SEOUL—Performances, artistic or otherwise, are all available on the Internet. They are digitally recorded—usually on the sly—downloaded on computers, and uploaded on the Internet for the world to see and judge.

For most people, watching these videos is the most culture they can get. Maybe they have no time to watch live performances or maybe they do not see the value of watching them in person when they think they can part with their cash on other things. Like an expensive addition to their wardrobe or a fancy dinner in a restaurant with a nice ambiance.

The reasons are varied but there is but one caveat: videos deprive viewers of one thing and one thing only, the unique dialog and interaction offered by a live performance.

This is the kind of experience that Cirque du Soleil’s Varekai aims to provide the audience when it comes to Manila in June. This is the first time that the world-acclaimed circus troupe is coming to the Philippines and the performers, culled from around the world, intend to give a show like no other.

“Nothing will ever be able to replace a live experience—nothing, not a movie, not a 3D experience, not a YouTube video. Nothing is going to be able to replace that human-to-human experience because every time we go onstage, we provoke a dialog with culture, with people either with a different country or just a different type of audience,” said Matheiu Gatien, Cirque du Soleil artistic director for Varekai.

“The artist gives, and gives very generously, onstage but what the audience gives them back is incredible stimulation that brings on a dialog that other, than a live experience, nothing else in the world can give you,” he said.

Varekai, which means “wherever,” was derived from the language of the gypsies, who are dubbed as “universal wanderers.” The show is written and directed by Dominic Champagne for Cirque du Soleil and debuted in 2002 in Montreal, Canada. Since then, it has already toured 55 cities in 12 countries around the world.

The story revolves around a tribe of creatures that live in a forest at the summit of a volcano. They live a nomadic lifestyle and call every place they go to home as long as they are together.

This is actually similar to the life of circus performers, who consider the circus not only a place of work; it is their home and their family.

The creatures are awestruck with the arrival of a stranger, Icarus, who overcomes his own battles and falls in love with La Promise, or the Betrothed, and help her in her own transformation. The narrative is culled from the Greek myth of Icarus with a Cirque du Soleil twist.

The story concludes with a powerful and happy ending with the help of various acts and characters such as The Guide, an elder that inspires and brings about change, as well as the Skywatcher, a mad scientist, who transforms sounds and forewarns trials and tribulations.

Unlike other touring circuses, Cirque du Soleil does not use animals in its shows. But with the various artists and the grand costumes in every production of the company, they are able to include wildlife in their production.

The show boasts of 14 different acts, including aerial hoops and straps, clowns, hand-balancing on canes, juggling, Russian swings and a triple trapeze.

The show has 54 artists performing the various acts onstage plus seven musicians every show. There are two singers who also perform onstage and provide the voices that help set the mood for certain acts or parts of the narrative.

“The concept of Varekai is wherever. So basically, its a bunch of creatures, they are in this forest that live this nomadic life and they come from one place to another but it doesn’t matter where they move as soon as they are together,” Varekai publicist Cynthia Clemente explained.

Unique circus experience

Most Filipinos have only heard and read about big circuses with a ringmaster and watching stunts up close in a big tent. Cirque du Soleil promises all that and more.

When you arrive at the circus site, you will see three big tents. The biggest one is at the center and is often referred to as the Big Top, where the performance will be held. Just to give you an idea of its size, its metal components alone weigh 100,000 tons.

The two other tents function as a lobby, where Cirque du Soleil merchandise are sold; and another is a VIP tent, where cocktails are held before the show. This is also where holders of VIP tickets go during intermission to enjoy some refreshments.

But most of what you will see is the wooden and vinyl-covered stage that includes a catwalk that extends the stage to 17 meters above the ground. The stage will offer an explosion of color and movement that only experienced stage performers and technicians can deliver.

The colors will not only come from the lights but also the brightly colored costumes. Varekai’s head of wardrobe Larry Edwards showed members of the Philippine media some of the costumes that were used.

Most of the costumes, Edwards said, were made of a combination of Lycra and rubber to allow the acrobats to be comfortable and covered in the right places when they do their acts. One of the most expensive costumes used in Varekai cost C$12,000, or about P500,000.

Edwards said this is because all of the costumes are hand-painted and fitted uniquely to each of the artists performing onstage. This is the case not only for costumes but also the masks, headdresses and the shoes that are used during the performance.

Further, he said other costumes, like the one used by La Promise, who is a contortionist in the show, is glittered by Svarovsky crystals. This costume is very light and is made purely of Lycra.

To maintain the costumes and prevent any “wardrobe malfunctions,” Edwards said the wardrobe department has a team of six people to clean, repair, iron, repaint the shoes, retouch hats and so on.

Apart from the costumes, Varekai general stage manager John Reid said to prevent any accidents and untoward events, Varekai has an entire manual dedicated to emergency procedures.

These procedures, Reid said, help in ensuring the safety and the health of all the artists and the technical staff. Details on how to deal with problems with winches, trapdoors and others, or how to use these to get out of emergency situations, are all there.

But this is not the biggest challenge for the crew. Reid said that because Varekai had to go from one city or country to another, the biggest challenge is the temperature and climate of the place.

This is crucial, especially for the Big Top. Reid said the team needs to maintain a certain temperature inside the Big Top to prevent condensation, which will cause it to “rain” inside the tent.

“There’s so many different challenges that get thrown at you each day,” Reid said. “[We] need to maintain a constant temperature in our big tent before the humidity gets out of control. At that time, the Big Top starts raining.”

Looking forward to Manila

As the date nears, the whole Varekai production is excited to get a well-deserved break after months of performing 10 shows a week here in the South Korean capital. Most of them will be heading home to their respective countries, while others will be exploring various islands in the Philippines.

Apart from the break and the chance to explore the Philippines, Gatien said that since it’s their first time to go to Manila, they are excited with the prospect of meeting a new part of the world that holds a new kind of audience and, of course, other talented acts.

Gatien said that as far as Cirque du Soleil has seen and heard about the Philippines and Filipino artists, there was no “catching up” to do when it comes to the talent and artistry of Filipinos with their international counterparts.

“Varekai has the privilege to be the first [of Cirque du Soleil productions] to come to the Philippines in Manila. What we are very excited about is that we are meeting a whole new part of the world for us, since we’re meeting new audience members. But we’re [also] meeting potential future acrobats for the shows,” he said.

“There’s no catch-up to do, as we’ve heard and seen. Without a doubt, the Filipino people are extremely inventive and extremely talented people,” Gatien said.

Cirque du Soleil hopes that the 40 shows in Manila will draw not only the culturati and those who are fond of circus shows but also encourage aspiring acrobats to step up and show off their talent.

“We hope that with our presence in Manila, people will try to see how they can send us videos, how they can show us what they can do. I’m sure that we’ll be extremely surprised by the creativity of the Filipino people and that we’ll meet other disciplines, new people, new talents, and really unpredictable artists,” Gatien said.