[Rumor] Upcoming La Nouba changes!

[Semiquaver]

Sometime in the next year two acts in the resident Cirque du Soleil show La Nouba will be replaced. This is according to the CirqueTribune forums from a source that seems pretty reliable. The first part is also verified by several of the performer's websites.

The first change occurs in January. They're bringing in a juggling act by Anthony Gatto from another Cirque show Kooza, currently touring under Le Grand Chapiteau. His Kooza act:
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUjqIrQePZ0]YouTube - Cirque Du Soleil Kooza Juggling[/ame]
He'll get new music, makeup and costume for La Nouba, which all seems to be verified by a youtube video posted by Gatto chronicling his quick transition between shows.

He is replacing Rokardy's Balacing on Chairs act:
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LqzIUoElqk]YouTube - La Nouba Balancing on Chairs, Cirque du Soleil[/ame]


The second change will occur mid-2010. The new act will be a skipping rope act featuring two guys from Japan. No video of them yet. Wild speculation, but it might be reminiscent of the skipping act from Quidam.

It's replacing the German Wheel act from the beginning of the show:
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoEcAYOkUKg]YouTube - La Nouba German Wheel, Cirque du Soleil[/ame]
Apparently the new act will use the same music and still open the show.

Personally, I am a bit dismayed at hearing about these changes. These are my two favorite acts from my favorite show. La Nouba was my first Cirque experience. I had no clue what to expect, and seeing those German wheels first thing, I was mesmerized and am now hooked on Cirque du Soleil. I hope the jump ropes can do the same.

Balancing on Chairs was amazing to see back in May, and I've heard Rokardy added a ladder on top of everything else he balances on since then. I hoe he continues to perform with Cirque. I just saw Kooza last month, and Gatto definitely is a world-class juggler with great stage presence. I do look forward to the new acts, but will really miss the old.

[Figment Fan]

Re: Upcoming La Nouba changes!

The German Wheels are amazing to see. Rokardy's act was also impressive. Having watched Gatto juggle I am... underwhelmed considering his replacement of Rokardy. Gatto is definitely talented and I could never pull any of that off but I am saddened at the loss of Rokardy's act. As for the replacement of the German Wheels, I can't see how two guys jumping rope could compare. Yes, I'm sure they can do some amazing tricks, but I have to say that it is unlikely to compare to the German Wheels, at least in my opinion.

I have seen Mystere (my first Cirque show), La Reve (not technically a Cirque show, but done by Franco Dragone, who did work on some of Cirque's shows and is in the same vein as the Cirque shows), Wintuk, and La Nouba.

Wintuk was by far the worst. I hate to think Cirque's name is on that horrible show. Maybe I'm getting older, but watching a bunch of kids (who I will admit are talented) zip around on roller blades, bikes, and skateboards did not have a real Cirque feel to me. The story was weak, and the whole show seemed, to quote Simon Cowell, "like I was watching kids put a show on for their parents," as it was not up to the standard of a Cirque show, again, in my opinion.

Mystere was great, and La Reve was my favorite, but La Nouba was a close second. The show was just so amazing and to remove any of the acts is kind of upsetting because the show worked so well as a whole. These replacements seem to be lesser replacements, in my opinion. And yes, a guy who stacks things and stands on them may not seem that impressive and may not seem to be much better than a guy juggling things, but it was just amazing to watch the fluidity and grace with which Rokardy was able to perform.

[AE_Fan]

Re: Upcoming La Nouba changes!

Hmmm, this is most interesting.

To be honest I don't find these changes shocking, mainly due to the reason every now and then shows do need to change things up to stay fresh. Even if certain acts are really well done, live shows have to remain fresh to stay alive and get repeat business.

