By Kristi Alexandra
@kristialexandra

Given Canada’s tragic start to the week, it seems we could use a reminder about unity. From the get-go, Odysseo is just that.

Kicking off with a touching statement by artistic director Normand LaTourelle about how the cast of 48 comes together despite national and language differences, he said, “[it’s] important to say wherever we are, we can be in peace.”

Odysseo returned to Vancouver on Jan. 29 under the Big White Tent at Olympic Village. It had been three years since this coastal city had seen the wildly fantastical show that blends equestrian arts, live music, acrobatic feats and all the goodness that comes with live entertainment.

The packed-audience was treated to a visual feast, with impossible stunts and the animal-human connection in the spotlight. Taking us on a journey from pre-industrial Arabian sands to Celtic mossy hills to African plains and transporting us to the dreamworld of a child’s carousel, a variety of backdrops and performances certainly conveyed the theme that no matter where or when we are, we are connected.  The ethos is simple enough, but it lacks a story to carry it.

Odysseo can hardly be condemned for that, though. Given that it gorges all five senses at once, the show is difficult to capture in words but impossible to miss.

Aside from its touching sentiment of a unified utopia, Odysseo showcases the capabilities of the human body when in its finest form. Damn, it would be nice to be in shape. 

Odysseo has extended its Vancouver stay at Olympic Village to March 5. Find tickets here.

Kristi Alexandra is an unabashed wino and wannabe musician. Her talents include drinking an entire bottle of cabernet sauvignon, singing in the bathtub, and falling asleep.