The acrobatic and death-defying scenes of Cirque du Soleil may be on hold longer than the pandemic. The entertainment group based in Canada filed for bankruptcy protection and has cut over 3000 jobs.
In March, at the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, Cirque du Soleil stood down 3,500 staff, all of which are now to be cut in a bid to save expenditure -- leaving the company with only 213 of their employees remaining.
"It's a big shock, but we are optimistic that in the future when normalcy will come back, that people will be very, very eager to see live shows," Cirque's chief executive, Daniel Lamarre said.
On Twitter, the Montreal-based group revealed that all future events will be cancelled. And since the pandemic, they have had 44 events close across the world.
Cirque du Soleil has answered some of the queries customers may have on its website, particularly for ticket holders.
Are all shows cancelled?
Not all of their shows are cancelled. The only production currently in operation is 'The Land of Fantasy' which restarted on June 3 in China.
The company website reads, "Performances will resume once the pandemic is under control, pending an easing in government lockdowns and travel restrictions, and in accordance with the new corporate structure in place."
Are tickets refundable?
Currently no. Cirque du Soleil is advising customers to hold onto their tickets at the moment.
"We are wholeheartedly with you during these unprecedented times and are working tirelessly to bring great experiences to our fans again, as soon as we possibly can. In the meantime, we would like to thank you for your patience and undying support as we navigate these uncharted waters."
Performing at Cirque du Soleil
In May, The Feed investigated what it was like to be one of those daring performers starring in one of Cirque du Soleil's marquee shows.
Daniel Crispin performed in Cirque's Toruk - The First Flight, a show inspired by James Cameron's Avatar.
After sustaining multiple injuries Crispin began taking painkillers before shows.
"It just felt like a melting pot of hurt...And I'd been logging all this at work and they kept saying 'it's just neural tension, it's tightness in your neck, it's tightness here that's why it's getting numb,'" he said.
"I got told [by Cirque du Soleil] it's not going to make it any worse if I keep going," he said.
Crispin alleges he's lost up to $100,000 in medical expenses, loss of wages and adjustments he's made to his home to aid his injuries.
"I paid for my medical insurance out of my own wage. It was explicitly told to me and I have it in writing and recording that I'm going to be looked after for my show conditions and the injuries that happened in the show," he said.
"I don't want anything other than what was agreed upon and I don't think that that's too much to ask. I went into a show that physically maimed me."
In May, Cirque du Soleil told The Feed medical support continues even after the end of a contract.
"If an artist requires medical support for a work-related injury, they continue to receive this care through our third party insurance administrators, who make decisions on whether care is required or not based on independent medical doctor recommendations, and therefore removed from Cirque du Soleil influence," the company said.
Crispin disputes the claim and was preparing to sue the company he alleges "physically maimed" him back in May.
It remains to be seen how any potential lawsuit might be dealt with while Cirque du Soleil copes with their financial issues during the pandemic.
