George Bernard Shaw

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Wild night without the animals!

Cirque du Soleil is a circus without animals - but when it began 22 years ago the founders had no choice about making it a humans-only show.

"We did not choose then not to have animals," confides Serge Roy, the artistic director of Cirque du Soleil whose Saltimbanco presentation plays at Birmingham's StarCity from February 24.

"We didn't have enough money to own animals! You have to take care of them --feed them, transport them and pay veterinarian bills.

"But then we found a way of doing things our way, and it became what we are today. We decided not to have animals and put more energy into creating a concept.

"Instead of having an MC coming and saying, 'and now, ladies and gentlemen: from Germany ta-rah, tarah, ta-rah...' the show starts somewhere and it ends somewhere. And between those two points, there will be a series of images and tableaus.

"They serve to inspire you as a spectator, not to tell you a story necessarily. It's for you to tell yourself your own story, inspired by the images we are creating."

Serge joined Cirque in 1984 and worked originally as the stage manager for the 1984 and 1985 show. He also performed, ice skating on stilts and pretending to be an unsuspecting member of the audience who gets doused by a bucket of paint.

Young Canadian street performers began Cirque but the concept was expanded by co-president Guy Laliberte who mixed circus arts, street entertainment and drama.

Their big break came when Canadian politicians realised the potential of the show.

"We had the opportunity of getting money from the government to buy our first big top," Serge recalls, "and that's how it started. "We didn't have a background of circus but we knew people who sometimes worked in circuses and who were performing in circuses with their acts. And we also knew people who were in the theatre business. So mixing all we knew, we just became what we are."

Saltimbanco celebrated its 1,000th show earlier this month and is one of the world's biggest and most dazzling theatrical spectacles.

Since its European premiere in 2002, it has visited 19 cities in nine countries, including Amsterdam, Barcelona, Vienna, Brussels, Madrid, Frankfurt and Rome.

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Info Extra

Cirque du Soleil will bring Saltimbanco to Birmingham from February 24, 2005 at StarCity Entertainment Centre. Performances are Tues, Wed & Thurs at 7.30pm; Fri 4.30pm* and 8.30pm; Sat 3.30pm and 7.30pm; Sun 2pm and 6pm (*Performances on selected dates).

Ticket prices: Adults: £17-£39. Discounts are available for children, students, seniors and groups. Prices subject to booking fees of £1.70-£3.90 and a transaction fee of £1.25. For tickets, visit www.cirquedusoleil.com; call the Cirque du Soleil Ticketline on 0870 010 9026 or book in person at the Symphony Hall, NIA and NEC Arena Box Offices (limited opening hours).