\u201cA breathtaking journey through a land of pure imagination and wonder \u2026 an extraordinary adventure into a world of fantasy and awe\u201d promises the blurb, adding \u201cthe audience is transported to an ethereal garden atmosphere, alive with animated creatures that embody the tranquillity and chaos of nature\u201d.<\/p>\n
If you think the description of the show \u2013 a \u201cvivid, three-dimensional world is filled with astonishing acrobatics, captivating choreography, and beautiful costumes\u201d \u2013 sounds like Cirque du Soleil, you\u2019d be right; although started independently, Cirque Dreams was acquired by Cirque du Soleil\u2019s owners in 2018 and runs as a kind of junior operation. Its shows are still spectacular demonstrations of modern circus arts and high-tech staging (especially lighting), but they tend to be smaller and perhaps less pretentious than the parent company\u2019s productions.<\/p>\n
The current show apparently draws inspiration from the concept of Elysium, \u201ca place of perfect happiness and eternal peace\u201d \u2013 in Greek mythology it was the paradise where heroes went if the gods had conferred immortality of them. In the Cirque Dreams interpretation with the adapted name it\u2019s rather different, a garden setting \u201cwhere every creature, from the tiniest insect to the grandest display, contributes to the tapestry of life … The fusion of an immersive production design, other-worldly costume designs, and the unparalleled skill of our performers brings this blissful garden to life\u201d.<\/p>\n
The lustre have gone from the \u2018new circus\u2019 idea, and it\u2019s unlikely that Elysion will \u201credefine the boundaries of circus artistry and theatricality\u201d as the press release suggests; but it should still make for a decent evening\u2019s entertainment \u2013 especially with tickets starting at a modest AED 75.<\/p>\n
There are two shows a day at 3pm and 6.30pm in a purpose built tent in Al Ain Square, right by Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium. The upcoming dates:<\/p>\n
25 August<\/strong> 3pm and 6.30pm<\/p>\n 30 August<\/strong> 3pm and 6.30pm 6 September<\/strong> 3pm and 6.30pm
\n31 August<\/strong> 3pm and 6.30pm
\n1 September<\/strong> 3pm and 6.30pm<\/p>\n
\n7 September<\/strong> 3pm and 6.30pm
\n8 September<\/strong> 3pm and 6.30pm<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"