Before Halil Gashi took on the lead role in the circus show The Imagineer, he dreamt it.
“I remember trying to wake up, conscious that it was a dream, and yet I was unable to. It was definitely one of the most surreal dreams that I’ve had in recent times,” he said.
Now, his visions will become a reality. On April 17, Kosovo-born Gashi will debut The Imagineer at the Meydan IMAX Theatre alongside 10 other performers. The 70-minute spectacle, running until April 19, will be the largest show of its kind to take place at the venue.
It begins with the protagonist wandering through a desert. When he’s faced by a gated archway, he steps into another world — one that is defined by his imagination. Different aspects of the human mind are explored and depicted through dance, acrobatics and, as expected from the venue, very large screens.
“While it may seem abstract, the truth is that we all go through such internal conflict and are in constant pursuit of harmony within our thoughts,” Gashi said. “I feel this is a very familiar story.”
Gashi, who got his big break as part of Cirque du Soleil in 2009, will be joined by 10 others from Vegas-based experimental troupe Le Petit Cirque (The Little Circus). The group is known for mixing traditional gymnastics with modern technology.
Days before The Imagineer premiered in Dubai, Gashi spoke to tabloid! about the physical stage layout, the unusual music and the biggest challenges behind getting into character.
Q: Tell us a little bit about the stage set-up for The Imagineer.
A: The approach to the show is a little different from the traditional modern circus acts. The visual impact of the show is brought about primarily from the use of the IMAX screens of Meydan, the largest in the Middle East & Asia. With regards to the stage set-up, we have deliberately chosen the route of a minimalist approach, wherein the emphasis is put on each acrobat’s performance and seamlessly blended to the timing of the stunning visuals that are projected off the IMAX screen.
Q: Why was this show a perfect fit for you, and how did you get involved?
A: I have had the pleasure of working alongside the director, Alexander Stroynov, in the world famous Cirque Du Soleil show, [The Beatles’] Love. Alexander, being a brilliant performer in his own right, had approached me with the script that had a radically different approach. I instantly fell in love with the concept, plot, character development and the emphasis that the show puts on the individual performer. In a sentence, it was too tempting to refuse the call to be part of this experimental show.
Q: Tell us about the music in the show.
A: For the pilot show, we will be using pre-recorded music which juggles between classical, ballad and even breakbeat/DNB [drum and bass] depending on the act and performance.
Q: Some shows focus heavily on dance, singing, or acrobatics. What’s the breakdown of this show?
A: The show will lay considerable emphasis on the individuals’ acrobatic prowess and is complemented by a few acts that perform dance.
Q: Is the show to be taken symbolically or literally? And what does “imagination” mean to you?
A: The show is very much meant to be a symbolic interpretation of the individual’s imagination. It has been choreographed in such a way to seem like a dreamscape reality, but underneath and at the root of story, is the struggle [of] an individual to attain equilibrium. This struggle is on-going and something we can consider to be a lifetime condition for the human mind. Imagination to me is very much in sync with this kind of thinking — a struggle to attain equilibrium.
Q: The story hinges on your character and your performance. What’s the most challenging part of playing The Imagineer?
A: Apart from Alexander’s perfectionism, some of the challenges that we face, is the emphasis the show puts directly on the individual performer. The Imagineer puts a significant amount of on-stage focus to individuals on each performance, which can be very demanding. Having said that, this is also the very thing that every artists dreams about — the spotlight. The biggest challenge we face on this particular show is the co-ordination between on-stage, and the visual production that takes place off the theatre screens. It requires milliseconds of precision — but I believe the final output will be breathtaking.
