The circus is in town, and this time, Cirque du Soleil has brought the weird and wonderful world of KURIOS – Cabinet of Curiosities to the Big Top tent. Inside the grey-and-white tents (next to Marina Bay Sands) lies an incredible steampunk-themed universe, set in the Victorian era. The props and costumes are incredible. But, of course, what makes it a bona fide Cirque du Soleil show are the superhuman stunts by about 120 performers from all over the world who bring you the quintessential death-defying, awe-inspiring and jaw-dropping Cirque du Soleil experience (read all about Kurios show secrets here). But just because the performers are busy twisting, turning, bouncing, flying on stage, doesn’t mean they’re not aware of what the audience gets up to, okay? 8Days.sg caught up with Kurios cast members in Japan recently, and they tell us all about performing and being on the road with the circus.

From left: Kazuha Ikeda from Japan, Niko Baixas from Spain, Rima Hadchiti from Australia, Mathieu Hubener from France, Renald Laurin from Canada.

From left: Kazuha as Klara, Niko as Accordian Man, Mathieu as Mr Microcosmos, Rima as Mini Lili, and Renald as the Seeker

“During the show, I’m lowered down from the top of the tent and as I’m descending, I can see the entire audience and ascertain the kind of energy they have,” Kazuha tells us. “A lot of audience members don’t realise that we can see them, but we can see a lot and quite far, including their facial expressions. Even if they’re sleeping, we can see it.” Renald concurs: “[Being able to see the entire audience] is a privilege for us. In theatre, most of the time you’re at stage level and don’t get to go very high to see the whole theatre.”

Kurios in Japan, its last stop before the Singapore leg.

Kurios opens with Renald’s character, the Seeker, seemingly fast asleep.“During this time, my ears are [especially sensitive to the sounds around me]. Since I can’t see what’s going on, I connect with what I hear — any breath, any laugh, reaction or small applause. If someone in the audience yawns, I can hear it too, he explains.

For the performers, it’s a balancing act to perform their stunts with precision as well as having a connection with the audience. And this bunch does it so well, they even recognise repeat customers. Says Mathieu: “In Japan, there were a lot of people who came back to watch the show again. They may even be in the front row and in the same seat and we recognise them. It’s super nice because you know they love the show. And sometimes you have to do certain moves for a certain seat, so I’m feeling like I’m doing the same thing for the same person (laughs). I’m super excited to go out and see what the audience is going to be like in Singapore.”

All Cirque du Soleil performers are responsible for their own make-up. And while you may think that’s a chore (it can take up to two hours), it’s an important pocket of time for the cast members. “I take about two hours to do my make-up, so I’m the usually the first one in the tent,” Kaz explains. “After I’m done with make-up, I can relax before the show. That’s the time I meditate and get into character, so it’s a really important time for me.” Nico agrees: “Some people listen to music and others talk to their family during make-up. It’s a very good time for everyone to get into this special world. But if I have time before the show, I like to do some stretching or yoga, since flexibility is important for my role [as the Accordian Man].”

Nico as the Accordian Man

“Mine involves playing video games,” Mathieu admits. “All of us are connected and competing together on Mario Kart. It’s a big competition — we have a tournament and all. It’s pretty intense.”

When you’re on tour with the entire troupe, you’re essentially working and living with your colleagues for months on end. And, boy, do you learn a ton of life lessons in the process. “I started performing since I was four, and I’ve been a freelancer most of my life, so I always do things on my own,” Rima reveals. “But [the Cirque du Soleil] environment is quite set, and to respect the rules and the way things are done can be challenging for me because I always say what I think, and sometimes I don’t think before I speak.”

“One of the things about being on tour all the time — which I love and hate at the same time — is that you feel like you’re in a little bubble,” says Mathieu. “And it’s easy to stay in this little bubble. You’re taken care of very well — lodging, food, everything is taken care for us perfectly. Sometimes, you forget what’s happening in the rest of the world, so it’s important to stay connected with what’s happening outside. Yeah, sometimes when I go home, I’m like, ‘Oh s***, this is what’s happening here. This is reality.’”

When asked about the greatest life lessons he’s learnt being on tour with Cirque du Soleil, Renauld tells us: “On a philosophical level, the biggest life lesson I’ve learnt from being on Kurios is that there are no small victories. You learn something, it’s great. On the practical level… Is the room service good? Do they serve late? Is it cheaper to buy takeout? If there’s a good Italian restaurant near my hotel in Singapore, let me know. (Laughs)”

KURIOS – Cabinet of Curiosities runs from Jul 5 to Aug 18, at the Big Top on Bayfront Ave (next to Marina Bay Sands). Tix from $95 from Sistic. More info at www.cirquedusoleil.com/kurios.

Show photos: D-CORD Keiju Takenaka. Costumes: Philippe Guillotel © 2018 Cirque du Soleil
All other photos: Jasmine Teo, taken with the Leica Q camera, and KURIOS/Facebook.

Special thanks to: Sliding Doors Entertainment for making this trip possible, and Leica for the loan of the Leica Q camera.​​​​​​​