Cirque de Soleil's "Ovo"

The Big Top Tent

Last night, I had the pleasure of seeing Cirque de Soleil’s Ovo. Situated in the monstrous yellow and blue tent one might marvel at while driving down 75, Ovo’s is running in Atlanta through the holiday season.

I have not seen a Cirque de Soleil show since Quidam. I was 14 then, so it was a long time ago : ) As I walked up to the ‘big top tent,’ I felt like a kid again.

The entire stadium of audience members were engaged and enthralled from the entrance of the first buggy ‘creature’ until the grand finale.

Ovo transports the audience into a world of insects: trapeze flying cockroaches, gumby-limbed spiders, juggling ants, and more. An odd, quirky bug arrives with an egg, ovo. His loose-jointed body sways and buoys in inhumanly directions. He falls ‘head over heels’ for the lady bug and, hence, ensues the love story of two insects. Along their journey of haphazard courting, the audience is introduced to a variety of buggy creatures, curated by the ring-leader, an amusing combination of Bozo the clown and a beadle.

The show runs two and a half hours long. Yet, if it weren’t for the awkward seating arrangements, one can continue to watch them all night long. All of the acts were highly impressive, but the high-flying trampoline wall-walking frogs had the audience on the edge of their seats, cheering and clapping along. The cast of Ovo defies so much more than just gravity, they take the impossible and make it artistic. This is what is so appealing about a Cirque show. In addition to the obviously impressive circus acts, Cirque gives the audience a true show by providing live, original music, intricate costumes, and a simple story line, which ties together the acts seamlessly. Ovo blends the artistic and entertainment to produce an experience, which one will never forget.