Review: 'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE... BY. CIRQUE DU SOLEIL at Key Bank State Theatre

The large audience sat, often with entranced attention, as members of The Circque Du Soleil company presented TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE…, the company’s holiday show based on the classic poem “A Visit from Saint Nicolas” by Clement Clarke Moore.

The story tells of a jaded young girl who discovers the magic of the holidays by being exposed to her favorite family story coming to life through a magic book, whimsical characters, acrobats, gymnasts, jugglers, skaters, aerialists, bicycle riders, reindeer, hoop divers, lighting and sound effects, gifts, audience members, a snowball fight and Santa, himself.

Circus of the Sun is a Canadian entertainment company and the largest contemporary circus producer in the world.  Originating as a performing troupe called Les Échassiers (“The Stilt Walkers"), they toured Quebec in various forms between 1979 and 1983.  Its theatrical, character-driven approach and the absence of performing animals helped define Cirque du Soleil as the contemporary circus ("nouveau cirque") that it remains today.

'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE... is aimed for entire family entertainment.  There is something for kids as well as adults.  Fast pacing, farcical exaggerations, colorful costumes, flying and twirling bodies, dancing, singing and lots of shticks and gimmicks, as evidenced by the enthusiastic reaction by members of the live audience, had an impact on all.

Before the twelve-act show, presented without an intermission, I shared with the two Kent, Ohio teen/tween girls seated next to me that I was a reviewer and asked if they would help me develop my column by sharing, at the end of the show, their favorite acts.

Their favorites? Hannah, the younger sister, as well as her dad, liked “Straps Duo” which was “an aerial performance about the poetic beauty of snow, inspired by:  ‘As leave that before the wild hurricane fly, when they met with an obstacle, mount to the sky.’”  The piece found two talented aerialists, high above the stage gyrating to the awed delight of the audience.  The sounds of squeals, gasps and applause greeted the talented athletes.   

The older sister, Isabella, favored “Hotel Cart,” in which a spoiled starlet named Ava discards her toys, find its roots in the part of the poem which states, “A wink of her eye! A twist of her head! With a sleigh full of toys.”  The enactment found an aerialist and a large luggage delivery cart being hoisted off the ground while she dove above, below, and balanced on the device.

My favorite segment was “Diabolo” in which large yo-yo like lighted objects were balanced, rotated on, run along and flipped over ropes operated by a group of performers.  The highlight was when the performers went into the aisles and threw the objects onto the stage to the talented rope operators, who caught them mid-air.

If there were any shortcomings of the show, and this is no fault of the conceivers or performers, is that the presentations palled by comparison to those being staged by presenters on television’s “AMERICA’S GOT TALENT.”

Capsule judgment:  TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE… is a family involving exciting, delightful, creative combination of acts which cleverly told a familiar tale through new and exciting means.  And, a good time was had by all!

The show continues at the Key Bank State through December 15, 2024.  For tickets call 216-640-8800 or go to playhousesquare.org  

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