Until recently, I had never been to a Chinese circus. Curious about what it would entail, I purchased a deal for two tickets to Cirque Shanghai‘s newest production, “Warriors.” The performance, held at Navy Pier, was thrilling, hilarious, and captivating.
The show featured exciting acrobatics in several of the acts, as well as martial art skills and daredevil stunts. One of my favorite acts was an elegant duo performance in which a couple exhibited great strength and skill as they twisted and turned in white silks while suspended above the stage.
The clown portion of the show was also quite amusing and one of the few portions that included audience participation. The man, wearing a giant shirt with ‘Wow' sewn onto the front, came out into the audience picking a pretty brunette to serve as his cheerleader and assistant on stage. He then mounted a surfboard atop a barrel and flipped dishes onto his head as he maintained his balance.
The final act was probably the most dramatic of all. The curtains pulled back to revel a giant metal cage. Five motorcycle riders drove onto the stage and we watched in awe as they each entered the globe until all five were whizzing around and around and around inside. The biggest surprise came when a female rider drove out on a pink bike and entered the melee. Six riders in a globe and no crashes? Impressive!
The Cirque Shanghai is in its ninth season at Navy Pier, and I cannot wait to see what new daring acts and beautiful acrobatics they premiere next summer!
The Deal:
I Spent: $40 $12
I Got: Tickets for two to Cirque Shanghai
Company Info:
Pepsi Skyline Stage – Navy Pier
Chicago, IL
 |
| The Cirque Shanghai performers |