It’s not that common to cry discreetly at the opening of a stage show, but when a lithe-limbed figure descended, spinning sparkles and spilling sinews from the Royal Albert Hall’s high dome down into a pit of leaping acrobatic frogs, costumed head to toe in ‘DIAMONDS’… awe induced tears can flood.
The Circus of The Sun is in town, and the latest story is TOTEM, tot-ally em-azing. An international travelling troupe of supreme acrobats with extra-terrestrial talents. Bodies in costumes flailing from high to low on the most exquisite stage tells the evolutionary tale of Totem. This is the human body at its alpha best. i-D online were granted exclusive backstage access where among checking out some serious muscles, we watched Umi applying his makeup (MAC have been the cosmetic supplier since 2006) as he and every other performer does every day of the week- for the duration of Cirque’s immense, decade spanning world wide tours. Approximately one eye shadow is used, per eye, per week – and these dudes are looking good.
Totem is at the Royal Albert Hall until 16th February 2012, and opens in California on 2nd March.
Text and Film: Georgia Hudson
