Cirque du Soleil’s Alegria, Royal Albert Hall Review

Written by Russell

Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review.

This is what the official blurb on the Royal Albert Hall website says about Alegria.

‘Step into the light in January 2024 with Cirque du Soleil’s most iconic production Alegría: In a New Light, playing at the Royal Albert Hall for a limited season. Now celebrating its 30th anniversary, this all-time classic has been reimagined for a new generation to fall in love with. It will whisk audiences away to a mystical world sprinkled with visual poetry and acrobatic extravagance.’

I can’t argue with any of that.

Certainly not the ‘acrobatic extravagance’, which at times is just so amazing, so astonishingly breathtaking, you can only begin to imagine the work that the acrobats have put into achieving this level of excellence. I don’t think there was a foot put wrong or a mistimed leap throughout the two hours. And to watch it in such a stunning setting as the Albert Hall is entirely fitting. I should Imagine in its 173-year history the RAH has seen anything like this before, a real landmark show.

The Grammy award-winning soundtrack, the lavish setting and the beautiful, powerful singing almost gets lost amongst the amazing feasts for the eyes and then every now and then you realise, wow that girl can sing.

But, (lights down-talking in a whisper) let us not forget the dark side of any Circus.

Let us not forget what lurks in every shadowy corner, just waiting to pounce on our modern day sensibilities and sophisticated comedy minds.

The two most dreaded words in the English language (or any language for that matter…)

French clowns.

Yes yes yes, I understand that there has to be a break from the acrobatics, you couldn’t just have two hours flat of them, because obviously they would start to lose their ‘magic’. so there has always been the tradition of a bit of slapstick in between the amazing feats of physical prowess. But have a little break from that particular tradition guys and find a different alternative to the gymnasts. Or maybe, just maybe, whoever originally created this circus tradition had a genius idea and said ‘Let’s put on the most annoying, squeaking Court jesters in between all the acrobatics and then the rest of the show will all feel heightened a hundred-fold.

So, in summary, the show is about the struggle between the old order and youth striving for change. But that’s all by-the-by, all I can say is GO.

Go and see Alegria.

It’s not cheap, but why should it be cheap? The show is so lavish and astonishing and the crowd of all age groups go home amazed, barely believing what their eyes have just witnessed, especially in the closing trapeze scenes, where the speed and accuracy draw good old fashioned gasps of delight from large sections of the excited crowd. There’s a cast of, it feels like hundreds, of perfectly honed acrobats and dancers and athletes and every single one of them are a joy to watch.

Five stars without a doubt - even taking into consideration the clowns!

At Royal Albert Hall until 3 March