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Jack and I went to the opening night of Cirque du Soleil's new Baltimore show, Quidam, last night as promised. Not surprisingly, it was terrific, full of jaw-dropping feats of agility, strength, and skill, as was my only previous Cirque experience, Totem.
I have to admit, the show lacked the cool atmospheric otherworldliness that Totem got by being in a massive customized tent. The costumes were still fantastic, but the set was much more minimal and you could still see the "Baltimore Blast: Champions 1984" banner in the background.
Also, this year's show seemed slightly slower paced, with a few more elements geared to grown-ups. Two of the highlights for me were segments where a non-speaking clown brought members of the audience to improvise various scenes. Unfortunately, these really flew right over Jack's head, which was really just as well, since they were kind of lascivious. Also, as a result of the venue, I imagine, there weren't as many high-flying aerial performers.
Not surprisingly, Jack tended to get most excited about the fast-paced acts, like the Chinese yo-yo performers (pictured) and the insanely complicated 20-person jump-rope ensemble.
If you've never seen Cirque do Soleil, this is a great opportunity—one benefit of it being in 1st Mariner Arena is that tickets are cheaper than in the stand-alone tent. And the show are unlike anything else you've ever seen. You've really got to see it to believe it.