On the topic of Gatto coming in, I really don't mind it. He is probably one of the best technical jugglers out there, that and the fact he'll be getting a new costume and music is very refreshing...especially since I thought his disco-ball suit in Kooza was horrendous. (It also gave off a Vegas lounge act vibe)

As for the German Wheels getting replaced by a skipping rope duo, this one I'm pretty nervous about. While Quidam shows a skipping rope act can be a very high energy act, in Quidam it's a group of people and not a duo.

I really have to see how the act goes, since I think it would be great if the Urbanites get in the act as well.

Now as for the topic of Cirque as a whole, I will be brutally honest that I feel it's become a women who will sell herself to anyone that throws money at her.

In the past several years Cirque has been sacrificing artistry and quality for sheer quantity.

Out of all the shows that are running, here's my take on them. (If it's marked with "Classic" then I feel it's a great show and what Cirque really is.)

Saltimbanco- Classic
Alegria- Classic
Quidam- Classic, and one of my favorite Cirque's period
Mystere- Classic
"O"- Classic
Dralion- Not as strong as the others, but not the weakest
La Nouba- Not as strong as the classics, but still high quality
Varekai- Classic
Corteo- Pretty dang close to classic
Zumanity- This had a bit of rocky start, though in my opinion it's found it's groove and it's a really good show as long as your not prudish and don't mind a much more adult show.
KA- In all honesty, the stage actually steals the show.
LOVE- Pretty dang close to classic, just have to go in with a mindset that it's more about music and dancing then circus acts.
Kooza- Great on a technical level, though it lacks the artistry and class of the great Cirque shows.
Wintuk- Terrible, absolutely terrible.
Criss Angel's BeLIEve- An absolute TRAINWRECK, a total failure in magic and Cirque needs to get rid of this. Criss Angel cannot do theater magic, and right now he's removing the few artistic things that were the shows only highlights.
OVO- Another trainwreck, gaudy costumes, lack of plot, hideous coreography (even though the show was directed by a coreographer), and mindnumbing music that came from a eletronic system from the 70's and 80's.
Zaia- All flash, no substance.
Zed- Further proof why Japan is so awesome, this is the only new show that has everything that makes Cirque fantastic!
Banana Spheel- Another absolute TRAINWRECK, this show is so bad Cirque is resorting to hiring firms in India to spam review sites with positive reviews. That's how bad Cirque has gotten.

[samanthalewis85]

Re: Upcoming La Nouba changes!

.......it is incredible that Cirque du Soleil (La Nouba) will remove the rokardy's chairs balancing act for juggling act antony gatto he has good act but the chairs is fantastic ,I saw the show last month and he added new trick on the end he put a ladder looks awesome this is one of my favorites acts..... will be sad not to see it again.

[Semiquaver]

Re: Upcoming La Nouba changes!

So Anthony Gatto has been in place since the 9th or 10th. If anyone sees the show, let us know what it's like!

Some words from Gatto:

I start performing tomorrow at downtown Disney in Cirque du Soleil's production "La Nouba." It's a totally different style show than Kooza of course. I am working with a chicken character as my assistant as well as some minor involvement with Les Cons(4 white clowns). My entrance is spectacular, the chicken throws a yellow ball down an elevator shaft, then suddenly you see a ball going up and down, soon I arrive on the lift bouncing the ball.

I am also incorporated into the beginning parade where I'll finally get to use the 3 large balls that I have been working on. It's weird lighting there, so I won't be brave enough to do anything crazy at least for a while. In addition I will juggle a small part in the finale of the show. The show is awesome, I am not just saying that because I work there. It has a party like feel to it and it's just a lot of fun.
Come see me there... give me a week to get adjusted please
A.G.


The premier kicked ***! Two perfect shows, which is how I like to open. The second was harder than the first because as every seasoned performer knows, one tends to relax after opening having had a show under their belt. But, the second was was actually better! I felt more comfortable but was aware of the possibility of mistakes occurring. Management was extremely happy and called me "the future of La Nouba." that's pretty fantastic when dealing with a corporation as Large as Cirque du Soleil.

