How Cirque du Soleil Builds a World Before the Show Even Starts

A night at the circus should transport you. “We really want you to feel like you’re in a different world,” says Corinne Lemire, director of guest experience at Cirque du Soleil. “Often, the feedback I get is that people go back to their childhood and they become a big kid.”

But at Cirque du Soleil, it’s not just the performance onstage that helps create that feeling. The enthralling experience starts right when you arrive. “We want to share the magic as soon as someone gets on-site,” she says.

And Cirque du Soleil knows a thing or two about making magic. Since its founding in 1984, the Canadian circus troupe has staged more than 50 shows. Kooza, which debuted in Montreal in 2007, closes its Brisbane run on Saturday October 3. The iconic big top will then set up in Sydney, welcoming guests for the first performance on Saturday October 17.

Kooza is a grand spectacle that follows The Innocent, a naive character swept into a zany kingdom, on a journey of self-discovery. The show is a tribute to Cirque du Soleil’s origins and pays homage to traditional circus. It’s a showcase of clowning and thrilling stunts including highwire balancing, human pyramids, aerial acts, and the heart-racing Wheel of Death. 

But the experience begins well before the curtain goes up. The grounds open 90 minutes prior to showtime and are an extension of the performance itself. Everything that happens before you take your seat is very much “part of the show,” according to Lemire.

“It’s very busy, it’s vibing,” she says of the atmosphere before a performance. Outside the main big top tent, you’ll find custom photo installations, merchandise pop-ups, a concession stand, and a lively beer garden where you can kick back and enjoy snacks and cocktails designed especially for Kooza.

“When you come to the circus, you have to have popcorn,” Lemire says. The irresistible smell of freshly popped kernels fills the air, leading you to the concession stand where you can pick up a souvenir Kooza bucket filled to the brim with salty popcorn.

If you’re looking for something more, Cirque du Soleil offers a VIP experience that’s capped at 160 people per night. “It’s not simply a better seat,” she says. “We’re creating an elevated experience around the show.”

Park in a designated VIP area, then escape into an exclusive Soho House-inspired suite with boho flair, designed by the Cirque du Soleil creative team for the Australia tour. Enjoy canapés, unlimited popcorn and an open bar with mixologists on hand to mix up everything from classic cocktails and Kooza drinks. Performers will even drop in for a photo and show off some tricks before the performance starts. Return to the private suite at intermission for a selection of Kooza-themed desserts. Kids are treated to a special menu, and there are a number of circus-themed games and colouring pages to keep them entertained. Plus, VIPs of all ages get to take home the magic of Kooza in the form of a special souvenir.

But regardless of your ticket type, the goal is the same. “We really want guests to leave remembering not only what they saw, but the entire experience and what they feel.”

This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Cirque du Soleil.