DanceHouse And The Cultch Present North American Premiere Of Recirquel's PARADISUM

DanceHouse and The Cultch present the North American premiere of Recirquel's haunting Paradisum, on stage January 21-24 at the Vancouver Playhouse.

Directed and choreographed by Recirquel's Artistic Director, Bence Vági, the daring, full-length work fuses circus, contemporary dance, and physical theatre, using the common language of movement to explore themes of renewal and connection in the face of an uncertain future. 

“In this turbulent geopolitical moment, work from Hungary offers a rare window into the resilience and imagination of artists creating amidst complex social and political currents,” says Jim Smith, Artistic and Executive Director of DanceHouse. “Premiered at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August 2024, Recirquel's Paradisum invites us to see beyond headlines and engage with a compelling artistic perspective shaped by its time and place.”

Accompanied by a striking soundscape of strings, electronica, and percussion composed by Edina Szirtes, six performers take the stage, embodying the overwhelming effort of existence in a post-apocalyptic world. Elements of stagecraft – a rippling black drape, a ladder, rings, a hoop – transform the stage into a living being, creating otherworldly vistas as the artists engage in breathtaking aerial work and choreography. 

Paradisum unfolds as a work of physical poetry. The performers balance extraordinary feats of strength and agility with moments of profound stillness and grace, moving through scenes of purification, birth, awakening, and ritual as they encounter the natural forces of their newly fallen world.

“We are excited to be partnering with DanceHouse once again to bring another extraordinary show to the Vancouver Playhouse,” say Heather Redfern, Executive Director of The Cultch and Nicole McLuckie, Associate Executive Director of The Cultch. “Recirquel's Paradisum is a  beautiful, mythological work which is epic on a scale that will wow Vancouver audiences.”

Founded in Budapest, Hungary in 2012 by director and choreographer Bence Vági, Recirquel has become one of the leading contemporary circus companies in the world, representing a unique style of circus combined with dance and theatre, building upon the flair of mid-eastern European classical theatre culture. The productions of this pioneering company bewitch audiences worldwide with the immersive quality of the magical universes they create. 

Following Vancouver's North American premiere, Paradisum will continue touring in Canada, with performances in Québec City, Montréal, and Toronto.