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diversions
Horsin' around
By Christine
Shin
On-line Forty-Niner
If you're into
caging and whipping horses for human enjoyment, "Cheval"
will be a treat, as the equestrian performance is in its final
week at the Orange County Fairgrounds.
The hand-painted
and multi-peaked big top in Costa Mesa resembles something
out of the Medieval Times. Walking through the stable tent
is not a pretty sight for animal rights activists, as the
30 horses of the show are all enclosed in their cages, I mean
homes.
In the main arena,
an illuminated ring surrounds the dirt that is the stage for
this equestrian theater. And in this ring, artists leap onto
horses, as well as juggle, perform acrobats and climb under
the belly and back on top of horses. Although these difficult
moves were impressive, it was still nonetheless disturbing
to watch these animals perform in such unnatural movements
and to witness humans bouncing all over the backs of these
animals while they are being tugged, whipped and kicked.
Watching this performance
was like an eerie experience in some flipped parallel universe
from Cirque du Soleil, including everything from the incredible
live music to the ironic use of animals. In fact, Gilles Ste-Croix,
the creator of the Cheval Theatre, is the former director
of creation of Cirque. Apparently, humans were not entertaining
enough for Ste-Croix.
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Cheval
Theatre Inc.
More than 30 horses and 30 entertainers demonstrate
skilled horsemanship through equestrian performance.
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