Two things set “Cirque Ingenieux” apart from “Cirque du Soleil”:
1. “Ingenieux” is staged in an indoor theater on a proscenium stage instead of in an open-air tent of the kind used by “Soleil.”
2. “Ingenieux” is not as good as “Soleil.”
That may seem a cruel and odious comparison, but the producers of “Cirque Ingenieux” have set themselves up for it. They’ve copied “Soleil” wherever possible, using the same fantasy approach to frame their circus acts and designing the show with “Soleil’s” blend of fanciful costumes, striking lighting and heavily amplified New Age music.
“Ingenieux,” stopping here through Sunday in the Rosemont Theatre on its first national tour, has a story line in which a little girl named Sarah is transported into a magic realm of make-believe.
After the show is over at the circus she is attending, she is taken on a faraway journey that is reminiscent of both “The Wizard of Oz” and “The Nutcracker.”
The slide projections designed by Jerome Sirlin create a heavenly highway for her trip to a kind of Kingdom of Sweets; guided on her way by an angelic soprano singing the music of composer Kitaro, Sarah meets and is entertained by a series of circus performers.
In the end, she returns to the circus, this time as a trapeze artist herself.
This could be a charming circus tale, but though it is designed from here to kingdom come in the bizarre costumes of Jonathan Bixby and in the many lighting effects of Howell Binkley, it pokes along listlessly much of the time.
Of course it takes a little while to set up the story, and there has to be some filler material to allow time to change from the mechanics of one act to another, but it takes an inordinately long period to get the show started and the stretches between the circus acts seem like eternities.
Judging from his previous work in staging musicals, Joe Leonardo, the production’s director, knows how to keep a show moving, but you wouldn’t know it here.
Perhaps they’re trying for a hypnotic effect–most of the performers go for long, artistic poses.
Many of the routines are familiar from similar acts that have been presented by both “Cirque du Soleil” and the Big Apple Circus in their visits here.
There are willowy girl contortionists; a bare-chested aerialist who swoops above the stage while clinging to a long, gauzy curtain; a pair of strong men who perform incredible acts of balance; a clown who uses a coat and hat draped on one of his arms to create a second character; and a graceful trio of trapeze artists.
The most mesmerizing act, however, comes from juggler Jochen Schell, who tosses rings into the air and around his body with incredible ease. So seamless is the routine that his expressive arms appear to be welded to the rings.
A couple more acts like that and this circus might have been ingenious indeed.
———-
“Cirque Ingenieux”
When: Through Sunday
Where: Rosemont Theatre, 5400 N. River Rd., Rosemont
Phone: 312-902-1500
