Cirque du Soleil’s Kurios with Toddler

A couple weeks ago we had the chance to check out the latest Cirque du Soleil performance in Toronto and had a thrilling time. Kurios with our toddler was not only enjoyable but an absolute blast! Cirque’s 35th production, Kurios – Cabinet of Curiosities, takes the audience back to an era filled with innovation and excitement. The two hour production had us all riveted as we witnessed the steampunk era of the 19th Century and the jubilation it arose in Little Monkey was absolutely hilarious! Giggles and all.

I had absolutely no plans but to work all night long when I found out that I had won a pair of tickets to Kurios compliments of My City. My Star, a part of the Toronto Star. Be sure to follow them on Twitter because they’ve got the inside scoop to many of Toronto’s happenings. Needless to say I got the hubs and Little Monkey ready for a night out whilst my mom came in to watch Baby Boy. I love spontaneous outings! I contemplated taking Baby Boy because kids under 2 years can sit on laps and don’t require a  ticket, but he’s not the theatre going type. After the Mickey fiasco I haven’t tried again. Little Monkey loved theatre from a mere 6 months (click here to read about it)

KURIOS- Cabinet of curiosities, directed by Michel Laprise and presented by Desjardins, at Toronto’s Port Lands, is in Toronto until October 26, 2014. We got there early enough to grab a pint for us and popcorn for the Little Monkey and settled into our seats. We were towards the side of the stage and there were a few pillars around the stage which could make certain parts a bit difficult to see but from our seats we saw no bad seat in the house. Everyone seems to have a great view of the stage and best of all, the performances took over all parts of the stage making it easy for the audience, no matter where they were sitting.

There are AWESOME booster seats at the Port Lands!! Comfy cushions that had a back piece to slip over the seat meant that Little Monkey didn’t fall off or slide around. I love this and hope more theatre companies get these in! Also note… bring your own bottle and there’s free water around for you to refill. Great way to stay hydrated and save some dollars for a  pint of beer or glass of wine 😉 I brought in Little Monkey’s juice and milk cups in my purse and had no issues with security.

The first half of the show took us an hour into the production when we had a twenty minute break to run the toddler into the washrooms. There’s two sets on each side of the tent and it is outdoors with plenty of stalls. We were visiting during a major rainstorm so it was a bit tough navigating the puddles with a toddler but definitely do-able!

There were some amazing performances but a few really stood out for me. My favourite was this mind boggling upside down, crazy reflective dinner party that had every single person, toddler included, in total rapture. We just couldn’t believe our eyes! Mini Lilli (Antanina Satsura), who lives inside a man (don’t ask too many questions), was definitely the most charming and soulful cast member. I can’t believe how tiny she is!! Another fave was the hand theatre which is hard to explain but so serene and mesmerizing. I’m no cat person but the cat imitation skit had everyone, including the hubs, in hoots.

Little Monkey sat for the entire 2 hour production, ate her popcorn and was caught giggling numerous times. Our show started at 8 p.m. and we didn’t get home until closer to 11 p.m. but Little Monkey had quite the grin on her face through it all. This show is definitely toddler approved and if you’re thinking about taking kids…do it. The world of whimsical characters, dancers who can bend every-which way and the encouragement to stay open to the infinite possibilities, will definitely keep them entertained.