The internationally acclaimed performance company Cirque du Soleil has raised a big-top circus tent on the Camden Waterfront for its latest colorful acrobatic extravaganza, “Totem,” through June 30.
Since premiering in 2010, “Totem” has been seen by more than 2-million people in North America, and its popularity doesn’t seem to be slowing down as it won the Drama Desk Award last month in New York City for Outstanding Unique Theatrical Experience.
Unique is putting it mildly.
“Totem” traces the journey of the human species from its original amphibian state to its ultimate desire to fly. The characters evolve on a stage evoking the origins for many ancient civilizations and myths through numerous stunning visuals and acrobatic language exploring man’s ties to other species.
To pull off this feat, “Totem” features a cast of 46 acrobats, actors, singers and musicians performing in an ever-changing environment.
Paris-born trapeze artist Guilhem Cauchios said each acrobat has his or her own segment of the show.
“We are the second act in the second part of the show,” Cauchios said of his segment with trapeze partner Sarah Tessier. “The show is divided into different acrobatic acts. So the performers have one main act in their main discipline and then they will do supporting characters through the rest of the show. But my act is eight minutes long. We are a lovebird couple and we represent birds and young love. The act is a game of seduction between my partner and I.”
Cauchios said “Totem” is the first big show for the two.
“It’s our first contract with my partner and I. We just graduated from the National Circus School a year ago and we joined the ‘Totem’ cast straight away. It was a big dream for my partner and I to be a part of a Cirque du Soleil show.”
Unless you have been living under a rock for the last two decades, you know there are dozens of different Cirque du Soleil shows performed at any given time somewhere on earth, each one as unique and entertaining as the other.
Yet Cauchios said ‘Totem; has an edge on the other Cirque productions.
“Not to be like ‘Our show is the best,’ but I think ‘Totem,’ compared to other Cirque du Soleil shows, with the staging and the projections and theme about evolution … every single act is amazing with the quality of the acrobatic performers,” he said. “Those are the things I like about the ‘Totem’ show. We have some disciplines on ‘Totem’ that aren’t in other Cirque du Soleil shows. We are the only Cirque show having a dual trapeze performance. The same for roller-skating and other disciplines. The Native- American elements are a really specific part of the show. It the only show with real Native-American traditional dance and singers. It brings something real and powerful to the show.”
There’s also the added factor of the unpredictability of performing in a circus tent, which, while climate-controlled, is still susceptible to whatever the weather happens to be at the time.
“When the weather is really hot and humid, it can be a big challenge for my partner and I because hot weather gets our bodies more slippery, so we have to hold on stronger and the risk gets higher for sure,” Cauchios explained.
To hear Cauchios talk about his partner and their training (as in, acrobatic partner — don’t get your hopes up, boys, he’s straight), we got the sense that trapeze artistry is something that hinges on working with the same performer all the time.
Cauchios said you can’t just replace a trapeze performer like you would an actor with an understudy.
“We’ve trained together for three years to build this act. It’s really three years of training every day to get to the results you see on stage. It’s not something you can do with anybody else. You build trust and a relationship. It’s a lot of work. We’re partners right now. It would take forever to build another act with someone else.”
Cirque du Soleil’s “Totem” runs through June 30 with its trademark blue-and-yellow big top at the Camden Waterfront. For more information or tickets, visit www.cirquedusoleil.com/Totem.