Syma

Syma: Sail Beyond Imagination

Genre

Contemporary CIrcus

Show Type

Cruise Ship Dinner Show

Date of Premiere

March 2, 2019

Running Time

40 Minutes

Intermission Time

None

Show Location

Carousel Lounge, MSC Bellisima

Creative Team

Director

Anh-Dao Bui

Artistic Director

Benjamin Dupoint

Writer

Nathalie Enault

Director of Creation

David Poulin

Composer and Musical Director

Félix-Antonine Couturier

Costume Designer

Nicholas Vaudelet

Theater and Set Designer

Marco De Jorio

Choreographers

Edgar Zendejas

Lighting Designer

Mathieu Poirier

Sound Designer

Pierre-Luc Brunet

Makeup Designer

Maryse Gosselin

Video Content Designer

Jean-Sébastien Baillat

Acrobatic Performance Director

Edesia Moreno Barata

Technical Director

Eric Bouchard

Richard Piquet

Chronology

Preceded by

Sonor (2017)

Succeeded by

Varélia (2019)

Official Trailer

Syma: Sail Beyond Imagination also known as Syma is the third Cirque du Soleil at Sea resident production created by Cirque du Soleil: Events + Experiences for MSC Cruises. It is one of two Cirque du Soleil at Sea show for MSC Cruise's MSC Bellisima alongside the show Varélia. Syma premiered on March 2, 2019, in the Carousel Lounge on the MSC Bellisima.

Production[]

In 2013, MSC Cruises and Cirque du Soleil created a partnership to develop 8 unique shows for 4 MSC cruise liners. The first two shows, Viaggio and Sonor, premiered on June 4, 2017, onboard the MSC Meraviglia. On December 5, 2018, Cirque du Soleil and MSC Cruises announce the second pair of shows Syma and Varélia will premiere on March 2, 2019, onboard the MSC Bellisima.^[1]

Yasmine Khalil, chief executive officer of Cirque du Soleil and president of Cirque du Soleil: Events + Experiences, stated, "We are thrilled to embark on our second MSC Cruises ship as we pursue Cirque du Soleil’s journey at sea...Joining Viaggio and Sonor, our first two shows on MSC Meraviglia, Cirque du Soleil continues to reinvent itself through an intimate theatre experience where two new shows are created exclusively for MSC Bellissima".^[1]

The third pair of MSC Cruise shows will launch on November 2019 for the MSC Grandiosa and the final pair will launch on October 2020 for the MSC Virtuosa.^[1]

Set and Technical Information[]

Like the Viaggio and Sonor's stage on the MSC Meraviglia, the Carousel Lounge for Syma and Varélia is an intimate 360-degree stage were designed by Marco De Jorio. The lounge seats 413 guests and contains a long interactive LED screen that crossing the entire lounge.^[2]

The LED stage is contains a rotating disk and the LED Screen has a section that can convert to a staircase. Also above the center ring is a carousel aerial tramway used for rigging props and performers above the stage. The development cost for The Carousel Lounge is €20 million ( $22,045,840 USD ).^[2]

Video projection mapping is used throughout Syma. The mask of The Chief uses video projection to show the expression of The Chief. Video projection is used on the 3 sided pyramid for the leviwand act for decoration.^[2]

Costume Design[]

The costumes for Syma were created by Nicholas Vaudelet. Bones, fossils, X-rays of marine fauna and fish scales have been used to create the textile patterns of the costumes. Knots braiding, straws, and raffia were used to create a more organic feel to the costumes rather than using methods to recreate them.^[2]

The makeup design was done by Maryse Gosselin who previously worked on Cirque du Soleil At Sea shows Viaggio and Sonor. To show that Syma has been journeying, she was given prominent freckles. Her lips have a strong gradient to them due to her love of lollipops.^[2]

The Underwater Creatures use UV makeup to reflect stage lights during their bungee act. ^[2]

Characters[]

Syma: A young sailor riding an origami ship who gets capsized by a strong storm. She ends up on an island and meets the islanders and their chief. Syma performs the aerial pole act. Syma loves creating origami and lollipops.^[2]
The Chief: Leader of the island tribe, the Chief seems intimidating with the mask, but is benevolent. The Chief helps Syma on her journey back to the sea.
The Strange One: Living on the beach of the island Syma washes ashore on, The Strange One helps Syma on her journey through the island. The Strange One performs the leviwand act.
The Nymph: A nymph who lives on the island that Syma is stranded on. The Nymph performs the risley act.
The Islanders: The islanders are the inhabitants of the island ruled by The Chief. They perform the skipping rope act.
The Underwater Creatures: The Underwater Creatures are the sea life that Syma meets when she capsizes from her Origami ship. They perform the bungee act.
The Giant Jellyfishes: Two giant jellyfish who guide Syma to the island after she capsizes from her origami ship.

Acts[]

Due to Syma being on a cruise ship, the acts in the performance are rotated out or scaled back due to either the weather, the season, or the current sea state.^[3]

The Opening ( Opening ): Syma is sailing across the sea in a origami ship until a giant storm sweeps up her ship.
The Storm ( Aerial Pole ): In the storm, Syma hold onto the mast of her ship and performs an aerial pole act.
Underwater ( Bungee ): Cast out to sea, Syma sinks to the bottom of the ocean where she meets the Undersea Creatures who perform a bungee dance.
Jellyfishes ( Interlude ): Two giant jellyfishes guide Syma to a local island.
The Strange One ( Leviwand ): Upon arriving on the shore of the island, Syma encounters The Strange One who performs with a leviwand.
Magic Jungle ( Risley ( Foot Juggling ) ): The Strange One guides Syma through the jungle and they encounter the Nymph. She performs a risley act.
The Chief ( Contemporary Dance ): Syma meets the island chief who performs a dance.
The Bounce ( Skipping Rope ): Syma meets the Islanders who perform a skipping rope act.
Finale: Syma is given an origami crane by The Chief and is free to continue her journey.

Magic Jungle ( Hand Balancing on Canes ): The Strange One guides Syma through the jungle and they encounter the Nymph. She performs hand balancing on canes.