TORUK - The First Flight

Photo: Youssef Shoufan Costumes: Kym Barrett © 2015 Cirque du Soleil.

Avatar fans take note: Cirque du Soleil's latest live experience TORUK - The First Flight had it's Toronto premiere Thursday night at the Air Canada Centre. Inspired by James Cameron's beloved film, the show transports audiences to the magical planet of Pandora thousands of years before the events depicted in the movie.

Pandora is a fictional moon orbiting the gas giant Polyphemus in the Alpha Centauri system, the closest star system to our sun. It is home to the Na’vi, a highly spiritual people with a deep connection to nature. Narrated by a Na'vi storyteller, TORUK - The First Flight follows protagonists Ralu and Entu, two Omaticaya boys on the brink of adulthood, who embark on a mission to save the sacred Tree of Souls from a natural catastrophe. Upon learning that Toruk (a giant dragon-like creature) can help them, they set out together with their newfound friend Tsyal, on a quest high up in the Floating Mountains to find the mighty red and orange predator that rules the Pandoran sky. Prophecy is fulfilled when a pure soul rises among the clans to ride Toruk for the first time and save the Na’vi from a terrible fate.

Featuring a cinematic score by composers Bob and Bill, gorgeous costumes by Kym Barrett, spectacular set design by Carl Fillion, cutting-edge special effects created by 40 video projectors and 16 beautiful puppets by Patrick Martel, this immersive production is simply wonderful to behold. The story definitely takes a backseat to the stunning visuals and remarkable physical abilities of the performers, but the simplicity of this mostly movement-based, coming-of-age tale is easy to follow despite the scale of the execution. Viewers are encouraged to interact with the narrative by downloading a mobile app that engages them with content at various points during the performance. Young audiences will be particularly enthralled, which makes this an ideal show for families with kids.

TORUK - The First Flight runs until January 10, 2016 at the Air Canada Centre. The show will also open in Hamilton and London, Ontario in May 2016. Visit cirquedusoleil.com/toruk for more information.