Shadows and Light

Last week, I met up with Linda and her friend Sheridan at CPK at the Hollywood & Highland complex for dinner.  Sheridan had APPARENTLY heard a lot about me, and she said it was all good things, so I don't know what she could have heard.  :)  After dinner, we went to the Dolby Theatre to watch my first Cirque du Soleil show, "Iris", thanks to Goldstar.

• I liked the gal with the zoetroepe for a skirt.  She was one of the performers that walked around the audience before the show.
• This was a perfect topic for Linda's and my first Cirque show, because it was a tribute to film.
• The music was composed by Danny Elfman, and it sure did sound like him singing the pre-show song about turning off our cell phones.  My purchase of the CD for the show was a no-brainer, and I bought it at intermission.  I wish that his pre-show song was on the CD,  though.
• The male lead of the story reminded me of Armando,a magician who played the role of the Court Jester for us back at the Madrigal Dinners at UCI.
• The women doing the contortionist/balance act made me think of Okapi.  I was told that they were "snake women".  I prefer to think of the Okapi.  Look, here's a baby one!  I mean, it was during a segment where they showed African masks and such, with a guy wearing a very long ponytail that he used as a whip.  Who whips snakes?  Besides Indiana Jones, that is.
• The acrobats that somersaulted onto each other, dressed as bugs or martians or something with antennae had me all nervous that they would fall down.
• I think that I only saw one error, during the trampoline segment, where the guy didn't actually land where it seemed like he was supposed to go.  But that segment was cool, as it looked like they would fall to their deaths, then miraculously bounce up and walk on the walls.  
• I've decided that I could join this show as a spotter, because I can just break someone's fall instead of actually have to be daring and be graceful while balancing at an abnormal height.
• I've decided that the "clowns" of this show are opposite of American circus clowns.  These clowns talk.  American ones do not.
• The guy that they picked for the audience participation segment, "Ron", was brilliant.  He played along really well!
• I was glad that we were sitting where we were underneath the balcony seats, so that we could have protection if somebody fell.  OK, maybe I wouldn't be such a good spotter.  The aerialists, especially the male duo at the beginning of the show, did some gorgeous work.  Linda and I recalled that their rendition of "North by Northwest" at this year's Oscars was one of our favorite parts of the telecast.
• Loved the projections and the way they played with light!  I especially loved the NOIR segment, where they moved the panels around an apartment building so that you would see specific scenes.

I think that I might take my parents to see this show.  I hope to see other Cirque shows in the future, as well.  Wish they were all on Goldstar.