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Cirque Alegria Returns to Royal Albert Hall, 5 Jan

Cirque du Soleil brings Alegria back next month for a second consecutive year at the Royal Albert Hall. Last January, the show ran for an extended season from 5 January to 12 February 2006. It reopens on 5 January 2007 at the Albert Hall, where it’s initially booking until 29 January.

This will be the fourth time overall that the award-winning Canadian circus company, which was established in Quebec in 1984 by a troupe of street performers, has presented Alegria in the UK (it was also seen in 1998 and 1999). It’s the eleventh London season for the company, whose other hits include Dralion and Saltimbanco.

Taking its name from a Spanish word for jubilation, Alegria features Cirque du Soleil’s trademark blend of spectacular acrobatics, aerial acts, dramatic lighting and elaborate set design. Acts include contortionists, trapezists, fire knife dancers, singers and clowns. The show is directed by Franco Dragone and performed by an international cast of 56 performers and musicians from 13 countries.

Since its conception, Circue du Soleil has grown to employ over 3,000 people presenting shows in more than 100 cities on four continents. At one point, the company had plans to build a permanent London home on the site of the derelict Battersea Power Station, where they've previously played to capacity crowds in their "Grand Chapiteau" big top. The Battersea plans were abandoned in December 2001. More recently, they have been named in connection with planned redevelopment of Leicester Square (See The Goss, 24 Mar 2003).

- by Terri Paddock

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