Conseco Fieldhouse

Cirque du Soleil’s upbeat Saltimbanco
provides a lighthearted diversion

by Shari Scales Finnell

Diehard Cirque du Soleil fans weren’t let down when its traveling arena show Saltimbanco arrived in Indianapolis. As usual, Cirque delivered an over-the-top experience under the “Big Top” at Conseco Fieldhouse.

Unlike the moody MystÈre, the last Cirque show I saw in Las Vegas, Saltimbanco was light-hearted, playful and packed with energetic aerial and acrobatic performances. Even when a dark character in a black hood made his way to the stage — sort of an odd departure from the show’s upbeat tempo — the audience was in for a surprise twist that had everyone laughing.

The international roots of Cirque were evident here with performances that included a breathtaking Chinese pole act, a pair of daring Argentines twirling boleadoras (cords with weights attached to the ends), and a cast of Russian acrobats making death-defying leaps to create human pyramids.

Saltimbanco — which is set in an imaginary urban city — also teems with a cast of characters that continuously move on and off the stage, depicting various types of urbanites. For example, the Vers multicolores, whose costumes seem to blend in perfectly with the patterns on the stage, represent the conventional among us.

Surprisingly, one of the biggest crowd-pleasers was an audience member who probably never set foot on the stage until the night he attended this performance. Eddy, a comical character, grabbed him from his seat and led him through a series of antics that had everyone howling. The good-natured guy played along superbly — more than earning his 15 minutes of fame that night.

Other highlights included The Singer, whose voice was magnificent — worthy of any Broadway production — and the jazz-inspired selections throughout.

Overall, Saltimbanco is a family affair. There was something for people of all ages to enjoy.