What do tradition, acrobatics, family-friendly hilarity and lumberyards have in common? They’re all elements that cab be found in the remarkable spectacle that is “Timber!”
Timber! Cirque Alfonse, which visited Kingsbury Hall Thursday Night, is a marvelously fresh take on the typical circus showcase, with messes, humor and lumberjacks all adding to the acrobatic affair. The performers and dancers all doubled as hilarious comedians, musicians and riveting circus performers, all while providing the rustic environment (and gnarly facial hair) of a traditional Canadian lumberyard.
This mix of the lumberjack attitude with classic circus performer movement was one of the best aspects of the night. The actors brought out bottles and tools as instruments, incorporating bullwhips and clogging into dances, using very authentic props (think axes) and singing in both French-Canadian and English. The show somehow makes people feel nostalgic for traditions they don’t have or belong to and for countries they’ve never even been to.
Along with tremendous amounts of heritage, the performers mixed plenty of humor into their show. It was, after all, a circus. The humor, with its outhouse jokes, juggling kitchen messes and constant haggling of the Timber! Papa, made for a particularly family-friendly night. The “Papa” character, the oldest member of the troupe, especially provided huge amounts of comic relief. But it wasn’t only the audience who was laughing; the performers were amazing in their ease to laugh at their own mistakes.
In addition to the humor, the troupe also showed tremendous amounts of skill without alienating the audience. Clearly trained professionals, they managed to present outstanding technical ability in a fun and creative way, leaving one feeling more like a part of the show than just a spectator.
The producers and performers of this show worked their music to their advantage. The live performances kept audiences entertained, allowing the acrobats ample time to successfully execute their complicated stunts. The tempo and rhythm perfectly mirrored the momentum and intensity of the entertainers on stage, while the audience tapped their toes.
Overall, the show was astoundingly creative, while at the same time technically impressive. The performers proved incredible ability in their performance genre, and clearly illustrated their training to do great things. They kept their audience engaged with the action, always providing multiple places to look and be amazed.