Cirque du Soleil, the internationally-acclaimed and adored performance art showcase, is bringing an exciting new show to the North Charleston Coliseum. CRYSTAL combines the world-class circus arts that Cirque is renowned for with the most skilled ice skating on the planet to create something truly remarkable.
Created by Shana Carroll and Sebastian Soldevila, CRYSTAL follows the eponymous young lady on a journey of self-discovery. She falls through a frozen lake and must grapple with her personal demons as she fights for air and survival. She finds herself in a surreal full of visual projections and a thrilling soundtrack of popular music and signature Cirque du Soleil sounds.
CRYSTAL was first developed in 2017 and produced in Glasgow, Scotland, at the start of 2020. The cast is a combination of circus artists and ice skaters. The pandemic put a hold on plans to bring the show out on the road. Now, the show has been wowing audiences all over, and North Charleston audiences will get to see it firsthand this weekend.
Much of the production consists of returning performers from the pre-pandemic roster who had not performed in over two years. “We’ve been in the remount process after two years,” said Robert Tannion, the artistic director of CRYSTAL. “What was great about this remount process was how much of this show has stayed in the bodies of those who came back.”
Tannion said he finds great parallels between Crystal’s journey and that of the world at large: fighting for air after two years of being underwater. And being back on the road fulfills that feeling for the troupe. “The audience fills our lungs,” he said. “To be able to bring that visual spectacular-ness, that acrobatic spectacular-ness, it’s amazing seeing that audience engage again.”
CRYSTAL has performances at 7:30 p.m., May 13; 3:30 and 7:30 p.m., May 14; and 1 and 5 p.m., May 15. Tickets are available for purchase online at cirquedusoleil.com/crystal or northcharlestoncoliseumpac.com or by visiting the North Charleston Coliseum box office.
Help keep the City Paper free.
No paywalls.
No subscription cost.
Free delivery at 800 locations.
Help support independent journalism by donating today.
