While the mention of circus doesn't quite exactly bring to mind a whole lot of fun, but images of silly elephants and the smell of their 'poo', the mention of Cirque du Soleil can send the same people into varying fits of ecstasy. For good reason too. Besides the muscular and ve-ry cute artists (and we will get there in a moment), the costumes, the glitz, the sequins, and the tight fitting outfits on parade...
Yes, the upmarket and glamorous Cirque du Soleil is back in town!
Who can forget the publicity whirlwind they created when they first came with Saltimbanco in 1999, when everyone I knew was clamouring to get a ticket to watch it, accent emphasised on the du in the name Cirque du Soleil, of course.
And who can blame them/us/the kids from getting all excited? Alegría (this year's programme) features a two and a half hours spectacle showcasing 'thrilling, innovative acrobatics', daring aerialists and swinging catchers forty feet above ground.
Groucho Marx may have gotten it right when he said, "Clowns work as well as aspirin, but twice as fast." And these 'clowns' are twice as fast. Amidst flaming knives and Mongolian contortionists, 'Fast Track' and 'Russian Bars' are two highlights you should not, for the world, go for a toilet break during.
And of course there is the synchronised trapeze act. Indeed, the item sounds exciting, "two graceful aerialists perform an awe-inspiring display of harmony and beauty… defying the law of gravity with incredible mid-air twists and manoeuvres..." But did I mention the rather delectable looking trapeze artist already?
Gaston Elie. Dark, handsome, charming…
Well, Fridae caught up with him for a few precious minutes while he still had his two feet on the ground and we discovered that circus life is indeed very fun. (Minutes after the interview ended he was seen starting on warm ups and before we knew it we saw him up in the air swinging daredevil oscillations on the trapeze!)
Coming from a family six generations deep in this industry, the 28-year-old Argentinean national with native French roots has been in a circus all his life! He has travelled with Cirque du Soleil almost three years now.
Being gay for him has never been a problem. At ease with his sexuality, he notes that on tour, everyone is like this big family - travelling together and doing things together. In fact, Gaston met his partner while on tour. His significant other is also an artist involved with Alegría.
Everyone (including his family) knows of his sexuality and accepts him and his partner as they would any other couple.
Having travelled round the world, Gaston has seen many different gay scenes in the different countries he's been to. And he says compared to home (Buenos Aires), he thinks it's hard to be gay here.
However, and he says this with a twinkle in his eyes, while the Singapore gay man may be more "conservative" compared to men in the US and Australia, and there is one thing he can attest to: we are not one to shy away from cute packages like him.
Comparing his experience overseas where there are obvious gays everywhere, he notes that in Singapore, he hardly sees any gay men on the Singapore streets - until they start checking him out. And that's where Gaston livens up and tells us about his ventures down town, "Oh the boys here, when they want something, they (really) want it, huh! My god!"
Yes, Gaston the trapeze artist extraordinaire has been cruised and approached here in the garden city. Laughing, he recounts how men have "accidentally" bumped rudely into him between the narrow aisles at a record store. At first, he dismisses them as being merely rude but when they do it again, staring and checking him out a second time…
"And the malls, my goodness… gay men in Singapore cruise SO much, and follow you around too!" Yes, Singapore boys, I think Fridae needs to conduct a "Subtler Ways of Cruising 101" lesson.
(Fortunately for Gaston, his partner accompanies him on these ventures now, so be forewarned guys!)
One titbit we weaselled out of him - Gaston has modelled for the Australian magazine Blue. For those who are in the dark, Blue happens to be one of Australia's premiere magazines that features artistic nude photo spreads. Gaston did a spread that features him on a trapeze, and he noted how they knew to manipulate the body's shape such that the end result was far from obscene, just "beautiful". Well, we take his word for it. Every word of it.
Then we came to the obligatory sex question. Just how appreciated was his flexibility in bed, we enquired. "In bed?" Guffawing, to our pleasant surprise, he says that no one has asked him that ever. And before long, admits to having a lot of fun in bed, adding that "it helps that both of us are very flexible". We stopped him from saying more, least our blushing cheeks made any passer-by think we were one of the clowns.
Follow me.
The path is dark but we light our way with lanterns.
In the obscurity, we enter a realm between fact and fantasy - a world of contrast and illusion.
The unexpected awaits beyond every turn.
- Alegría
Editor's note: Gaston just might be making an appearance at Dbl O this Friday and Saturday for Fridae's Anthems Relaunch Party and 1st anniversary party.