For some reason, my hands are cracked open all over the place. It could be because of the extensive rehearsals, and not having time to apply my special hand cream and really let it soak in. But it's quite painful I can tell you. I have two days off now and hope the hands will recover by Tuesday.

A.G.

Source: The Jugglers' Lounge: Anthony Gatto opens with La Nouba , originally from Gatto's Forum Juggling Talk

It's neat they're incorporating Green Bird (the "chicken") and Les Cons. The ""future of La Nouba" line has me worried though...

[clockworkmonkey]

Re: Upcoming La Nouba changes!

Do we know anything about what happened/will happen to the old acts? Rotated to another show? Retiring of their own accord? Fired?

[Semiquaver]

Re: Upcoming La Nouba changes!

Been busy with school lately, so I'm sorry for not keeping up with updates.

If you watch the Ellen DeGeneres show today, you probably caught Gatto's La Nouba act. Here's a link to the video:
The World's Greatest Juggler - The Ellen DeGeneres Show

The DisneyParks Blog had an update last week about the new act in La Nouba with a pic showing Gatto's new costume:

World-Renowned Juggler Joins La Nouba by Cirque du Soleil Disney Parks Blog


(No more disco ball costume! Yay!)

It seems like tomorrow is his first official day as a permanent act of La Nouba. Perhaps he and Rokardy have been alternating up until now?

Do we know anything about what happened/will happen to the old acts? Rotated to another show? Retiring of their own accord? Fired?

No official word yet. I'd imagine the Bilodeau brothers, the German wheel act, could easily go somewhere else. Before La Nouba they were in several different shows and acts - always separately though and usually doing things like power track (trampolines) and Korean Plank (teeterboard). They were brought together for La Nouba. I do hope they and Rokardy stick with Cirque.

[Semiquaver]

Re: Upcoming La Nouba changes!

Almost forgot. Before the Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien ended, they had on Kooza's new hoop act. This seems to be a pretty full version of the act filling Gatto's old spot.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dhh_H6DiTuc]YouTube - KOOZA at The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien[/ame]

[Disney Romantic]

Re: Upcoming La Nouba changes!

I can't speak for how it compares to the balancing act, as this was my first time at any Cirque show, but I saw the juggling act last week and found it just as spectacular as the rest of the show. They fit it in well enough that I didn't even realize it wasn't one of the original acts until I read it here.

[Semiquaver]

Re: Upcoming La Nouba changes!

I can't speak for how it compares to the balancing act, as this was my first time at any Cirque show, but I saw the juggling act last week and found it just as spectacular as the rest of the show. They fit it in well enough that I didn't even realize it wasn't one of the original acts until I read it here.

That's great to hear. Sounds like it's a success then.

[Semiquaver]

Re: Upcoming La Nouba changes!

Rokardy and his balancing on chairs act has moved to another Cirque show: Viva ELVIS in Las Vegas. I'll post a pic if I find one.

[Semiquaver]

Re: Upcoming La Nouba changes!

Just thought I'd update this again I just saw the 9pm show of La Nouba on the 27th. It was a great performance, as always. I love this show! :thumbup:

The new juggling act is great. In my opinion, it's much better than his Kooza act, even though the elements are very similar. The music is great (although I really miss A la Lune) and brings a lot of energy to the show. It's also nice seeing Green Bird's role expanded. I still miss Rokardy's act, but Gatto's is truly a great replacement.

On the other hand, the audience was completely dead. The show was at least 2/3rds full, and I was quite often clapping alone. Most clapping only seemed to happen after a set of stunts after a staged acknowledgment of the clapping occurred. The few cirque shows I've seen before has had the audience bursting with applause after each jaw-dropping stunt (which is quite often). This specific show felt awkward for its silent audience. I hope the folks at Cirque don't think this extraordinary (underordinary?) audience is a good gauge for how La Nouba is received overall.

For the performers:

:clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap: :clap::clap::clap::clap:
:clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap::clap: