New Cirque du Soleil 'Drawn to Life' show in development to replace La Nouba

TrainsOfDisney

TrainsOfDisney

Well-Known Member
Just saw the show for the first time. Overall it’s very enjoyable but I felt there were quite a lot of solo acts vs. previous Cirque shows like La Nouba. I was expecting more aerial acts as well, the solo Pencil / Pole is the only aerial act in the show really unless you count the cradle.

I LOVED the wheel of death with Old Mill - that was a perfect blend of true classic Disney animation and really amazing circus.

Teeterboard was also a stand out.

They must have gotten the cheapest Russian swing act they could find… it was really really lacking and definitely wasn’t strong enough to close the show.

It’s a beautiful show - I’d definitely see it again especially as casts rotate.
 
SaucyBoy

SaucyBoy

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
No
TrainsOfDisney said:
Just saw the show for the first time. Overall it’s very enjoyable but I felt there were quite a lot of solo acts vs. previous Cirque shows like La Nouba. I was expecting more aerial acts as well, the solo Pencil / Pole is the only aerial act in the show really unless you count the cradle.

I LOVED the wheel of death with Old Mill - that was a perfect blend of true classic Disney animation and really amazing circus.

Teeterboard was also a stand out.

They must have gotten the cheapest Russian swing act they could find… it was really really lacking and definitely wasn’t strong enough to close the show.

It’s a beautiful show - I’d definitely see it again especially as casts rotate.
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Good thoughts that echo mine to an extent. Totally agree about the Russian Swing act being lackluster, those acts are meant to be adrenaline pumping and this one falls flat. But once you've seen Varekai's, O's, and Luzia's versions, it's hard to top. I think Drawn to Life has so much to offer and I hope Cirque and Disney give it time to truly bloom. It's a very different style of Cirque that I don't think a lot of the diehards were ready to accept yet it's still a bit too "out there" for the normal audience.
 
TrainsOfDisney

TrainsOfDisney

Well-Known Member
Has the husband / wife dancing always been a magic trick with just the 2 people? The lighting and music suggests that should have been a much bigger act as well.

I also wish they would have done the cradle low enough they didn’t need a safety and brought it out into the ring. That’s a super impressive act that gets lost in the staging.
 
MisterPenguin

MisterPenguin

President of Animal Kingdom
Premium Member
TrainsOfDisney said:
Has the husband / wife dancing always been a magic trick with just the 2 people? The lighting and music suggests that should have been a much bigger act as well.
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Yes. I like it better the second time I saw it last month. Seems they relied more heavily on the artistic dance supported by the wire than pretending they're doing strength moves -- which they ain't, because of the wire.

TrainsOfDisney said:
I also wish they would have done the cradle low enough they didn’t need a safety and brought it out into the ring. That’s a super impressive act that gets lost in the staging.
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I found this and the swings to be pretty weak. The lady flung into the air doesn't do any aerial flips or twists that are more impressive than what the floor exercise act does.

If you have a gimmick to be thrown into the air, you should be doing more difficult skills than what the other acrobats are doing unaided. E.g. the rubber band men on the teeter totters do more difficult skills than the floor acrobats.

The show needs a trampoline act to replace those two IMO weak acts.
 
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TrainsOfDisney

TrainsOfDisney

Well-Known Member
MisterPenguin said:
The lady flung into the air doesn't do any aerial flips or twists that are more impressive than what the floor exercise act does.
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The cradle act is actually very impressive and way more difficult than the floor act, but I agree it doesn’t come across as more impressive.
MisterPenguin said:
Yes. I like it better the second time I saw it last month. Seems they relied more heavily on the artistic dance supported by the wire than pretending they're doing strength moves -- which they ain't, because of the wire.
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To me, that’s simply not an act and shouldn’t be given that slot in the show with such major production elements. Certainly the original concept was to have an actual act there… right?
 
the.dreamfinder

the.dreamfinder

Well-Known Member
La Nouba director Franco Dragone dies at age 69.
www.cirquefascination.com

