This may be Cirque du Soleil's most stunning San Francisco show yet
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The puppet emerges from the cube. It doesn't blink, but its eyes do move. Photo: Nadia Lopez/Axios
Cirque du Soleil's return to San Francisco invites audiences into a whimsical world filled with striking aerial acts, flying acrobatics and playful characters.
State of play: "Echo," which debuted in the city last week, follows a protagonist named Future, who encounters various costumed animal characters as well as a mysterious "cube."
- The massive rotating cube has white panels that shift and transform in real time, serving as both a projection surface and performance platform.
- The set unfolds into a dreamlike play land, marked by bold patterns, toy-like props and explosions of color.
Between the lines: Few things are more breathtaking than watching two incredibly strong aerialists — suspended from a rig by only their hair — spin and twirl through the air with stunning precision and force, or seeing a performer do a headstand on a flying trapeze.
- At one point, a giant red puppet — maneuvered by a small army of acrobats — emerges from the cube and interacts with the cast in movements that feel almost human.
- Also expect a flying poles act with multiple aerialists taking flight at once, a juggling performance, a human catapult on teeterboards with mid-air crossings and a human tossing act — where a flyer is launched upward to complete a series of somersaults.
- Plus, it wouldn't be a circus without contortion, an ancient Mongolian art form traditionally performed by women. Witnessing a male performer execute it with such elegance and grace gives the act a fresh twist.
My thought bubble: As an avid circus fan, I never pass up an opportunity to see a performance. But for someone who has seen more than I can count, I don't believe I've ever been as captivated and impressed as I was while watching "Echo."
- I cried, I laughed, I was born anew.
- The colors, characters and stunts are amazing, with a storyline that feels like a mashup between "The Wizard of Oz" and "Alice in Wonderland" on adrenaline.
If you go: The show runs until Jan. 18 at the Big Top in Oracle Park, Lot A. Tickets start at $60.