Cirque Du Soliel Encampment

Source: NY Times, Weekend Art - May 5

FM-FM Comment:
For a nation so clearly overweight we seem to enjoy watching the sleek and fit forms of aerial artists. One wonders how difficult it may be for some of our citizen's posteriors to wedge themselves into seats usually small unless the management is smart enough to offer benches, in which case they would have difficulty determining what a seat is if the customer occupies two bench spots. Could be a revenue problem. Anyway Cirque Du Soleil is now the McDonalds of circuses with seven companies on tour and many expected to settle permanently in various circus and tourist oriented regions. Spectacle is the appeal of this airy band of angels, jugglers, rubber chickens and acrobats jumping on beds. The french languagae turns the traditional circus tent into "Grand Chapiteau." Unlike the circus, the cirque is not about a single performer, but jaw dropping spectacle. The attention span needed for this kind of art is unchallenged. However, it does require a jaw that drops frequently. Americans will come out for spectacle any day of the week. Watching is what we do best and eating while we do it. The Cirque Du Soleil still has drawing power for us, in spite of our national obesity problem .But when we have "been there, done that" the Cirque may have to fold up some of its tents having grown rich and not fat.