In “Paramour,” its first musical produced specifically for Broadway, Cirque du Soleil grafts a Hollywood love triangle onto its high-flying acrobatics.
Jeremy Kushnier portrays AJ, an early-era Hollywood director who hires aspiring actress Indigo (Ruby Lewis) and piano player Joey (Ryan Vona), grooming the actress to be his star, and the piano player to be his composer for a film to be called… Paramour.
The critical consensus – soaring acrobatics, clunky story. (See below.)
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Though Cirque du Soleil’s first show on Broadway, Paramour, features some spectacular circus acts, there’s something ludicrous about its efforts to marry them to what’s supposed to be a traditional Broadway musical. – Jonathan Mandell, The Stage
Simultaneously frenetic and tedious…The athletic circus acts that are laced throughout the show provide the real entertainment, and make the surrounding book scenes and songs feel even more bogus and synthetic. – Charles Isherwood, New York Times.
Sometimes overstuffed and awkward but it always finds its footing when it highlights its soaring, rubber-bodied stars – Mark Kennedy, Associated Press
Grade C. The story makes no sense, the singing and dancing is delightful, and the acrobats are impressive but rarely amazing – Jesse Oxfeld, Entertainment Weekly
a traditionally styled Broadway musical, albeit a very mediocre one, infused with the sort of acrobatic routines normally seen under a big top – Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter
A bizarre mutant entertainment bred from the worst traits of Vegas circus shows and Broadway musicals – Jesse Green, New York Magazine
Paramour
At the Lyric Theater
Produced by Cirque du Soleil Theatrical
Director: Philippe Decoufle, Artistic Guide: Jean-Francois Bouchard, Associate Creative Director: Pascale Henrot, Associate Creative Director and Scene Director: West Hyler, Composer: Bob & Bill, Set Designer: Jean Rabasse, Choreographer: Daphne Mauger, Costume Designer: Philippe Guilottel
Cast: Jeremy Kushnier, Ruby Lewis, Ryan Vona, Tom Ammirati, Andrew Atherton,Kevin Atherton, Lee Brearley, Yanelis Brooks, Sam Charlton, Martin Charratl, Nate Cooper, Katrina Cunningham, Myriam Deraiche, Kyle Driggs, Jeremias Faganel, Amber Fulljames, Steven Trumon Gray, Tomasz Jadach, Rafal Kaszubowski, Reed Kelly, Denis Kibenko, Joe McAdam, Raven McRae, Sarah Meahl, Amber J. Merrick, Sheridan Mouawad, Amber Pickens, Justin Prescott, Fletcher Blair Sanchez, Matthieu Sennacherib, Bret Shuford, Blakely Slaybaugh, Sam Softich, Amiel Soicher, Amber van Wijk, Bruce Weber, Tomasz Wilkosz
It was horrible, a number of people walked out during intermission. The only reason we didn’t is because we had dinner reservations down the street. My husband and I kept looking at each other through out the play trying not to laugh, we couldn’t believe we sat there for the entire thing.
When we walked out someone from the show was at the side door and asked us if we liked the show I had to say it was good with some a lot of hesitation, I felt so bad for him because he was so excited and it was awful.