Varekai!

Varekai is amazing!!! I watched it with my mom and needless to say we were blown away. I have seen other Cirque du Soleil shows on TV before so I knew what it was about but it's different seeing something like this live so when I saw the Varekai commercials on TV, I knew I had to watch it.

The ticket prices were not that accessible but I saw some front row seats still available in the second-cheapest section so I ended up getting those even if they cost more. I mean, it's not everyday you get to watch a show like this. (In any case, the show was definitely worth the price!) I think it's great that Cirque du Soleil actually brought their own tent because it gave the show a very authentic feel to it. The vendors with popcorn and hotdogs walking all around added to the great atmosphere.


Of course, all that accounts for nothing unless the show lives up to the hype. And it certainly did! Those Cirque du Soleil artists have nerves of absolute steel and are in perfect physical condition! Just watching them do a stunt is exhausting, so I can't even begin to imagine what it feels like to do what they do and to prepare for it! A lot of the stunts were so dangerous and extreme that it was sometimes tough to clap because you were holding your breath too much and were worried that someone could get seriously injured. There was one stunt, in the Icarian games act, that wasn't completed successfully, but the audience was very supportive and cheered the artists to give them encouragement despite the miss. Here's a video of that sequence (the stunt they were unable to complete is at 5:57 to 6:14).


video uploaded in youtube by user Icarusangel27

There were quite a few comedic moments and slapstick bits with the clowns and faux magician, but I felt they are sort of needed because when something is as intense as this show, you need enough light moments to balance things out and to catch your breath. I've heard from people who have seen other Cirque shows comment that the stunts are not that original, but I don't see a difference between watching "unoriginal" but spectacular stunts with listening to your favorite song or re-watching a good movie. I can listen to my fave songs dozens of times in a row or more, so if someone can swing from a hoop while using just the back of their neck to hang on to it while dangling several meters in the air, I think I can watch that over and over again too. :)


I really hope that Cirque du Soleil found this trip to the Philippines quite profitable. I would absolutely love to have more of these shows brought to Manila for more Filipinos to enjoy.