Craft Gossip

The largest independent craft review site since 2007

Review: Saltimbanco by Cirque Du Soleil

by

Saltimbanco Review

The current version of Saltimbanco, the oldest show from the Cirque Du Soleil stable, is currently touring Australia. This show is everything that you expect from Cirque Du Soleil’s shows. Acrobats, colors, drama, comedy, and of course, a sense of flight from normal.

Nearing 30 years in existence, Cirque Du Soleil has redefined, and reinvented, the art of the circus performer. Thanks to it, the once dying art of the circus has a new lease on life. Saltimbanco is every bit a manifestation of this art as much as an extension of it.

What is gripping about the show itself is that it grabs you from the start, even before everyone is seated. The comedy acts (calling them jokers in the traditional sense of the word would be a disservice) play with the audience while most of us are still groping about matching seat numbers on our tickets. The official show starts with an introduction and a welcome and then Chinese pole performers perform stunts that leave your jaw hanging.

An artistic cyclist, a juggler, a mime performer (whose act seems to drag unfortunately), and a duo of bola (kind of drums) performers round up act 1. A brief 20 minute interval is followed by more death defying acts, more comedy and more performances that can only be described as .. well impossible for normal human beings.

For locals, Brisbane born performer, 24 year old NATHAN DENNIS, is part of this talented cast. Look out for him in Chinese Poles, Swings and Bungee.

If you have little ones, try attending the shows that are in the afternoon. The night show that starts at 8 doesn’t finish till 10:30. It means you won’t get home till late.

If you are a family of four, it can cost you a bit. The cheapest tickets are $55.00 for a child and $69.00 for an adult (in Brisbane – more in other cities). But what you get is far more than a circus – it is an experience.

What: Saltimbanco by Cirque Du Soleil

When: In Brisbane: Till 17th July, then Newcastle, Sydney and Wollongong.

Where: Brisbane Entertainment Centre. Pay $10 for parking.

TICKETS: Ticketek on 132 849 or the website: http://premier.ticketek.com.au/Shows/Show.aspx?sh=CIRQUEDU11. From $55.

CraftGossip attended the show courtesy of Cirque Du Soleil.

Read These Next

Have you read?

Back to School Cross Stitch Patterns

Back to school time is right around the corner where I live as I write this, and school-themed cross stitch patterns are super cute to make as a teacher gift or to personalize something like a pencil bag or backpack tag. 

This school supply cross stitch design from 7StitchesTN is meant to be horizontal, but I think you could turn the letters the other direction (or not) and make this into a bookmark. It can also be repeated to make a border around a project. As shown it is 64 by 30 stitches, which is 6.7 by 2.1 inches/17.1 by 5.4 cm on 14 count fabric. It uses 15 colors. 

Italia Print has a little set of school themed cross stitch patterns you can make as a single design as shown, or use individual patterns on different projects. The full design is 76 by 66 stitches, which is about 5.4 by 4.7 inches, or 13.8 by 12 cm, and it uses 18 colors. 

Speaking of designs that can be worked separately, there’s also this pattern from Bella Rose Craft, which could easily be divided into its different parts or you could use some of the pieces as a border on another project. The full design is shown in a 4-inch hoop and measures 2.71 by 2.64 inches/6.8 by 6.7 cm on 14 count fabric. 

This lovely set of teacher themed cross stitch patterns would be lovely to make as a teacher gift at the beginning or end of the year or for the holidays. From The Stitch Patterns, it is a set of five designs that includes books, flowers blooming from a book, a tulip, pencil cup and pencil drawing a heart. Each one is about 7 inches/17.78 cm square. 

This cute class in session design from Plaid Online would be another cute one to make for a teacher. It uses seven colors (including black for the back stitching on the ruler) and is about 2 inches/5.08 cm square.

And Craft with Cartwright has this funny and cute worm and apples design that would be cute for back to school. It uses seven colors and is 78 by 52 stitches, or 5.5 by 3.7 inches/14.15 by 9.43 cm on 14 count fabric. The apples by themselves would be cute on a project, too.