Cirque du Soleil: the Royal Albert Hall as you’ve never seen it before

This is the third time I have seen a Cirque du Soleil show and on each occasion I have been impressed with how the different shows change the experience. Sure, there are similarities but this is no copy and paste. 

But this production of Corteo took ‘ringing the changes’ to another level with a completely different central stage separating each half of the audience. It would have been interesting to be a fly on the wall when this ambitious idea was first mooted and it has been some achievement to pull it off. It is good to see the Royal Albert Hall still creating firsts despite being more than 150 years old.

Corteo will be in residence there between 9th January and 2nd March, with group rates available. 

With the venue divided from the organ, in a straight line, to the door 6 entrance, this new perspective of the show certainly gets you closer to the action.

Great feedback from GTOs

Those watching alongside me were equally impressed. Group travel organiser, Marian Durbidge of Herts Theatre & Go Together Travel Club said: “It’s just amazing, and you don’t know where to look first. You’re looking up, you’re looking down, to the side. It’s fantastic.” 

Sylvia Saxon of Saxon Group Travel and chair of The New Meridian Association told me: “I’ve really enjoyed it. I’ve seen it for the last couple of years and it’s completely different but equally as good as it’s ever been. And I’m delighted because I’m bringing 46 people here in two weeks’ time, so they are in for a real treat.” 

What’s it all about?

Corteo, which means cortege in Italian, is billed as a joyous procession and a festive parade imagined by a clown. The show aims to bring together the passion of the actor with the grace and power of the acrobat to plunge the audience into a theatrical world of fun, comedy and spontaneity in a mysterious space between Heaven and Earth.

The clown’s dream-like imagination took us into a variety of scenes and, like previous Cirque performances, I mainly had no idea what was going on, but enjoyed it no less. The acrobatics are incredible and there are lots of ‘wow’ moments.

With Cirque Du Soleil it is the humour I enjoy the most and there is a particular scene in Corteo that takes the performance into the audience in a really fun way that I have never seen before. 

The staging itself has a grandiose feel; this is a big show with a big cast and the talents of the vocalists results in a soundtrack that is so polished you could be forgiven to thinking it is pre-recorded.  

This is the 29th year that the Royal Albert Hall has welcomed Cirque du Soleil and more groups are waking up to its appeal; it does offer something different and the performance definitely helped me dust off those January blues. 

Tony Lincoln, UK group sales consultant for Cirque Du Soleil hosted invited guests and was excited for people to see the show: “It’s the 29th year that the Royal Albert Hall has welcomed us and it is the first year where there is a unique staging. We have, for the first time, split the Hall into two to create the most amazing setting with scenery inspired by the Eiffel Tower, and a hand-painted set curtain. When it rises you will see what an amazing achievement bringing this show to this venue has been.

“Corteo was first performed in Montréal 20 years ago and has been enjoyed by 111 million people in 22 countries across four continents. It’s full of fun, comedy, spontaneity, and mesmerising stunts.”

Of course when you see something at the Royal Albert Hall the venue is as much the star and there are some really enticing premium hospitality options to help elevate your experience, including the Gallery which looks down on the auditorium from on high. Packages include drinks, food and some lovely spaces.

Whether it is Corteo in 2025 or when Cirque Du Soleil returns to London in January 2026, this is a show that offers something different and a lot of fun in a wonderful venue.