Flips, spins, tricks, and performers defying gravity: this was all seen at Cirque du Soleil’s holiday performance, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, which ran at the Kravis Center from Nov. 20-30.
The amazing production, with a runtime of about 80 minutes, focuses on teenage Isabella, who feels she has grown out of reading A Visit from Saint Nicholas with her father. When the poem comes to life, Isabel- la rediscovers the magic of Christmas through Sugar-Plum Fairies, woodland creatures, Santa Claus, and more fictional characters. Eventually, Isabella and her dad are reunited to celebrate the holiday together.
The show perfectly encapsulated the whimsy and magic of the holiday season, as all of the actors danced and created a seamless storyline using props and different characters. Each scene felt unique and impressive, with the performers showing off their various specialities.
Some of the best scenes included Santa’s reindeer jumping through hoops and doing flips onstage, Isabella doing tricks on a bike, and the opening trapeze-inspired performance of the snowflakes. In these scenes, the performers truly dazzled, but all tricks aside, their storytelling was also very easy to follow. In addition to this, the performers do everything without safety lines, hanging onto straps by their arms, or even their heads in some cases. This adds to the feeling of authentic circus tricks and actually talented
performers. But the best scene by far was that of the roller-skaters. Watch- ing them flip and spin all while on skates was so extremely impressive and mind-blowing to watch. Their vibrant, 70s-inspired costumes only added to the excitement.
The show also included many lights, fake snow, and extremely detailed costumes. Each character felt dynamic, unique, and classic, but with a twist. I really enjoyed how the characters and music were modern and updated, but still showcased all of the classic elements of the holidays. In addition to this, the props were not overused and were incorpo- rated into the performance very well. For example, a luggage cart was used to transport presents, but also as a floating structure for a contortionist to showcase her act on.
The actors included lots of crowd engagement in their performance. They got their viewers, standing, cheering, and even brought up two audience members as participants during one of the scenes. This made the show more engaging and added unexpectedness to what or who was going to be included next.
One slightly negative aspect of the show was the fact that some of the tricks and performances seemed calmer and more understated than those executed in other Cirque du Soleil shows I’ve seen. I think this was justified, as it allowed for more dancing and storytelling, both of which are critical to the performance’s tone and narrative clarity. This show was not just supposed to be astonishing and dynamic, but also to tell a heartfelt story, which I truly believe it did.
Overall, this show was everything I expected and more. The performers went above and beyond with their acts, costumes, and dispositions. They truly seemed to enjoy what they were doing and wanted to share it with others. This performance inspired cheer, amazement, and excitement for the holidays through a relatable and magical story. ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas by Cirque du Soleil is the perfect show to elicit all of the feelings and memories that help make the holiday season magical.
