It’s an eclectic lab of infinite creativity where a joyful troupe of acrobats, dancers and musicians band together to invent a whimsical one-of-a-kind universe. Those familiar with the name know the sheer quality and magnitude of the acts they bring on stage. Ahead of their Indian debut, Finn Taylor, Senior Vice-President – Touring show Division, Cirque du Soleil and Albert Almeida, COO-Non Movies, BookMyShow talk about their plans for the magnum opus premiere of BAZZAR.

 

 

 

 

Why did Cirque du Soleil choose India to be the next destination for its 43rd production?

 

While we have been entertaining millions of people for over 30 years in more than 60 countries, Cirque du Soleil has been looking at India as a potential market for quite a while now. We wanted to do things right and introduce the brand appropriately to this new audience that was never exposed to Cirque du Soleil before. That’s why we created BAZZAR. With its creative concept, BAZZAR offers Cirque du Soleil new possibilities to introduce our brand and enables us to continue our international growth in markets that offer great potential such as India and opens the door to exploring the African continent.

 

Tell us about Cirque du Soleil’s partnership with BookMyShow for the event.

 

 Cirque du Soleil is the sole producer of BAZZAR, its 43rd production but we work with local partners and a local promoter, like BookMyShow, to help us better understand Indian ways and culture, and to bring the Indian population to get to know us better. With BookMyShow’s deep knowledge and understanding of the entertainment industry in India, we are confident that they will permit BAZZAR, a show that introduces the essence of what Cirque du Soleil is, to be successful.

 

What are the different kinds of acts that will be a part of the show?

 

BAZZAR introduces the essence of what Cirque du Soleil is: stunning human performances, state-of-theart costumes, captivating live music and astonishing staging which results in a complete and powerful theatrical experience. It features “Classic” acrobatic disciplines like teeterboard, portage, acrobatic bike, contortion, duo roller skate, duo trapeze, aerial rope, and slackline. Bright, colourful and original costumes, live music, impressive scenography in a Big Top setting are all part of the acts.

 

What goes into the making of a show of this scale and nature?

 

The Big Top that BAZZAR will tour in can seat more than 1,500 people and stands at 19 metres (62 feet) high and is 41 metres (135 feet) in diameter. BAZZAR’s tour also travels via 25 sea containers carrying close to 700 tons of equipment. A cast and crew of 62 people will be travelling to India and working in Mumbai and Delhi to perform and present BAZZAR. In Mumbai, the shows will be held at the MMRDA grounds, where as in Delhi the Big Top will find its home in Aerocity, close to the Delhi domestic and international airports. The locations are centrally located, allowing people to conveniently reach the venue.

 

 

Since Indians aren’t avid watchers of circus acts in today’s times, how do you plan on tapping the right audience?

 

 India has a great thirst for entertainment with its thriving film industry and its long-standing tradition of circus. Cirque du Soleil started more than 30 years ago and reinvented circus arts and created a new form of entertainment centred on human performance, without animals. We believe Indian families, couples, teenagers and kids are more than ready to rediscover the circus art in a way they’ve never seen before.

 

Is there a long-term partnership in place to bring in more acts in the future?

 

 Absolutely, there is a multiyear agreement between BookMyShow and Cirque du Soleil which is aimed at establishing India as a key market to open avenues for global entertainment. With Delhi and Mumbai, we are excited to take the cities tally to 452 and hope to take it to many new cities in the coming years. Together with Cirque Du Soleil we would also like to ensure we add a lot of Indian talent to their ever-growing pool of global and multicultural artists.

 

What’s your take on the pricing of the tickets, considering it’s on a higher end compared to other musicals in the country?

 

The price for Cirque du Soleil BAZZAR starts at just Rs.1250, with the premium range of hospitality tickets at the other end of the spectrum. Our ability to price the show appropriately for different segments has ensured we make the pricing accessible and a super value for money proposition for this top quality international entertainment! Our shows take traditional circus arts to a whole new level, mixing state-of-the-art costumes, captivating music and astonishing staging which results in a complete and powerful theatrical experience. BAZZAR features an international cast of 31 performers and musicians that come from 13 different countries, two of whom are Indian.

 

 

 

 

BAZZAR will have its World Premiere in India in Mumbai on 14 November 2018 and in New Delhi in December, to run all the way up to January 2019 before heading to other countries.