Almost a decade after it first appeared in Australia, Cirque du Soleil’s magnificent show KOOZA, an ode to traditional circus, returns with distinction. Cirque du Soleil has rewritten what is possible in the art form. KOOZA combines extraordinary artistry, phenomenal acrobatic performance, captivating clowning and theatrical excellence. Cirque remains cutting edge circus – the best of the best.
I speak of the acts, the staging, the costumes, the make-up and the original music – all blended seamlessly … exquisitely. The name of this show was inspired by the Sanskrit word “koza”, which means “box”, “chest” or “treasure”. It was chosen because one of the underlying concepts of the production is the idea of a “circus in a box”.
In fact, it is a jack-in-the-box that kicks KOOZA into gear. A character, representing the everyman, known as The Innocent, is flying his kite when he receives delivery of a striking red box, out of which jumps the Trickster. Thereafter follows an eye-opening journey of self-discovery through fateful meetings with quirky characters, accompanied by musicians and singers.
Think contortionists, aerialists, silks, unicyclists, dancing skeletons, a wheel of death, chair balancing on high, feats of derring do on a teeterboard and more. It is all about colour and movement and spectacle. Also front and centre are a clown king and his court jesters, who warm up the audience ahead of the show with their hilarious interactions. Then, when it comes to proceedings proper, they cajole a patron from the crowd to participate in mime with bow and arrow. On opening night, they couldn’t have chosen better, with lauded actor and front man Shane Jacobson the good sport in the hot seat.
Over the years I have witnessed and admired many high wire acts, but never like the foursome in KOOZA. First up, they perform their stunts on two wires, one immediately above the other (one 4.5 metres high and the other 7.6 metres up). All four are on the lines at the same time, two on each. Most of their act though is on the higher of the wires – breathtaking stuff, involving jumping, skipping, sword fighting and lying down on the line. One even manages to jump over another and then a second repeats the feat, but this time jumping over two others. But the piece de resistance is two cycling across the wire while a third performs acrobatics on a chair positioned on a rod fixed on each of the cyclists’ shoulders as they move.
Two artistes make the 725 kilogram wheel of death their plaything. Through only their body movements they build up speed, so they are leaping, and even skipping, both inside and outside the “hoops” at either end of the apparatus. A muscular gent performs handstands atop as many as eight chairs positioned on a pedestal, creating a seven-metre-high tower in the process. The act builds in intensity the higher he goes.
Very near the finish of KOOZA is another act that pushes the boundaries. It involves a teeterboard (seesaw) and performers flung high into the air where they execute quintuple twisting somersaults. Then they ramp up the degree of difficulty by having double and single metal stilts strapped to their legs. The level of skill required has to be seen to be believed.
All this is performed under the company’s trademark Grand Chapiteau or Big Top. It highlights the physical demands of human performance in all its splendour and fragility, turmoil and harmony. Writer and director David Shiner says it is about human connection, exploring concepts of fear, identity, recognition and power. While KOOZA doesn’t take itself too seriously, it is undoubtedly about ideas.
I referred to the costumes earlier. They are amazing. All are custom-made – the majority produced at the costume workshop at Cirque’s international headquarters in Montreal, Canada. The only facility of its kind in North America, it has more than 300 full-time employees. That includes specialists in fields as varied as textile design, lace work, shoe, wig, pattern and costume making, and millinery. In KOOZA there are more than 175 costumes and 160 hats – 1,080 items in all, including the shoes, props and wigs.
The music is inspired by the sounds of western pop culture, from 1970s funk to full orchestral arrangements. It also draws heavily on traditional Indian music. There are six KOOZA band members on trumpet, trombone, bass, drums, percussion, saxophone, electric guitar and keyboard, along with two singers.
The stage is dominated by a travelling three tier tower, called the Bataclan, which moves artists in and out of the spotlight. It serves as a bandstand and is flanked by two curved staircases. The decoration of the Bataclan is inspired by Hindu culture, Pakistani buses and Indian jewellery. Overlooking the Bataclan, a giant fabric structure known as “the Void” is printed with motifs drawn from leaves, to give it an organic look. The “sails” that frame the Bataclan open and close like the petals of an enormous flower.
All this is a feast for the eyes as the international cast of 53 lift the bar on what one can see at the circus. It is simply astonishing 100 minutes (plus interval) of outstanding entertainment – acrobatic, artistic and creative genius. Cirque du Soleil’s KOOZA is playing under the Big Top at Flemington Racecourse until 19th July. Then it moves to Brisbane from 1st August to 27th September and Sydney from 17th October to 13th December, 2026.
Alex First
Alex First is the editor of The Blurb. Alex is a Melbourne based journalist and communications specialist. He also contributes to The Blurb on film and theatre.