AT LEISURE

Not taking himself too seriously

YVONNE BOHWONGPRASERT

While a familiar concept in Europe and North America, Cirque Du Soleil presentations - a fusion of innovative acrobatics, theatre, dance and musical acts - are not so well known in this part of the world. The Canadian company is soon to set up its first permanent base in the region in the gambling mecca of Macau, where it will be unveiling a production called ZAIA on July 26 at the 1,800-seat theatre within the Venetian Macau Resort-Hotel. And in the former Portuguese colony recently to lay the groundwork was Mario D'Amico, head of marketing for the Quebec-based concern and a man who, in his younger years, once backpacked across South and Southeast Asia.

"Strong local cultures inspire me, our creative people and, certainly, our artists," noted D'Amico, who's been with Cirque Du Soleil since 1999. "My experience of travelling in Asia has helped make me aware of the cultural differences that exist among us. And it's easier to market a product to an audience that you know."

Why did you choose Macau as a base?

We depend on tourists to support our shows, so we decided on Macau because it has a huge tourist base. In fact, all our long-running performances are in locations which attract a steady flow of visitors: Las Vegas gets 40 million [a year]; Orlando [Florida], 42 million; and Tokyo Disney, 45 million.

Here, in Macau, it's 25 million, so that's a good number for us. What we need to do now is increase the length of the average stay made by these tourists. In Vegas, it's three to five nights, which is ideal because they get to see our shows. For Macau it's slightly over one day, so we're hoping that our presence will help increase the numbers to benefit both the island's tourist industry, and us.

Tell us more about 'ZAIA'.

Mario D'Amico.

The show is about a young girl who travels into space on a voyage of self-discovery. During the journey, she encounters the beauty of humanity and eventually brings it back with her to share with people inhabiting the Earth. I'm certain it will go down well with Asian audiences.

What do you see as the biggest challenge ahead of you?

All of our shows are created in Montreal so, logistically speaking, it's already a big challenge to stage them halfway across the world. The challenge also lies in the fact that Macau, which has a huge gaming industry, is a new market for us, so we're still familiarising ourselves with it.

From direct experience, one thing that the Asian and North American gambler have in common is that that, aside from gambling, they enjoy spending their time eating at good restaurants and afterwards taking in a show. This makes our work easier.

Any plans to bring the show to Thailand?

I think Thailand is one of the markets we'll be looking at for the future, as it's doing well economically. I was in Bangkok two months ago and was shocked at how much it has grown since my previous visit two decades before. However, before selecting a country in which to perform we have to study its entertainment market. Economic and cultural factors are huge issues that we have to take under consideration.

How do you see the company developing in the next five to 10 years?

We're very strong right now in North America and Europe. However our future growth lies in Asia. In fact, we're already working on a second show in Macau that'll be opening next year and, hopefully, a third show in 2011.

The Chinese cities of Shanghai and Beijing are also top favourites [as potential venues in the future]. Where there's a good tourism base, we can do well with a full-time show. Don't forget that any lasting show has to sell 800,000 tickets every year just to survive.

If you were given an opportunity to perform, which character would you choose to portray?

Publicity shot for `ZAIA', the production Cirque Du Soleil is to stage in Macau in late July.

Definitely a clown! Clowns make people laugh and don't take themselves too seriously. Also, you don't need to be so much in [good physical] shape - which works best for me!

Tell us a little about the sort of leisure travel you prefer these days.

I love travelling! Many years before I joined Cirque Du Soleil I took a two-year sabbatical and backpacked across Asia. I visited Thailand, Malaysia, Nepal, India ... and in those days it was even safe to travel to Afghanistan. So it was truly a memorable experience!

I tend to like non-organised trips so that I have the freedom and the time to explore things at my leisure. In the past I used to enjoy going on camping trips and backpacking around the place, but nowadays I prefer [a bit more] comfort. But I still enjoy being spontaneous and my love for Asia hasn't diminished at all.

Do you have any favourite destinations in Asia?

Yes, probably the place that most influenced me: India; it was a real discovery for me back when I was 30. I just found the whole spiritual side to the country so interesting.

How did you take to Thailand?

I found Thailand to be the most open country in the whole region. Thais, to me, are the most expressive people in the world; they love to smile, and I know our shows could bring a smile to their faces!

To contact the writer, email yvonneb@bangkokpost.co.th

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