Childhood delights

Last Sunday evening, together with my colleagues, I enjoyed a spectacular ZAIA show presented by the Venetian, Macau . I found the long desired show more than satisfying.

I was first enthralled by the huge theater with seating capacity for 1,800 spectators, designed to symbolize the universe immersing the spectators in an unforgettable journey into space. We would have had trouble locating our seats had it not been for our early arrival.

As soon as the show began with a clown joking with the front-seat audience, I was spell bound by the dazzling, breathtaking stage scene, embracing dancing, singing and acrobatics to create a fusion of colours, surprises and delights. In fact, everything was designed to keep our eyes and ears occupied every minute of the show time.

Acrobatics were the main features of the show. Though criticized for being inferior to those of mainland China , they merited greater acclaim because of the stories behind them,  highlighted by colourful lighting, fantastic costumes, singing and dancing, giving the greatest satisfaction to spectators of all ages and nationalities.

I was particularly enthralled by the gymnastic feats of a couple, dressed in costumes symbolizing our first parents’. The movements were graceful and artistic with a close resemblance to a sculpture in action.

The ZAIA show was different from anything I had seen before either on stage or in circuses. The performers were all professionally trained and were of a very high international standard. Cirque du Soleil claims to have brought delight to more than 90 million spectators in over 200 cities spanning five continents. It is lucky for us that a small city like Macau is among these cities.

It was fun watching the thrilling performances. It was greater fun clapping hands, screaming and cheering in excitement at the performers' seemingly impossible acts. I suddenly realized that it was after all not the performances themselves that filled me with ecstasy. It was the childhood delights, long lost over the years, that had come with them that kept me thrilled throughout the show. There is no greater joy than that a child feels. And the show just happened to have brought back that kind of joy.