Let the circus begin; a novel one at that
View(s):By Sanchith Karunaratne
Bringing a unique twist to a historical epic with the magic of the circus, Cirque Lanka is hoping to make Viharamahadevi Park the centre of attraction over the next few months.
A series of 120 shows staged at the Viharamahadevi Open Air Theatre from December 1 to March 31, the performance starting at 7.30 p.m. each night, is an imaginative theatrical experience that brings together local culture and European forms of performance. With their contemporary circus show of acrobatic skills, Cirque Lanka will use new circus techniques with stageplay and dance to add colour to the nightlife of Colombo.
Cirque Lanka is run by General Manager Jakub Vedral, Executive Manager Lukas Kosina, Public Relations Officer Petra Kejklíčková and Director Adam Renc.
Entertainment for the whole family: Head to Viharamahadevi Open Air Theatre where east meets west. Pix by Nilan Maligaspe
“The idea was born on a chance meeting. I was on vacation in Matara when I met Jakub and we wanted to have something unique happening that was after sunset,” said Lukas. On a four month long vacation with his family in Sri Lanka, Lukas was truly taken with the tranquility of the island, but as there were limited things to do within the city at night, he began thinking of ways he could use his previous experiences to add to the demographic of Colombo.
Having organised many circus performances across Europe he explored the possibility of a fusion act in Sri Lanka.Mee-ting his longtime colleague Lukas, Jakub Vedral was enthused by the idea of organising a fusion circus. “Having seen similar stageplays in Europe and traditional dances in Sri Lanka, we wanted to fuse the beautiful masks, costumes, history, stories and culture of the island with the European circus we are so familiar with,” said Jakub. “Many tourists may confirm there aren’t many family oriented options for night life in Colombo. We wanted to have something that both locals and tourists can come and enjoy that was unique, affordable and entertaining.”
After much discussion the two contacted Adam Renc who was in Thailand directing a similar project. “I know they called me because I was crazy enough to do it,” stated a jubilant Adam who was thrilled to take on such a challenging directorial role. “Directing a project like this is not easy. Coordinating with local performers and making new acts mixed with local flavour is difficult but with the help of the brilliant performers nothing seemed impossible,” stated Adam.
Having to incorporate local performers was challenging at first but the Cirque Lanka crew has been able to bring Rangika Jeewantha and his dance studio ‘Rivega Dance Studio’ on board. Together they have formulated several riveting acts.
“Admittedly getting around 25 European performers to come and make a new place their home for the next few months was difficult, but they seem to really love the country,” stated Petra Kejklíčková. “Sri Lanka is a country where co-existence is ever present. In our neighbourhood alone we’ve seen temples, churches, mosques and kovils all in close proximity.”
The grand opening of Cirque Lanka was held on December 6, the event attended by Tourism Minister John Amaratunga. The show began with haunting drums and fire display, the choreography blending European circus techniques with local dance. The play was an adaptation from the Ramayana that utilized dance and acrobatics as the main form of expression. The performers took to the air dangling from ropes and kept the audience in suspense handling fire with ease. The performance ended with Rama and Sita flying above the crowd on a zipline bringing to an end a truly unique experience.
The performers received a standing ovation from the jubilant crowd. Senith Angekumbura, a 19-year-old student was very impressed. “This is something I never saw happening in Colombo. It’s nice to see someone taking the initiative to have an event the entire family can go to regularly in the night,” stated Senith who also commended the performers for displaying exceptional skill. Cirque Lanka will run daily from 7.30 pm at the Viharamahadevi Park. It is an exciting new addition to Colombo’s entertainment scene, one that will appeal to all ages and interests.
Tickets ranging from Rs. 2,500 to 1,000 can be obtained from the Cirque Lanka centre at the Park from 2 p.m. or on ticketslk.com
