Why 5 stars? Because I can't believe I waited until adulthood to become a Cirque fan.
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When I was younger, I'd heard of Cirque du Soleil, but had no idea what it was. I remember watching Knocked Up - the scene where Seth Rogen and Paul Rudd take mushrooms and go see a show in Vegas, and it just looked like something that wouldn't really be my jam. I guess I should have taken that scene with a grain of salt, considering it was shot from the perspective of people who are tripping on hallucinogenics.
A few years ago, I was lucky enough to be given tickets to a show when it came through St. Pete. At the time, I remember not being super excited about it, but figured that I'd go because it was free and most of my nights consist of Netflix and chilling, hold the chilling.
By the time I walked out of that show, I absolutely could not believe how much I loved it. How did it take me nearly 30 years to discover this amazingness?!
Fast forward to present day: if I see a Cirque show in Tampa Bay, I'm going. And Volta was no exception.
As is always the case, the acrobatic stuff is just so insane that it doesn't seem real. I just kept saying out loud, "well, that can't be safe." The talent level of these performers is ridiculous. How does a person learn how to do five flips and spins, while fitting through a tiny, octagon-shaped hula hoop on the fifth flip? How does one tolerate having a giant rope come down from 100 feet above, attached only to her hair, and have it spin her around hundreds of times in a few minutes? How do those guys do those things on their bikes without getting seriously injured? It's really amazing.
And as amazing as it is, I think the comedic acts might be my favorite part of Cirque. They make me laugh so hard. And the guy in VOLTA was quite rangy with his skills. He played hype man, host, physical comedian and, um, an absolutely hilarious character toward the end of the show.
The one negative from our experience was the parking situation. We visited on opening night, so I'm hoping that the situation is re-evaluated, but on 2/14, parking was extremely unorganized. I don't think that the roads here are set up for this many cars, but the folks directing traffic definitely did not seem to be very organized. My advice is to give yourself 20-30 minutes more than you think you'll need. And FYI, parking is $20. On the way out, my wife and I power-walked to our car and were able to exit very quickly, but I'm not sure about the rest of the masses.
Again, this was such a great experience, as all Cirque shows have been for me. I'm so glad I became a fan, even if quite a few years later than I should have! read more