Cirque du Soleil: Alegria

The adjectives that jump to mind when describing Cirque du Soeil’s Alegría (words like magical, breathtaking, spectacular) really don’t capture the essence of what makes this show so spell-binding. It has all the expected hallmarks —dazzling costumes, an innovative set and acrobatics that will make your heart race. But it says something about a show when it’s as interesting to watch the segues between acts as the acts themselves. Apparatuses appear before your eyes, constructed by a complicated choreography. Performers weave and dance across the stage, masking their ant-like efficiency with a dreamy artistry. The clowns will make you laugh and touch your heart, and the acrobats will convince you that the human body is capable of much more than you believed possible. So yes, Alegría is magical, breathtaking and spectacular, but it is also an uplifting and inspiring theatrical experience.---Kate Watson