After sunset and at nightfall, another world, another zone unfolded itself in the Saint-Roche area of Quebec City. There was a hushed silence as hundreds of spectators watched the free show of Cirque du Soleil's "Les Chemins Invisibles" (The Invisible Paths). Designed by Julian Gabriel, an artiste with 40 years of street theater experience, this show exuded another heartbeat while embracing all the magical elements of the world-acclaimed Cirque du Soleil.

There was no yellow-and-blue topped tent - the usual trademark venue of the Cirque's shows. Here it was on the granular streets of the capital city, almost brushing shoulders with the masses. Jugglers, contortionists, trapeze artists, twirling buskers and gymnasts performed their multiple ingenious acts on rolling platforms that moved through the crowds from different starting points converging finally at centre stage under the massive dome created under the overpass of the Dufferin-Montmorency bridge. Here the urban concrete structure was transformed into the Jardin des Embarrassants (The Garden of the Embarrassant tribe) And, as always, a storyline is at the centre of the whole performance.

The Central Story of the Show

Three tribes known as the Brumes, the Brasiers and the Sables (Fog, Fire and Sand) journey to encounter Les Embarrassants in their realm, the garden of desolation. A young girl in a diaphanous blue costume draped herself on a pole performing slow ballet acrobatics to the strains of a haunting silken music. At the end of her trance-like performance, along came a performer with gold magic dust streaming from his giant yoyo. He then proceeded to manipulate its swirls in the air with fluid dexterity. Each of the tribes had their own essence from lyrical grace to the vibrant dare and dynamism of the fire performers. From their starting points at different street corners, they enticed the audience to follow them towards the main venue of the bridge - to meet the Embarrassants.