Franco Dragone, 1952-2022 - Fascination! Newsletter

Dragone died of a heart attack while conducting business in Cairo, Egypt, on Friday. He was 69. His trip was also a for some needed vacation time. Dragone was a heavy smoker, but was known to be in relatively good health after recovering from leukemia last year. News of Dragone’s death was...
www.cirquefascination.com www.cirquefascination.com
 
WondersOfLife

WondersOfLife

Blink, blink. Breathe, breathe. Day in, day out.
TrainsOfDisney said:
To me, that’s simply not an act and shouldn’t be given that slot in the show with such major production elements. Certainly the original concept was to have an actual act there… right?
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The main thing about this part of the show is less of the act and moreso the emotion/storytelling part, I believe. That's just my opinion.
 
WondersOfLife

WondersOfLife

Blink, blink. Breathe, breathe. Day in, day out.
mf1972 said:
comparing drawn to life & la nouba, drawn isn’t a bad show. we obviously expected something different & felt entertained, but la nouba is the superior show. i’d say it had a better wow factor to it.
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I saw both. I remember liking La Nouba, but I don't remember much about it. There's something about Drawn to Life that leads me to remember the show in great detail better than the previous show. Probably the story, characters, and design pieces.
 
Richie248

Richie248

Well-Known Member
DznyGrlSD said:
This. Saw the show for the 3rd time this past weekend and La Nouba has the WOW factor with the acts/acrobatics and Drawn to Live has the emotional factor with the storytelling.
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Wish we could have both!?? haha Loved La Nouba but have yet to see Drawn to Life, maybe on my trip next month...
 
SaucyBoy

SaucyBoy

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
No
JohnD said:
Thoughts on the show? Going in April. As someone with the Pixie Dust pass, it's the perfect thing to do on a Sunday afternoon, the day I arrive.
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Here are my initial thoughts after seeing the show for the first time in July 2022. I really enjoyed it although I would probably pare down some of the over-exaggerating language I used in my review; I wrote it after having a few post show drinks, lol! I'm looking forward to seeing it again later this year.
SaucyBoy said:
After having tickets to the original opening night back in March 2020, I was finally able to make it to Drawn to Life last night. There's only one way to describe this show, BEAUTIFUL!! Holy crap, everything about the show is top notch and I was truly blown away. As someone who seen La Nouba over 8 times, I was very skeptical about Disney putting their hand in the Cirque cookie jar but those worries were unfounded. Michele Laprise was the perfect choice to blend the magic of Disney and the artistry of Cirque.

The set and effects themselves are worth seeing. The music was a little on the tamer side compared to La Nouba, but Benoit Jutras added a few musical nods to the previous show; I also counted two La Nouba Easter eggs. I wasn't sold on the vocalist just doing harmonies and such, but it translated so well in real life. The acts themselves were nice, too; I think the juggler was one of the best I've seen out of my 15 Cirque shows (usually they put me to sleep). Overall, if you're in town and are a fan of either Cirque or Disney, don't listen to the naysayers and get your butt in a seat.

Sadly, the show wasn't even close to sold out. I don't know what both teams need to do to better promote this stunning production but nothing should be off the table. I'd hate to see it fold in a few years because of poor attendance.
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the.dreamfinder

the.dreamfinder

Well-Known Member
Richie248 said:
Wish we could have both!?? haha Loved La Nouba but have yet to see Drawn to Life, maybe on my trip next month...
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If the corporate convention business returns to normal, building a smaller cirque venue where Atlantic Dance Hall is for Grand Chapiteau shows to do long term residences could be a good expansion option.
 
JohnD

JohnD

Well-Known Member
Any recommendations on seating? Even the least expensive $75 seats are both in the top rows but are also closer to the stage but on the side.
 
The Colonel

The Colonel

Well-Known Member
try to get seats right above the exit. No one can sit in front of you and you have a shelf for your treats. Best seats in the house
 

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