Photo: Jesse Faatz Costumes: Kym Barrett © 2015 Cirque du Soleil
Here’s what publications around the country had to say about Cirque du Soleil’s 37th production – Toruk: The First Flight.
Chicago Tribune – Aug 4 – “Lost in the world of ‘Avatar,’ Cirque’s ‘Toruk’ needs a battle for the soul”
“In another innovative twist, rather than asking you to turn off your phones, Cirque uses them as part of the lighting design. If you download the app at the start of the show, you’ll get a series of texts telling you what to do with your phone.”
Montreal Gazette – Dec. 22 – “Review of the Cirque du Soleil show Toruk: The First Flight”
“Set designer Carl Fillion has done a magnificent job of re-creating Pandora with a set that takes up almost the entire ice surface, anchored by the giant Omaticaya Hometree and a rock island jutting up from the ground. […] There’s also a bunch of kite sequences that are like nothing you’ve ever seen before. You just don’t normally think of choreographing the motion of kites, but it somehow works. In other words, kudos to choreographers Tuan Le and Tan Loc.”
AZ Central – Nov. 17 – “Review: Cirque du Soleil’s ‘Toruk’ takes theatrical magic to the next level”
“Various surprises descend from the ceiling and bloom from the floor, while digital animation projected from above is constantly transforming the environment, creating flickering flame or running water. [Cirque] is an eye-dazzling spectacle of the highest magnitude.”
Daily Bruin – Nov. 13 – “Show review: Cirque du Soleil’s ‘Toruk’ revisits world of ‘Avatar’”
“Avatar film fans can use 3-D glasses to immerse themselves in the fantasy realm of Pandora. But in Cirque du Soleil’s ‘Toruk – The First Flight,’ viewers can plunge into Pandora and experience its inhabitants twist, teeter and tumble firsthand.”
The Fresno Bee – Oct. 28 – “Review: Visual effects mesmerize in Cirque du Soleil’s ‘Toruk’”
“As many a fine magician has said, it’s the visuals, man. And man, are they stunning. The show takes up most of the floor of the Save Mart Center, save one end which appears to be a giant cliff. Visual effects are projected onto the surface of “Pandora” with tremendous skill and creativity.”
Tulsa World – March 26 – “Review: Cirque du Soleil re-invents itself with ‘Toruk: The First Flight’”
“Visually, it’s easily the most stunning show Cirque du Soleil has produced, as state-of-the-art video projections and theatrical technology are used to evoke an ever-changing tableau of alien landscapes.”
