Chicago Tribune - Somewhat Recommended
"..."Toruk," which is directed by Neilson Vignola, would improve if it felt like the Storyteller was not such a stentorian presence but an approachable human, and it felt like we got to know the young blue people who are trying to save their world. "Toruk" has too much story to work as an abstract spectacle - you don't relax into it, as you do with most of the freewheeling tent shows - but too little to prevent a soporific wash taking over at times. Blue light is tricky too; it implies sleep."
Chicago Sun Times - Recommended
"...Be advised: If it is subtle, emotionally moving storytelling you are in search of “TORUK” is not the show for you. This Cirque production shifts dramatically from the exquisite intimacy achieved in “Kurios — A Cabinet of Curiosities,” performed in the company’s trademark tent when it visited Chicago last summer. Instead, this time around, it’s all about stadium-style theatrics, with a good deal of borrowing from Julie Taymor’s “The Lion King,” Handspring Puppet’s “War Horse,” and even that old chestnut, “Stomp.”"
ChicagoCritic - Recommended
"...To me the story was secondary to the energetic scenes played out by a large cast of acrobats, gymnasts and tumblers. This show features loud techno music vivid lighting and mind-blowing sets and extreme puppets. The emphasis on how the story is told trumps (sorry) the story. At just under two hours, it works Especially for those into Avatar the film. The audience seemed to enjoy the spectacle more than I did. All the running, tumbling and climbing together the ear-splitting music wore thin with me. But this show is "critic-proof" since the large following of Avatar will love this show."
Around The Town Chicago - Recommended
"...The transcendent part of the evening was the integration of projections with sound design. At
one point, a rising wave traverses the audience, becoming visible as it washes across the stage.
The sound of the waves travels with it, tugging at you. As the wave hits the performers, they
tumble precisely as they would, extending the illusion. And that's when I understood, for a
moment, what they were trying to do. They were recreating the elaborate stunts of the film on
stage, using not just their projections but the mastery of their bodies. This makes sense; they've
been doing the same thing for years. Of course they want to make something more subtle and
complex."
Chicagoland Theater Reviews - Recommended
"...To summarize, "Toruk" illustrates that the Cirque du Soleil hasn't lost its mojo when it comes to imaginative eye-popping sets, costumes, and, above all, lighting effects. There is always something striking to look at, both on the floor of the United Center and in the air. This is a high-energy concept, though relentless movement doesn't always equate into attention-grabbing action."
The Fourth Walsh - Highly Recommended
"...TORUK is a gorgeous escape into a new world! In the past, Cirque du Soleil's shows have been a series of feats performed in storytelling sequence. Although TORUK still has Cirque signature aerialists and contortionists, these movements don't have the usual marveling quality. Pandora and its inhabitants (Kym Barrett, Costume and Makeup Designer) are so real, their actions feel culturally authentic (Tuan Le and Tan Loc, Choreographers and Germain Guillemot, Acrobatic Performance Designer). The show ceases to be a performance. It becomes a fantasy trip to another planet's reality."
