Photo Flash: Cirque du Soleil's 'KURIOS' Provides Last-Minute Halloween Costume Tips

By: Oct. 15, 2014
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With Halloween just weeks away, Kurios - Cabinet of Curiosities by Cirque du Soleil is sharing some last-minute tips and tricks to create your own innovative Kurios-inspired costume. Scroll down for photos!

A fitting tribute to the power of the human imagination, the costumes of KURIOS - Cabinet of Curiosities are the result of a visual exploration of the beginnings of science, of the discoveries and inventions that led to the industrial revolution of the 19th Century - from the steam locomotive to electrical power to electromagnetic waves. They embody and celebrate the advancements of science, but in an imaginary, parallel world. While the visual references may seem self-evident, the show's curious yet familiar characters and costumes transport the audience to a time suspended somewhere between past and future, in an alternate reality, as if science had evolved without the internal combustion engine and as if the golden age of the steam engine had continued on, uninterrupted.

MR. MICROCOSMOS
Full steam ahead! Mr. Microcosmos is a portly man, a kind of mechanical Obelix (a character from the French comic book series The Adventures of Asterix), but instead of holding a tiny dog in his arms, he lugs around a small lady in his belly wherever he goes. This serious chap is the embodiment of technological progress; his world is sturdy and evokes the steam train, massive building structures, the Eiffel Tower and the Grand Palais. This is man as a microcosm, running on his own steam and traveling in his own self-contained, self-subsisting ecosystem.

AT-HOME TIPS: Use a cardboard box to make a square version of him with a steering wheel from a car toy to add in the front. You can use a large pair of pants to attach to the bottom of the box and a pale grey jacket. You can also lengthen a regular top hat to create your extra-long hat like Mr. Microcosmos.

KLARA THE TELEGRAPH OF THE INVISIBLE
Klara wears an antenna skirt made of hula-hoop-type rings and she can receive alpha waves by turning on her heels and pointing her hoop skirt in various directions. Her hoop skirt is inspired by Fritz Lang's Metropolis and is shaped like early parabolic antennas. The print on her leotard evokes electrical circuits and connections. She has a language of her own and symbolizes our obsession with telecommunications during the golden age of the railroad when the telegraph and the gramophone were invented,

AT-HOME TIPS: Use some Hoola hoops attached by rope or fishing lines and use pipe cleaners to make the antenna on your head. To recreate Klara's make-up, you need a white base cream, some bright red lipstick and a black eyebrows pen to draw the outlines.

THE KURIOS PLUNGER
Since there is so much work to be done before his dream becomes reality; the Seeker surrounds himself with a brigade of assistants including the Plunger Kurios. This quirky robot is built from scraps and recycled parts by the Seeker himself. These imperfect, dysfunctional creatures have the distinct smell of metal, leather and the unbridled imagination of their creator.

AT-HOME TIPS: Use a refrigerator box to make the body of the robot and some dryer pipes for the arms with black leather gloves in your hand and a kitchen sieve for the mask. You will also need a plunger to complete the overall look on top of your head.

THE SINGER
The costumes of Kurios band members are inspired the railroads workers of the late 19th century. The singer's look is more specifically inspired by the Gibson girls of that era. Her hair is piled high upon her head in the contemporary bouffant, pompadour, and chignonfashions topped with a gramophone structure.

AT-HOME TIPS: Use a salad bowl for the gramophone on the head and make sure to attach it solidly to a wig that will also give you more volume. You can use some leopard material for the dress. Your make up needs to be done with a white cream base and you can do the dots and eyes make up with a brown eyebrows pen.

Kurios - Cabinet of Curiosities is Cirque du Soleil's 35th production since 1984. The company, who celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2014, has brought wonder and delight to close to 150 million spectators in more than 300 cities on six continents. Cirque du Soleil has close to 4,000 employees, including 1,300 performing artists from close to 50 different countries. For more information about Cirque du Soleil, visit www.cirquedusoleil.com.

Photo Flash: Cirque du Soleil's 'KURIOS' Provides Last-Minute Halloween Costume Tips
MR. MICROCOSMOS

Photo Flash: Cirque du Soleil's 'KURIOS' Provides Last-Minute Halloween Costume Tips
KLARA THE TELEGRAPH OF THE INVISIBLE

Photo Flash: Cirque du Soleil's 'KURIOS' Provides Last-Minute Halloween Costume Tips
THE KURIOS PLUNGER

Photo Flash: Cirque du Soleil's 'KURIOS' Provides Last-Minute Halloween Costume Tips
THE SINGER



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