Cirque Du Soleil OVO Launches UK Arena Tour

Cirque du Soleil tonight launched its first UK arena tour of OVO with a star-studded premiere at the Echo Arena Liverpool. A colourful celebration of nature and co-existence, OVO brings its fun-filled production for the whole family to arenas across the country. The show will be performing in Liverpool until this Sunday 19 August, before visiting Sheffield, Newcastle, Glasgow, Nottingham, Leeds, Manchester, Birmingham and finally Belfast, ending on 21 October 2018. Tickets on sale now via the Cirque du Soleil website or at www.livenation.co.uk.

Celebrity guests who tonight graced the red carpet and enjoyed a spectacular performance from the cast of OVO included Liverpool FC's Alberto Moreno and Roberto Firmino, Coronation Street star Alex Bain, BBC's Cel Spellman, Hollyoaks' Ellis Hollins, star of The Apprentice Jade English, actor Jamie Lomas, Gogglebox favourite June Bernicoff, Real Housewives of Cheshire's own Lauren Simon and Rachel Lugo, Liam Bairstow, Louis Rolfe MBE, Mark Chapman, Matthew Dyson, Nathan Morris, Parry Glasspool, Team GB Gold Medalist Rebecca Adlington, Reece Douglas, Liverpool legend Ricky Tomlinson, Samantha Giles and Stacey Oakes.

The cast of OVO is comprised of 50 performing artists from 17 countries specialising in many acrobatic acts. This includes Alanna Baker from the United Kingdom who plays the role of the Black Spider in the show. She was crowned gymnastics European Champion in 2011 and won Bronze in the World Championships in 2012. Alanna, who has been training since she was five years old has travelled around the world with OVO to countries as far reaching as Japan and Australia and is now set for a return to her home here in the UK.

Having thrilled more than 5 million people worldwide since the show premiered in Montreal in 2009 as a Big Top show, OVO embarks on a journey, offering the same captivating production as the Big Top performances, but on a larger scale now, visiting major arenas and venues, including those around the UK.

OVO, meaning "egg" in Portuguese, is a headlong rush into a colourful ecosystem teeming with life, where insects work, eat, crawl, flutter, play, fight and look for love in a non-stop riot of energy and movement. When a mysterious egg appears in their midst, the insects are awestruck and intensely curious about this iconic object that represents the enigma and cycles of their lives. It is love at first sight when a gawky, quirky insect arrives in this bustling community and a fabulous ladybug catches his eye - and the feeling is mutual.

The Creative Team behind the world of OVO is: Artistic Guides Guy Laliberté and Gilles Ste-Croix; Writer, Director and Choreographer Deborah Colker (first female director at Cirque du Soleil); Director of Creation Chantal Tremblay; Set and props Designer Gringo Cardia; Costume Designer Liz Vandal; Composer and Musical Director Berna Ceppas; Lighting Designer Éric Champoux; Sound Designer Jonathan Deans and for the first time at Cirque du Soleil: Rigging and Acrobatic Equipment Designer Fred Gérard; Acrobatic Performance Designer Philippe Aubertin; and Makeup Designer Julie Bégin.

Cirque du Soleil brings OVO to arenas around the UK from 16 August - 7 October 2018. Tickets on sale now via the Cirque du Soleil website or at www.livenation.co.uk. A full list of dates and venues is detailed below.

Cirque du Soleil 'OVO' UK ARENA TOUR

17 August Liverpool Echo Arena

18 August Liverpool Echo Arena (matinee)

18 August Liverpool Echo Arena

19 August Liverpool Echo Arena (matinee)

19 August Liverpool Echo Arena

22 August Sheffield Fly DSA Arena

23 August Sheffield Fly DSA Arena

24 August Sheffield Fly DSA Arena

25 August Sheffield Fly DSA Arena (matinee)

25 August Sheffield Fly DSA Arena

26 August Sheffield Fly DSA Arena (matinee)

26 August Sheffield Fly DSA Arena

29 August Newcastle Metro Radio Arena

30 August Newcastle Metro Radio Arena

31 August Newcastle Metro Radio Arena

01 September Newcastle Metro Radio Arena (matinee)

01 September Newcastle Metro Radio Arena

02 September Newcastle Metro Radio Arena (matinee)

02 September Newcastle Metro Radio Arena

05 September Glasgow SSE Hydro Arena

06 September Glasgow SSE Hydro Arena

07 September Glasgow SSE Hydro Arena

08 September Glasgow SSE Hydro Arena (matinee)

08 September Glasgow SSE Hydro Arena

09 September Glasgow SSE Hydro Arena (matinee)

09 September Glasgow SSE Hydro Arena

12 September Nottingham Motorpoint Arena

13 September Nottingham Motorpoint Arena

14 September Nottingham Motorpoint Arena

15 September Nottingham Motorpoint Arena (matinee)

15 September Nottingham Motorpoint Arena

16 September Nottingham Motorpoint Arena (matinee)

16 September Nottingham Motorpoint Arena

19 September Leeds First Direct Arena

20 September Leeds First Direct Arena

21 September Leeds First Direct Arena

22 September Leeds First Direct Arena (matinee)

22 September Leeds First Direct Arena

23 September Leeds First Direct Arena (matinee)

23 September Leeds First Direct Arena

26 September Manchester Manchester Arena

27 September Manchester Manchester Arena

28 September Manchester Manchester Arena

29 September Manchester Manchester Arena (matinee)

29 September Manchester Manchester Arena

30 September Manchester Manchester Arena (matinee)

30 September Manchester Manchester Arena

03 October Birmingham Arena Birmingham

04 October Birmingham Arena Birmingham

05 October Birmingham Arena Birmingham

06 October Birmingham Arena Birmingham (matinee)

06 October Birmingham Arena Birmingham

07 October Birmingham Arena Birmingham (matinee)

07 October Birmingham Arena Birmingham

17 October Belfast The SSE Arena

18th October Belfast The SSE Arena

19th October Belfast The SSE Arena

20th October Belfast The SSE Arena

20th October Belfast The SSE Arena

21st October Belfast The SSE Arena

21st October Belfast The SSE Arena