Also this issue:

Fall guide
-Debra Auspitz

Feeding Frenzy
An off-Broadway hit about the restaurant biz comes to Philadelphia -- and hits close to home.
-Toby Zinman photos by michael t. regan

Gearing Up: Tara Keating
-Debra Auspitz

Bittersweet Inspiration
Soul/R&B singer Vivian Green draws power from the pain.
-A.D. Amorosi Photo By Michael T. Regan

Gearing Up: James Valenti
-Debra Auspitz

Gearing Up: Sandra Blakely
-Debra Auspitz

Down To Zero
Bad-boy artist Neil Bernstein tries to do some good in a gallery near Ground Zero.
-David Warner photo by Jay Muhlin“

Scene Change
A look at nightspots, restaurants and shopping destinations set to open this fall.
-A.D. Amorosi Photo By Michael T. Regan

September 19-25, 2002

cover story

Wherever, Whenever

Bending beauties: cast members of Cirque du Soleil's

<i>Varekai</i>.

Bending beauties: cast members of Cirque du Soleil's Varekai.

A peek behind the scenes at the dream world of Cirque du Soleil's Varekai.

by Deni Kasrel

Varekai is the story of a young man who falls from the sky and lands in a forest filled with unusual inhabitants, including an exotic woman who captures his heart and a kindly old guide who helps the young man see life in a new light. Traipsing through the strange terrain, the young man encounters otherworldly creatures capable of feats both magical and wild.

That, at least, is the general gist of Varekai, which is the latest production by Cirque du Soleil, opening tonight under the big yellow and blue tent pitched where Broad Street meets Washington Avenue. The title means "wherever" in the Romany language of the gypsies and the show pays homage to the nomadic spirit that drives individuals to pursue paths unknown. Yet, like all Cirque endeavors, the central motif is presented in abstract fashion and the real focus is on a colorful spectacle of humans performing seemingly superhuman feats, many of which are clearly high-risk. "We're not actually conveying a story," says Andrew Watson, Varekai's director of creation. "The theme is really the people who are inside the show who feel good about performing."

The feel-good performers include clowns, tumblers, contortionists and jugglers, plus aerial acts that take your breath away. The cast is decked out in fabulous costumes, and the music is a multicultural sonic stew. There are similar ingredients in other Cirque productions, but Watson assures even if you've caught Cirque in action before, you've not seen what Varekai has to offer. He notes, "There is no recipe to creating a Cirque du Soleil show. Each show has its own personality."

In fact, every Cirque show has a different creative team, which aims to present its own unique vision. Nol van Genuchten, Varekai's lighting designer, says that he sought to expand the possibilities of light to create special textures within the scenic environment. As he explains, "There's a lot in this show that has to do with flying, so one of the textures I decided to work with are clouds. Not literally, but there are fluffy patches of light that you see on the stage floor. Also, because the principal character has to overcome disaster, there's something about pathways -- that's a philosophical way of looking at it."

The minds behind Varekai ventured into experimentation for certain acts, such as one known as "body skating," which began with the team researching the slideability of different materials. "We just started to design an act without really knowing what it would be," says Watson, who adds, "this is the one point in the show where it's purely fun, where we give ourselves license and liberty to just completely stretch out and go somewhere else."

Varekai also revives the "Icarian Games," an ancient circus discipline that's nearly died out, featuring men juggling one another with their feet. The highly choreographed display is an awesome example of acrobatic synchronization, and the same goes for "Russian Swings" -- the most dangerous portion of the program, where the margin for error is miniscule while acrobats catapult from a shifting plank to land on several surfaces, including a partner's crossed wrists or a moving swing.

The action takes place within a large set built to suggest a mysterious universe. Conceptual in nature, the forest is crafted from golden poles. There's a huge catwalk that the forest's inhabitants prowl as they seek new sources of adventure. The floor holds platforms that spin, rise and fall, plus several trap doors. "The idea is that the life is not just existing on the stage," Watson explains. "There's a world happening underneath the stage, there's a world happening backstage."

So watch out as performers appear from all angles, including from above, where Varekai's cast of creatures descend in dramatic fashion. "We're like kids," says Watson. "We like surprises."

Cirque du Soleil presents Varekai, Sept. 19-Oct. 6, $40.50-$165, Broad St. and Washington Ave., 800-678-5440, www.cirquedusoleil.com.