Cirque du Soleil's Avatar-Inspired Show is Coming to New Zealand

The contemporary circus act is here to fill in the colours of the habitable moon while we wait for four sequels.
Stephen Heard
May 09, 2017

It's been nearly ten years since the release of James Cameron's Avatar — the highest-grossing film of all time (in case you were living on another natural satellite orbiting a gas giant). While production has started on the four sequels, it may still be a long time yet before we get another glimpse of life on Pandora. Here to fill in the colours of the habitable moon and tribal aliens is Canadian contemporary circus Cirque du Soleil with its high-flying take on the science fiction blockbuster.

As part of the Asia touring leg TORUK The First Flight will drop by New Zealand this September with shows at Christchurch's Horncastle Arena from September 1-10 and Auckland's Spark Arena from September 15-24.

The show is set thousands of years before the events depicted in the film. The great leonopteryx, Toruk, is the central character of the show, a mighty red and orange predator that rules the Pandoran sky. Between all the usual Cirque theatrics and things you never realised the human body could do, two Na'vi tribesmen will attempt to ride the creature for the very first time to save the Tree of Souls and fellow Na'vi from a terrible fate. Written and directed by Michel Lemieux and Victor Pilon, TORUK The First Flight will bring Cameron's world and characters to life through an oversized set and large-scale puppetry, including Pandoran animals such as the Direhorse, the Austrapede, the Turtapede, and a Viperwolf.

It's not the first time Cameron has been involved with the circus, he also produced the company's foray into cinema with 3D adventure, Worlds Away.

Click here for more information and tickets.

Published on May 09, 2017 by Stephen Heard
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