Saltimbanco in Hawaii. Wow.

It’s probably too late for you to see the show in Honolulu, but Hawaii residents have been blown away by the Cirque du Soleil show “Saltimbanco,” which has been in town since last month.  Its final performance here is November 16th, at the Neil S. Blaisdell Arena.

Saltimbanco, which literally means "to jump on a bench" in Italian, looks into the universal urban experience — the people who live in cities, their idiosyncrasies and likenesses, their families and groups, the hustle and bustle of the street and the towering heights of its skyscrapers.  The show takes its spectators on a spectacularly acrobatic journey into the heart of a metropolis.  It’s a fanciful, dreamlike world, an imaginary city where diversity is a cause for hope.

It’s full of nonstop tools and techniques: Adagio (based on acrosport), Chinese poles, juggling, boleadoras (percussion instruments), Russian swing, hand-to-hand, bungees and trapeze.  All those form the language the characters of Saltimbanco use to assert their identities, and the audience journeys with them at the heart of an imaginary city brimming with optimism.

The characters include the Baron, Eddy and the Sleeper, who interact with one another under the eye of the Ringmaster, who guides the audience on this whirlwind journey into the heart of the city.  The orchestra’s music keeps things moving along at an almost frantic pace.

Everybody here loved the show.  The kids, in particular, have been spellbound with even the little ones sitting quietly in amazement throughout.

If you are in Honolulu now, plenty of seats remain for the final performances.  You can get tickets at the Blaisdell box office or on line at www.ticketmaster.com

If you live in or near one of the following areas, make note of when Saltimbanco will be in town:

Prescott Valley, AZ
Tim’s Toyota Center, Nov. 20-23

Tucson, AZ
Tucson Arena, Nov. 26-30

Oklahoma City, OK
Ford Center, Dec. 3-7

Tulsa, OK
BOK Center, Dec. 10-14

Hidalgo, TX
Dodge Arena, Dec. 17-2

Posted by Jim Winpenny

Published by Bruce Fisher

Since 2006 Bruce Fisher has been publishing the Hawaii Vacation Blog and the Hawaii Vacation Connection Podcast which create daily content about Hawaii Travel and Tourism. This Blog is the only online resource providing Hawaii-based information aimed at travelers seven days per week. postings reflect the Hawaiian Islands, their culture and their lifestyle as accurately and thoroughly as possible.

Entry Filed under: Hawaiiana

November 13th, 2008