Cirque du Soleil is finally back in Manila! This time, though, they’re making their Asian debut of “TORUK – The First Flight,” an interactive show inspired by the 2009 James Cameron film “Avatar.” Toruk is set in the faraway moon Pandora and tells the story of Entu, an orphan, who along with his best friend, Ralu, and a new tag-along, Tsyal, tries to save the sacred Tree of Souls from imminent disaster.
Whether you’re a die-hard Avatar fan or you’ve never even heard of it, there are many reasons to catch this visually stunning show of a lifetime.
7 Reasons to Watch Cirque du Soleil’s TORUK – The First Flight
7. It’s an extraterrestrial adventure.
Toruk takes us to an Earth-like place in outer space where the people are blue and the animals can communicate with them. Watching the show will be like taking a short vacation to a completely foreign world that is vibrant with alien colors and sounds.
Creatures and the environment may appear familiar, but they will surprise you in different ways.
6. You get to be part of the show.
Cirque du Soleil has raised the technology bar in entertainment again through a special app that allows the audience to become part of the show. After keying-in their seat number, each member’s phone screen becomes an extension of Pandora’s beauty. The app will also send trivia before and during the show to help you understand the story. It’s a fully-immersive experience unlike any Cirque show before!
5. Gymnasts! Acrobats! Freakishly bendy people!
We go to the circus to be amazed by what the human body can do, and Cirque du Soleil delivers excellently at that. Toruk is practically a circus-musical, featuring live music, singing, and dancing coupled with superhuman acrobatics. Yes, people will fly through the air. Yes, there will be thrilling balancing acts. And yes, you will go home wondering how the things you saw were even possible.
4. There are Filipinos in the cast.
In a talent feast of song and dance, it should come as no surprise that Filipinos are involved. One of the puppeteers, Rob Laqul, is a spirited Filipino-American who is currently working on his Tagalog. The show’s head coach, Michael Ocampo, is a Canada-born half-Filipino who actually changed his surname to his mother’s last name to become closer to his Philippine roots. We Filipinos love our own, and we can show support for our kababayans by watching them in this show.
3. You don’t have to be an Avatar fan to appreciate it.
Toruk is set thousands of years before the events of the movie Avatar. In a way, it’s actually a prequel; so apart from being set in Pandora, it doesn’t make many references to the film. Even if you never saw Avatar, you will still understand the show because it has a completely independent story.
2. But if you are an Avatar fan, you will LOVE it.
Not only was James Cameron consulted throughout the entire making of Toruk, its cast was actually brought into Pandora as seen in the film. They experienced the set, got trained by the Omaticaya in the film, and yes, they all learnt to be fluent in Na’vi. (Jealous!) In fact, the characters in Toruk speak Na’vi in the show, translated for the audience by an English-speaking narrator. If you know some words, following the story will be extra fun. And if you paid close attention to the film, subtle connections in Toruk will actually explain the movie more clearly.
1. It’s got something for everyone.
Since its debut in December 2015, Toruk‘s audience in other parts of the world has included the full range of ages, from children as young as two-years old to grandparents who don’t know what Avatar is. Whether you’re an Avatar geek or someone who enjoys comedy, acrobatics, or simply seeing a wonderfully unique show, Toruk will have you at the edge of your seat.
Watch the trailer for a preview of what to expect:
TORUK – The First Flight shows from Friday, June 23 to Sunday, July 2. Tickets can be purchased online through SM Tickets.
