Cirque de Soleil - La Nouba

If you are only going to see one show while you are in Florida this is the one to see. It appeals to all ages offers more sights and experiences than can be take in at one go and is simply and breathtaking.

The show is housed in what appears to be a modern day circus but the theatre boasts what must be one of the most versatile and technically sophisticated stages around. All the seats offer a superb view so there is no need to go for the more expensive seats; even the cheaper seats are quite dear.

The Title, “La Nouba” implies “to live it up” and throughout the spectacle there are themes of contrasts between dreams and nightmares and between the circus folk and the urbanites. But this makes it sound serious and it is actually so dynamic, exciting and spectacular that it is hard to know where to look.

Some of the acts are reminiscent of the old fashioned circus, such as the static and the flying trapeze acts. Like all the best circuses there are clowns and these are around to entertain you at the beginning while people are finding their seats so, particularly if you are taking children it is a good idea to arrive early..

The athleticism and gymnastic ability of all the participants is of the highest order. We, like most of the audience greatly admired what seemed to be a group of children; although they were probably older than they looked with diabalos (Do you remember those from your childhood?). Their routine was incredible and they fully deserved the standing ovation they received at the end of their specific slot.

A number of the acts appear to defy the laws of gravity. This applied particularly to the final set piece which involved trampolines and synchronised gymnastics that defies description.

There were acrobats inside wheels, there were men doing acrobatics on bicycles. There was ballet, there was pantomime, there was a high wire act, there was a balancing act but between each activity there were a wide range of things going on so that there was always something to watch and the suspicion that if you blinked you would miss something. To quote the publicity “La Nouba is memory, individual and universal. It beckons to us, challenges us to uncover passions we thought we had lost long ago. Here anything is possible.”

There are two shows a night and if you go to the early one you emerge as Downtown Disney is starting to bubble. You can go on to get a meal or just enjoy being with a lot of very happy people.

We enjoyed it immensely and will probably want to see it again sometime in the not too distant future. It would be expensive for a large family so perhaps it should be saved up for a special treat.