Review: CIRQUE DU SOLEIL'S OVO at HEB Center In Cedar Park is Family Friendly Thrills and Laughs

Cirque du Soleil's OVO, currently playing at the HEB Center in Cedar Park is an immersive family friendly evening of acrobatic thrills wrapped up is a sweet and funny clown bug love story. The show is a look at an insect ecosystem teeming with life. The acrobats are dressed as insects and the acts, which are tied together by the clowns storylines of looking for the egg and the lady bug's suitors, results in a non-stop story of insects working, playing, fighting and looking for love. Among the exciting visuals in this fast paced dazzler of an entertainment are foot jugglers who, as ants, juggle gigantic kiwi fruit and ears of corn; trampoline artists dressed crickets leaping off and on a high wall; a silk artist who uses the silks to show a butterfly transforming from cocoon state and trapeze artists in a stunning aerial act. Along the way is also a beautiful and graceful dragonfly hand balancing act and a hilarious moment with a caterpillar.

The story begins when a very funny blue bug is trying the find his missing ovo (which is Portuguese for egg) that vanished almost as soon as he brought it on stage. The insects are intensely curious when this mysterious egg appeared, which represents the enigmas and cycles of their lives. While the egg may be the incident that begins the show, the show is less about the plot of the egg than it is about the visually sunning world Cirque du Soleil has imagined insect life to be. What follows is a series of breathtaking physical stunts by a plethora of skilled circus performers, singers and musicians, and art deco inspired sets - and surprisingly, it is never becomes too much going on at once. OVO gives each act its own time to shine, keeping their audience engaged at all times.

The big highlight of the evening is the astonishing wall act involving crickets hurling themselves up, across and over a massive wall- without any aerial support. This act is typical of the high energy and physical daring Cirque du Soleil is known for.

The costumes deserve mention for their imaginative evoking of the character of each specific insect and performer alike. The theatricality and attention to detail in design are exacting. OVO is one of 19 current Cirque du Soleil productions. Each production features a cast of 50 supported by a crew of 50. They all employ a nonsense language used by their clowns which makes their productions timeless and accessible to all audiences.

Over four decades, Cirque du Soleil has created quite the reputation. They originally set out to reinvent the traditional circus with theatricality and physical spectacle. Synonymous with gorgeous visuals and dazzlingly technical physical entertainment, OVO continues the Cirque du Soleil legend in glorious style.

Cirque du Soleil's OVO
Currently playing at the Cedar Park HEB Center through Sunday March 19th.
Running time: Approximately Two Hours including intermission.

Note there is an additional fifteen dollar charge to park.
Tickets: https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/usa/cedar-park/ovo/buy-tickets
1-800-754-3000

To post a comment, you must register and login.