"In circus, design is essentially the choice of the spatial context that the director, the other creators and the artists must inhabit. Whether abstract or realistic, it serves to create a mood."
Stéphane Roy, Set Designer
Stéphane Roy set out to create a contextualized set for Varekai—a design in which all the elements harmonize with the poetry and language of performance: costumes, scenery, and music.
The Varekai universe is made up of…
The Forest
A fabulous and mysterious hideaway the Varekai characters have made their home. Consisting of over 300 "trees" between 4.5 metres and 10.5 metres tall, the forest is also interspersed with twenty-odd "acrobatic trees" that its inhabitants can shinny up to see what's going on.
The Stage
Extending out of the golden forest, this is the terrain on which the characters move about. It's a golden clearing with a diameter of 12.8 metres. Specially designed for the show's aesthetic and acrobatic needs, the stage harbours five traps, two turntables and an elevating platform.
The Catwalk
Reminiscent of the spine of an immense bird, the catwalk is the invention of the forest's inhabitants. It allows them to step outside, collect bits and pieces, and climb high in their quest to touch the sky. Used by artists to travel from one end of the stage to the other, this 30-metre-long staircase is key to their survival.
The Lookout
At the end of the catwalk, just above the audience, is the lookout—the centrepiece of the set. It's a link to the outside world, a lookout point to see what lies ahead. This 7-square-metre platform also serves as a cabin for one of the forest's inhabitants.
