Cirque Du Soleil's Geert Chatrou Granted Permission to Whistle Inside Burlington Arcade

Cirque du Soleil has announced that Geert Chatrou, the performer behind the whistling ringmaster in its acclaimed production Corteo has been granted the privilege of whistling inside London's historic Burlington Arcade. In an exclusive performance at Burlington Arcade this morning, Geert became only the third person in over two centuries to be exempted from the Arcade's storied no-whistling rule. Cirque du Soleil Corteo is currently captivating audiences at the Royal Albert Hall until 2 March 2025, with tickets available at cirquedusoleil.com/corteo. 

Burlington Arcade, opened in 1819, is renowned not only for its luxurious boutiques and timeless elegance but also for its Burlington Beadles - the uniformed guardians of its proud traditions. One such tradition is the prohibition on whistling, which originally stemmed from concerns that pickpockets used coded whistles to warn each other of the Beadles' approach. 

For decades, Sir Paul McCartney stood as the sole individual granted an exemption when he was politely asked by a Beadle to stop whistling in the 1980s—only for the Beadle to discover the whistler was a member of The Beatles. A young boy is the only other person ever granted this unique honour. 

Now, Cirque du Soleil's “Mr Loyal” follows in these illustrious footsteps as the third person to earn a whistling exemption. This morning's performance saw him pay homage to Sir Paul McCartney with a rendition of the hit Beatles track ‘Love Me Do'. He also performed ABBA favourite ‘Mamma Mia' as well as his usual repertoire from the show in which he stars, Corteo.  

Burlington Arcade shared: "For over two centuries, luxury resides at Burlington Arcade and is has been a sanctuary of refinement and tradition, where history and elegance converge. Welcoming Geert Chatrou, a world-class artist of extraordinary skill, as only the third person permitted to whistle within these iconic walls, adds a remarkable chapter to our storied legacy. This rare moment beautifully harmonises the Arcade's grace with the creative brilliance of Cirque du Soleil." 

“Mr Loyal”'s whistling debut comes in celebration of Cirque du Soleil's highly awaited return to London's Royal Albert Hall, until 2 March 2025. Corteo—Italian for “cortege”—tells the enchanting story of a clown who envisions his own funeral procession, complete with jubilant music, gravity-defying acrobatics, and visual poetry that only Cirque du Soleil can deliver. 

The clown's dreamlike imagination pictures his own funeral taking place in a carnival atmosphere, watched over by quietly caring angels. Juxtaposing the large with the small, the ridiculous with the tragic and the magic of perfection with the charm of imperfection, the show highlights the strength and fragility of the clown, as well as his wisdom and kindness, to illustrate the portion of humanity that is within each of us. The music turns lyrical and playful carrying Corteo through a timeless celebration in which illusion teases reality.  

In a Cirque du Soleil first, the stage is central in the arena and divides the venue from the Royal Albert Hall's organ in a straight line to the door 6 entrance, with each half of the audience facing the other half, giving a unique perspective not only of the show, but also a performer's eye view of the audience. An atmosphere like never seen before in Cirque du Soleil shows, nor anything previously seen at the Royal Albert Hall. The set curtains, inspired by the Eiffel Tower, and the central curtains, which were hand painted, give a grandiose feel to the stage. This sets the tone for the poetry of Corteo. It is also the heaviest show that Cirque du Soleil has bought to the Royal Albert Hall, suspending a massive 67 tonnes from the grid (equal to the weight of 11 elephants hanging from the ceiling).   

Cirque du Soleil started its much-loved annual residency at the Royal Albert Hall in 1996 and is now a staple of the entertainment calendar in London, as the famous venue becomes a permanent big top for over two months each year.