Toruk by Cirque Du Soleil did not disappoint!

Based on the highest-grossing film in history (Avatar), Toruk by Cirque Du Soleil did not disappoint!  As their tour made its way to Portland, I had the privilege of seeing it, and despite having seen several other Cirque Du Soleil shows, I was pleasantly impressed with Toruk.

The story follows two hunters who embark on a journey to find five relics that would allow them to calm the most dangerous predator in Pandora, Toruk.  A mixture between a pterodactyl and a dragon, Toruk is a wild beast feared by every creature, and seeing its shadow ensures your death!

As many of the Cirque shows, its primarily a display of grace, strength and form.  This show in particular did not have the same acrobatic ‘wow’ factor that other shows have had, and there were few times when the audience broke into applause for the performers.  But where the show lacked in acrobatics, it made up for with sheer color and visual splendor.  The use of lighting, projectors, fabrics, costumes and space was truly something magical.  Visually one of the most stunning performances I have ever seen!

Another element that was different than other Cirque shows was the use of a narrator.  Sometimes the fact that there was narration almost took away from the drama of the show, but I must say it was a very nice touch.  I don’t see how else to have been able to follow the complex story line without the narration.  Every time I watch one of their shows, while leaving the auditorium I wonder what the heck was the actual story they were trying to tell.  I didn’t have that problem with Toruk

Overall this is an amazing experience and definitely worth seeing especially with children, as they would be hypnotized by the visual splendor of the show.