Le Noir describes itself as ‘the dark side of cirque’. Certainly the stage itself is relatively dark, being a comparatively small 360 degree structure that demands that you focus on the performance in lieu of the sprawling, whimsical stages of other shows that may have you wondering what exactly you should be looking at.
The ‘dark side’ pervades through the costuming. With his washed out face, bright white lipstick and eye liner, the Master of Ceremonie invokes the most grave dread of having him pick you out for audience participation. The risqué way the performers dress might also be referred to as ‘dark’ by those with higher sensibilities, scantily clad in the most seductive of costumes and changing from white to red to black as the show progresses.
However, there is little in the show that leaves a sense of the performance being remotely dark, sinister or shadowy.
The performance itself consists of ten individual acts, each featuring some mind blowing display of balance, stamina, artistry and contortion. Each act is original, captivating and visually spectacular; from the Aerial Lira, a hoop suspended well above the ground from which a performer demonstrates a combination of gymnastics and ballet to the strong men, a couple of brutes who literally embody raw strength and endurance as they counter balance each other in various poses. Le Noir features performers and artists from the world over, many of them formerly from Cirque de Soleil, which seems to have inspired the culture and engineering of the show. Le Noir offers a more intimate experience however, the limited stage space and careful production providing its spectacles in more concentrated doses on a smaller scale, yet no less attention grabbing.
Le Noir transforms its host theatre into an all round viewing arena, with on stage seating including options to sit at a table with a variety of food and beverage options and on stage seating located slightly behind the main stage. This provides an unparalleled opportunity to appreciate the emotion and effort of the artists up close yet comes at the small cost of not being able to see the entire spectacle at once during the transition periods when dancers and the Master of Ceremonies fill the stage with Parisian flare.
Le Noir may describe itself as the ‘dark side of cirque’ but the reality is that it is truly enlightening. The well choreographed feats of physical prowess are good natured, fast paced, funny and fundamentally entertaining. The true dark side of circus rests in large pop up tents with animals that are forced to perform un-natural tricks, underpaid festival workers and those that would have you think that a stool is a useful defence against a lion. Le Noir simply offers a glimpse of human physical capability in a well designed setting.
Rating: 3.5 stars
Le Noir
Director: Neil Dorward
Canberra Theatre Centre
6-10 May 2015
