Cirque du Soleil: Kooza – we go backstage during rehearsal for Hong Kong shows

The Canadian company is famous for its animal-free, death-defying acrobatic acts. We go behind the scenes of the latest production to visit Hong Kong and look back over the circus’ previous visits to the city

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Kooza is an extravaganza of costumes, lighting and acrobatics.

Published: 7:15pm, 19 Apr 2018Updated: 8:41pm, 19 Apr 2018

Six years since its last Hong Kong show, Cirque du Soleil is back in the city with daredevil production Kooza. The show takes over Hong Kong’s Central Harbourfront Event Space until the first week of June.

Cedric Belisle shows his costume backstage at Kooza in Central. Photo: Nora Tam

Playing the leading role of the Innocent is Cedric Belisle, 28, a former trampolinist in Canada’s national squad. “He’s a childlike character who’s young at heart and gets thrown into the world of the tricksters. It’s his journey discovering this world and himself,” says Belisle.

Kooza means box or treasure in Sanskrit, and the Innocent’s adventure begins as soon as he opens the box.

Belisle during the dress rehearsal for Kooza. Photo: Rachel Cheung

“Kooza goes back to the very origins of Cirque du Soleil. It combines two main acts – the art of clowning, which makes our show very fun and lighthearted, and high-wire acrobatics,” says artistic director Dean Harvey of the show, which took two years to build and is staged in the Big Top, the company’s iconic blue and yellow marquee.

A unicycle balancing act from Kooza. Photo: Rachel Cheung

“We have live music, incredible costumes, beautiful lighting sets and all the skills our performers bring. With all those elements, I think we have elevated it to a whole different degree of circus.”

The international cast of 50 performers from 21 countries include former Olympic athletes and artists who grew up in family circuses.