Playing Fresno: Cirque Du Soleil’s Toruk – The First Flight

Cirque Du Soleil’s Toruk

It is best that I start by setting the record straight. Until Thursday night, I had never seen a Cirque du Soleil show. To be honest, I’ve never had the desire.

I mean don’t get me wrong, the choreography, the music, it has always looked pretty cool, but I have never been moved enough to actually purchase tickets to a show.

When presented with the opportunity to receive complementary tickets to see Toruk – The First Flight, I jumped at the chance.

It’s inspired by James Cameron’s AVATAR. You know, the 2009 box-office sensation, the highest grossing movie of all-time. The movie everybody saw. Everybody, but me!

I had absolutely no desire to see AVATAR. Nothing about it appealed to me.

Nonetheless, I was more than willing to check out Toruk – The First Flight. And I am so glad that I did!

Cirque du Soleil really knows how to put on a beautiful show. Founded in 1984, Cirque du Soleil’s mission is to invoke the imagination, provoke the senses and evoke the emotions of people around the World.

The Save Mart Center has hosted Cirque du Soleil shows before, but this is the first time this production has played in the Central Valley.

Toruk – The First Flight is a mystical tale set thousands of years before the events depicted in the film AVATAR and before any humans ever set foot on Pandora.

It’s narrated by a “Na’vi Storyteller.” When a natural catastrophe threatens to destroy the sacred Tree of Souls, Ralu and Entu, two Omaticaya boys, fearlessly decide to take matters into their own hands.

The production brings cutting-edge visuals, puppetry and stagecraft together in a very unique way. The stage was like nothing I had ever seen before. it really was amazing.

Video projections make the audience feel like they have been transported to the land of Pandora. The set design and props are elaborate; as are the costumes and makeup.

Sixteen puppets are used in the production. They represent the creatures of Pandora and play an important role in the storytelling. The puppeteers are equipped with microphones and make their own animal sounds for perfect synchronization with their movements.

My favorite part was the acrobatics. How do they move like that? All the twists and turns! The acrobatics are embedded in the story-line and the artists’ every move – from leaps and tumbles, to flips and somersaults. The stage floor was specially equipped with rebound surfaces to allow the artists to generate thrust and build momentum.

Toruk – The First Flight also features multicolored kites and talented kite flyers.

It’s all done to music that captures the vibe of the stage show. A singer and percussionist perform live on stage.

Toruk – The First Flight plays at the Save Mart Center through Sunday, October 30^th. There are six shows. Tickets start at $30. They are available at the Save Mart Center Box Office and through Ticketmaster.com

Can’t make it to this show? Cirque du Soleil has nine different residency shows currently playing in Las Vegas. And we all know Central Valley residents love visiting Vegas!