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We’re always excited to see the familiar striped Cirque du Soleil tents erected along Vancouver’s False Creek with every touring production. This season, it’s ECHO’s turn to shine under the big top.

From now through January 5, 2025, fans can witness a stunning show that explores how man’s actions ripple out to our treasured planet and animal kingdom. ECHO’s underlying theme – an echo through humanity and the way our actions can impact the world – are expressed through a two-part show (with 25-minute intermission) that includes 52 artists from around the world.

This show is unique in that it’s the first-ever Cirque to include six live vocalists on stage, including musicians who accompany the singers and at times are seen elsewhere on stage to intensify the performances.

ECHO is the Montreal-headquartered company’s 20th big top creation. The planned 2020 release (then titled Under the Same Sky) was postponed due to the pandemic. Montreal received the premiere in April of last year, after rehearsals and production resumed in 2022.

The show begins with the Dog (that looks remarkably like a wolf!) and the girl (Future) playing in the audience with a piano accompaniment in the background. All dressed in white, a group of animals soon join them on stage as the Cube begins to come to life.

Constructed of steel with aluminum trussing, the Cube is the silent star of the show. At any given moment, it’s either mimicking movement with bold visuals that often give it a 3-D appearance, or blocks from it are being moved in and out, and eventually, into the second act, its interior is revealed.

We won’t spoil the fun, but we were amazed to see what it is capable of housing!

The Cube takes on a life of its own, serving as a walking surface as acrobats move along its sides, often suspended and moving at awe-inspiring angles.

The music meshes perfectly with ECHO’s jaw-dropping stunts and is matched by top-notch lighting design courtesy of Martin Labrecque.

It’s safe to say that we were as equally mesmerized by the Cube as we were with the performers! Measuring 7m x 7m (23’ x 23’) – roughly the size of a two-story apartment building – the Cube rotates on a central pivot, moving from upstage to downstage, even floating above stage at times.

Between the main acts, several artists (including juggler extraordinaire the Dog) entertain the crowd, sometimes on stage, other times frantically running around the audience with props. Double Trouble, a pair of playful performers, keep the crowd entertained for a seamless, all-ages fun evening.

The beauty of this show is in its stage, lighting, music, and costumes. During one performance, a couple of singers and musicians appear on stage with the Dog as dry ice envelops the stage floor, creating a stunning moment that even the Dog seems to approve of.

Costume Designer Nicolas Vaudelet uses colour to draw a contrast between animals and humans, with more than two dozen animal heads fabricated in white, and 26 brightly coloured outfits for ECHO’s human characters.

Kudos to mega-talented Author-Director Mukhtar O.S Mukhtar, who, prior to ECHO, spent eight years on the Cirque circuit as a performer in the Beatles LOVE in Las Vegas, and later returned as a creator/choreographer for the 10th anniversary reboot in 2015.

After intermission, the Cube moves to the front of the stage to set the scene for a tightrope performance as musicians play directly behind, which offers a more immersive Cirque than previous productions.

You’re in for a treat with this show! Make sure to book well in advance, especially close to the holidays, for a great night out on the town with friends, family, and loved ones. ECHO, part of Cirque du Soleil’s milestone 40th anniversary season, is sure to become a must-see hit this winter in Vancouver.

Photos by Jean-François Savaria. Top image by Ariane Colenbrander.