Circus stunners to hit the heights with Varekai show
FIFTY circus performers have descended on Glasgow ahead of a special Cirque du Soleil show.
The Canadian company kicked off their five-day run of signature production Varekai at the SSE Hydro on Wednesday night.
Along with 100 cast and crew members from 20 different countries, the production involves over 2,000 pieces of costume, a live band and a stage depicting a kaleidoscopic forest.
The 2002 production pays tribute to the art of circus tradition through trapeze artists, Russian swings, hand balancing and clown acts.
Trapeze artist Kerren McKeeman has been part of the show for four years. She said: “Most of us have been training all our lives one way or another to prepare for this.
“I started gymnastics when I was six, then I did another few other things before I found cirque. You couldn’t count the hours we’ve put in.
“Vareki is a special show. It’s not really like our cirque shows because there’s a storyline and everyone transforms, every character will be someone different by the end of it.
“The story is based on Icarus from Greek mythology, who is very prideful. He made wings out of feathers and wax and he want- ed to reach the sun but he flew too close and fell to the earth. It’s about this big ego.
“It is about him coming back from that and his journey to learn to walk again and along the way he finds love. It’s about facing yourself and picking yourself back up.”
Julie Desmarais, spokesperson for Varekai, said: “The show is a story about love.
“Audiences can expect a lot of energy and a lot of colours, outstanding acrobatics, live music that adapts to every part of the show.
“There are 2,000 pieces of costume and 80 different looks for our performers, so it’s a big undertaking.
“We’ve seen a lot people leaving with big smiles which is great.
“The story explores the notion that in times of struggle, when you have adversity, there is always someone around you who can help.”
Since premiering in 2002, the show has visited more than 130 cities in 23 different countries.
Glasgow will be the last stop for the production, which has been touring the UK since February.
It will be showing at the SSE Hydro until Sunday, March 19, with an extra Sunday matinee show added due to popular demand.