Review: Zip Zap’s Rhapsody is astonishing in its circus artistry, staging and music

Review: Zip Zap’s Rhapsody is astonishing in its circus artistry, staging and music- must-see production touring to Paris and around Europe, 2022-23

Rhapsody – Zip Zap Circus- opened tonight, Nov 3, 2022, in Cape Town, in the Artscape Opera House. It is on until November 6 in Cape Town and then the production is touring Europe 2022-2023. The first stop is Cirque Phénix in Paris (wow, yes) and then onto other venues in Europe.  Rhapsody is sensational – the brilliant company, a 17 piece on-stage band (jazzy, swing vibe) with incredible vocalists, Janine and Riyaad Cornelius and Chad Hendricks conducting. 

The company is a wow – aerial, wheel, clowning, impossibly amazing acrobatics, strength acts, juggling, clowning. The choreography (Adele Blank) is astounding. The costuming, lighting, staging is sophisticated and stylish. I think that audiences in Europe are going to go crazy for this show.

If you are in Cape Town – get there. If you are visiting Paris, this is a must see.  If you are in Europe – it is worth a trip to Paris to see this show. If you are anywhere in the world – hop over to Europe to see Rhapsody. The show lifts the spirits with a rhapsodic song list – including-  Feelin’ Good, Special Star (South African classic by Mango Groove), French songs and Elton John’s I am Still Standing.  Elton’s I am Still Standing made me feel teary eyed and emotional. Zip Zap celebrates its 30th birthday this year. It continued to develop new work doing lockdown.  The song is emblematic of it resilience and creativity. The circus started as a social circus – working with kids from under-resourced backgrounds and three decades later, Zip Zap has multiple components – the youngsters, trainees and its professional company. Rhapsody marks the first international tour of Zip Zap with its professional company.  For some years, Zip Zap has been working with philharmonic circus – circus to live music – and this has culminated in this epic show, Rhapsody. I am rhapsodic with praise. It’s a proudly South African experience to see Zip Zap dazzle with its theatrical circus artistry, incredible staging and the innovative use of live music which becomes part of the beat and tempo of the acts.  This is a quickie review as it is very short season in Cape Town. Fabulous. Fabulous.

✳ Images by Joan Ward -supplied. Related coverage on TheCapeRobyn: https://thecaperobyn.co.za/interview-rhapsody-brings-to-the-stage-the-culture-of-the-cape-diversity-of-south-africa-and-the-spirit-of-zip-zap-circus/ and https://thecaperobyn.co.za/preview-zip-zaps-philharmonic-circus-show-rhapsody-on-stage-at-artscape-before-travelling-to-paris/