‘Twas the Night Before… by Cirque du Soleil will be the celebrated company’s first Christmas show, and it will be making its Canadian premiere in Toronto. The show will be presented at Meridian Hall from December 12, 2024 to January 3, 2025.
Tickets for the holiday themed show go on sale on July 25. The family-friendly show is full of Cirque’s signature eye-popping acrobatics and dazzling costumes, and music with a heartwarming message.
The Story
Every year at Christmas, Isabella and her father read the classic poem A Visit from Saint Nicholas by Clement Clarke Moore, and Twas the Night Before Christmas together. This year, though, Isabella thinks she’s too grown up for the usual corny family traditions.
A snowstorm sweeps into town, separating Isabella and her father, and sending them both on a fanciful journey through a winter wonderland. The poem comes to life, acrobats, reindeer and other quirky characters enter the story to eventually bring the father and daughter back together.
Show Details
As usual, Cirque du Soleil pays attention to the minute details that make a show a standout. Some of the details that make the difference:
- 13 different makeup concepts, involving 25 pots of glitter and 60 cans of coloured hairspray;
- 340 makeup brushes are used for each performance;
- Each performer applies makeup using between 11 and 24 different products, with 10 different wigs, 22 toques, and eight hats with reindeer antlers;
- 52 different costumes, including eight reindeer, using 125 different types of fabric, and 2,000 sequins per costume.
The performers hail from 14 different countries, with a cast of 16 men and 10 women in each cast, and the touring crew numbers 17 people.
The show itself includes the usual spectacular Cirque performance details…
- The Roller Skate number reaches a top speed of 50 kph;
- Eight diabolos reach a speed of 20 turns per second in the Diabolo act;
- The Hair Suspension performer turns about 100 times, reaching up to seven turns per second, and withstanding up to 250 lbs of pressure.
The Music
Jean-Phi Goncalves is the Composer and Musical Director of ‘Twas the Night Before… There are a total of 41 pieces of music in the show, 29 of them original. Jean-Phi also reworks 12 well known holiday songs for the performance, including favourites like Deck the Halls, and takes inspiration from Clement Clarke Moore’s poem.
Montreal-based composer, producer and percussionist Jean-Phi Goncalves is a fixture of the city’s electronic music scene as a member of several bands. He’s produced the work of several artists in Quebec, and has worked with American artist Lauryn Hill. Jean-Phi has also composed music for films and video games, including Gotham Knights, and was nominated for a GRAMMY Award for his work on a music video in 2010.
- Tickets go on sale to the general public starting July 25 at 10 a.m. [HERE].
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