to be caught / how long can we imprison them / in our imagination / before they burn out / or fly free

THE GATHERERS: A moment of poetic repose. Amidst the hostility of the forest, where forces conspire against Icarus and Olga, both in search of self-renewal, the Gatherers come as a pleasant downpour of emotion, a celebration of the elements. Three young boys receive meteors freshly plucked from the sky. To us, these are celestial bodies, full of power and portent. To the children, they are toys. What follows is a blaze of whirling light, with feats that defy both gravity and imagination. If Icarus was once a falling star, this is surely a symbol of redemption.

CLOWN MAGIC: A clear “mise en abyme” (narrative layering or duplication): this act is both a show within a show and a parody of traditional magicians and circus acts. Is it entertainment for the inhabitants of this strange world? Or, a moment of levity in an otherwise dramatically charged storyline?

If not for the clouds / there’d be no air / at least none upon which we could stare / the sun may shine / the winds may blow / rain may fall / and winter snow / but up above / and always near / the clouds hold vast dominion.

THE CLOUD: A choir of angelic voices sings solemnly as the Skywatcher appears with a cloud in tow. Shining, pulsating, incandescent blue, the cloud is not well. He lays down the cloud’s rope and walks up to it, tight, like a stairway to… dare we say it? Then, with a sweet paternal kiss on the forehead, he lets the cloud drift off again. Whatever can be done? In a scene that harkens back to the beginning of our story, the cloud’s light is snuffed out. In its place, the cloud coughs up a cacophony of television sounds, suggesting the generations of pollution that have fouled our air.

The holy trinity / three plus three / graces calling / play with me / the heavens await / your destiny.

THE GODDESSES: Six goddesses perched above the audience, suspended within a crystalline cage. Their every movement beckons. Their every gesture an enticement to Icarus: a promise of what awaits. But he’s been burned before.

What the heavens unite / we must tear asunder / wrench the bleeding heart from within / wrest the anxious soul / exorcise the demons / offer them up in sacrifice / your only hope is struggle.

THE FIRE MASTERS: Icarus now has two reasons to fear the Gods: they took his life once, and now they’ve taken his love. He must exorcise his fears or resign himself to an existence of pedestrian pursuits. As the Fire Masters take the stage, the sky opens up, the earth trembles, and the music begins to build. With stomping feet and whirlwind pirouettes, the dancers invoke a storm of arguments defending Icarus. The music comes to a thunderous climax as the Guide looks on, sword in hand.

Luciole / luz / lumen / light / all the stars come out tonight / won’t you come and join our flight / the sky is filled with diamonds.

WALTZ OF THE FIREFLIES: The stage is black. The slowly, by ones and twos, now dozens and hundreds, the night comes alive with fireflies. Fitting, dancing, hopping, they bring warmth and beauty to the vast emptiness of space. As gradually as they came, they fade away, leaving a single dancing jewel. As the stage lights up, we find the Skywatcher, firefly-fishing on the banks of an imaginary river.

From this drop / all life doth spring / all creatures rise / all truth doth ring / from this drop / transparent seed / a force so strong / desire and need / from this drop / a tear or rain / the waters / wash away our pain / the rivers flow to sea.

SLIPPERY: Gather round, all creatures aquatic and terrestrial. Couples playfully fish with fowl in the name of love. Anemones, lizards, droplets, and birds dance together in this celebration of the sacred encounter. The stage becomes a river, and for a brief moment the creatures free themselves and become a band of joyous nomads at a tropical carnival.

CLAUDIO’S SONG: Another change of pace in the storyline. A slim, foreign would-be singer with slicked-back hair does his rendition of the old French classic: Ne me quitte pas – Don’t leave me. As he sings, the spot-light moves, leaving him in the dark. He hurries frantically, time and again, trying to remain in the light. To a stage performer, losing the spotlight is tantamount to losing one’s life.

Hobbled by desires / driven by emotions / they limp through life / supported by a ray of hope / a chance / to get a leg up.

THE LIMPING ANGELS: The Limping Angel and his tribe perform a dance of death. This is their final chance to put the fear of god into Icarus, who seems to be on his last legs, almost unable to go on. They try to capture him but the Guide stands guard, his wings beating menacingly. These are the demons who haunt Icarus: the threat of what he might become… and the impetus to become something much more.

Keep your head in the clouds / and one day / you’ll see / there’s only one way / up / a stairway to the stars. (Pas de deux)

No night without day / no work without play / no sun without rain / no joy without pain / without you I am less than whole / a demi-being / with half a soul / united we are more than once / we must not be undone.

AERIAL STRAPS: In a ballet of perfect symmetry, wrapped in each other’s shadow then flying free, almost bursting the Grand Chapiteau itself, the twist – Castor and Pollux – perform aerial feats that Icarus could only dream of. The performance has a message: all this is possible, Icarus. Find the other half of your moon, become whole at last. Unite and the heavens will be yours for eternity.

THE JUGGLER: Of course. What better metaphor for the ephemeral quality of flight? Using ping-pong balls, volleyballs, and pins, the juggler does his best to defy the law of gravity. But as Icarus knows, what goes up…

Where there’s a will / there’s a way / or at least that’s what they say / so pick yourself up / and turn the work into play / flip the problem upside down / find the smile beneath the frown / and the night / will turn into day.

LIGHTBULB: The guide appears on stage with a problem. His light has burned out. Thankfully, the Skywatcher is on hand with a toolbox and an ingenious idea: he strings the Guide up by his feet, spins him counterclockwise, then inserts a new light bulb into his hat. Brilliant.

Its waiting within / if you’ll only let it out / break free your skin / this is no time to doubt / your future is calling / there’s greatness about / let the transformation begin.

METAMORPHOSIS: We had almost forgotten Olga since she was kidnapped by the Godesses; but not Icarus. He’s been dreaming about her since the beginning of time. And now his dreams will come true. Olga comes back to earth, writhing and convulsing like a pupa in her new skin of pure white. She’s lowered onto a set of upright canes where she begins an amazing ballet… a feat of balance and flexibility and strength. Icarus watches, spellbound by her metamorphosis.

Your day to my night / my darkness to your light / two souls / free at last / we take our place / side by side / among the stars.

LOVERS FLIGHT: At the end of Olga’s metamorphosis, she lays herself before Icarus. He rises, takes her hand and the two walk side by side to center stage – a cortege of villagers in tow. The winged Guide presides over the ceremony as the two rise up into the heavens. Icarus and Olga consummate their celestial union in a series of stunningly beautiful aerial maneuvers, then rejoin the crowds below for what promises to be a breathtaking reception.

If till death do we part / then our life must be art / graceful / sweeping / drawn across the heavens / inspired by nothing less / than love

THE BANQUET: Like newly crowned royalty, Icarus and Olga take their place at the table of honor, surrounded by guests and a feast of boundless bounty. Both have come so far. Both have changed so much. Everything they sought is now theirs. Let the celebration begin. One after another, the performers leap from the Russian swings, soaring effortlessly across the Grand Chapiteau sky. In the Grand Finale, the acrobats are shot skyward, performing double, even triple twisting layouts that carry them gently into the clouds. For Icarus, this is poetry in motion. His dreams have all come true.

A Quest for Meaning...

Without a doubt, this book by Veronique Vial and Kerry Fleming is a wonderful look into the fantastical world of Cirque du Soleil’s Varekai. If you really want to know the plot of Varekai, this is the place to go; it really un-wraps the subtleties of the plot. It puts each act into the context of the greater whole. Although now that we’ve just done that for you… what’s the point?

The pictures of course!

There are many posed, detailed, in-focus shots here in addition to the kinetic “blury action shots” meant to convey motion and energy. The color pallet is vivid, bold, deep and saturated. Some pictures are so vivid as to be almost blurry while they’re just standing still. Yes, some acts are better represented than others. The Atherton twins Aerial Straps, the Icarian Games performers and Olga’s Hand-balancing get several pages apiece, but the Juggler and the Acrobatic Pas-de-Deux, as an example, get only one small spread. And there are no photographs of the musicians at all, but you can’t have everything.

Wrapping up the book is a short section of “backstage” photo shots. One shot shows a marker board with the date Friday, May 10, 2002, suggesting these photos were taken during the initial run in Montreal. Having been there to witness Varekai take its first steps makes this all the more special, and highly recommended!