Nicky Dewhurst

Set in a timeless mythical forest inhabited by fairies, goblins, unicorns and mortals, this fantastic story follows a mystical forest dweller, chosen by fate, to undertake a heroic quest. He must save the beautiful Princess Lili and defeat the demonic Lord of Darkness, or the world will be plunged into a never-ending ice age.

A child is born. We see underwater swimmers representing this. He is young, in a jungle setting, with two fanciful "instincts" guiding him as swooping bird-like acrobats initially menace, then delight. As an adolescent, he enters a desert, where a man spins a large cube of metal tubing. He leaves his instinct-guides behind, and enters a garden where two statues dance in a pond. As he watches their sensual acrobatics of love, he becomes a man. He is offered wealth (represented by a golden hat) by a devil figure. In a richly decorated room, a scruffy troupe of a dozen acrobats and a little girl reawaken the old man's youthful nature and love.

The brilliant artistry of Cirque du Soleil has transformed the circus into an exciting, novel performance experience. Nouvelle Expérience celebrates the magic of their innovative techniques and the genius of one of the most visionary groups of artists in the world. Included in the show that toured for 19 months in 1990-1991, performing to over 1.3 million people: Contortion, Korean Plank, Solo Trapeze, Tightrope, Aerial Straps, Acrobatics, Trapeze, Juggling, Clown, Russian Bar, Trampoline and Balancing on Chairs.