The 50 people who inhabit this “human zoo”
come in all shapes and sizes, all ages and conditions,
all colors and varieties — and Zumanity rejoices
in the infinite variety of ways in which they express
their own sexuality and their desire for each other.
Expect to be moved, aroused, delighted, excited, outraged
and entertained as never before.
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"In Xanadu, did Kubla Khan a stately pleasure-dome
decree," wrote Samuel Taylor Coleridge in the late
18th century. Little did he know he could have been
talking about modern-day Las Vegas. Cirque du Soleil
raises the bar once again, this time for "Zumanity,"
the Montreal-based theater company's first-ever R-rated
production. The creator of Las Vegas theatrical greats
"Mystère" and "O," has opened
Pandora's box, releasing a multitude of visually stimulated
emotions rising from the carnal desires in human nature.
"Zumanity," a merging of the words "zoo"
and "humanity," uses the stage as a vessel
to incite titillating emotions to arouse passion and
desire swelling from our innermost sanctum.
Toss out any inhibitions before entering the lavish,
velvet-swept, 1,256-seat theater inside New York-New
York. Soft light throughout the theater sensually caresses
the guests who lose themselves in the erotic surroundings.
The "Zumanity" troupe of dancers, musicians
and acrobats intertwine a mélange of international
artists. Understandably, a spicy mix of Latin and French,
both known for being great lovers, have joined together
for a diverse mixture of ethnicity and intense personalities.
"'Zumanity' is a show for lovers, would-be lovers
and those simply fascinated by love," said Lyn
Heward, a creative director for Cirque du Soleil. "This
show will awaken the most primal urges of Generations
X, Y and Z to a new form of eroticism, which blends
dance movement, skillful acrobatics and beautiful bodies
of many shapes and sizes."
By uniting movement, dance and costumes, "Zumanity"
brings eroticism to life. Music and voice ease through
the theater, heightening the pulsing rhythms of the
dancers while whetting the audience's appetite for the
unusual. Performers shift across the stage dressed in
bizarre costumes created by Thierry Mugler, known for
his Angel fragrances and Judy-Jetson-meets-Audrey-Hepburn
clothing designs. The costumes are a blend of the bizarre
"men strutting in high heels" with an occasional
glimpse of nudity that highlights the human physique.
"Zumanity" is not obscene. Nor is it for the
younger crowd (under the age of 18). Those who are sheepish
may not want to expose themselves to the desires and
impulses that lie within. But really, there's an animal
inside each of us. The question is, which one is inside
you?
