« Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming “Wow! What a Ride! » Hunter S. Thompson

After “The Elephant in the Room”, Cirque Le Roux presents its second chapter: “A Deer in the Headlights – La Nuit du Cerf”.

The production had its North American Premiere in April and May 2023 with engagements at TOHU in Montreal, Robert Lepage’s Le Diamant in Quebec City as well as other Quebec engagements in St-Jérome, l’Assomption and Sherbrooke.

This original creation pulls from French New Wave, American grind-house and 70’s independent cinema to tell a story of a family, loss and life through an eccentric and comical intrigue.

Miss Betty has died… Her three children gather at their rural family home in order to prepare for her funeral.  However, the arrival of a mysterious stranger tips the scale and the newly reunited family is thrown into chaos.

“A Deer in the Headlights” features a gallery of surprising, charismatic, funny and flamboyant characters.  A work which highlights the singularity, fragility and tenderness of all human relations.

Six virtuosi circus artists perform handstands, hand to hand, banquine, acrobatics and tight-wire acts, blending physical risk with emotional depth and humour.

“A Deer in the Headlights” is an homage to cinema, contemporary circus, and to the human condition, with all its comedy, awkwardness and splendour.

I first came across the company at the Montréal Complètement Cirque festival a number of years ago and was so astonished by their production THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM that I immediately offered my services to help develop their international touring career. Besides a tour of that production to Canada a year later that included performances during the CINARS conference, we managed to tour THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM to Lima Peru just before the beginning of the Pandemic.

During the Pandemic we managed to arrange a tour of the company’s second production, A DEER IN THE HEADLIGHTS to 5 cities in Quebec to enthusiastic audience response yet again.

It has been a real pleasure to collaborate with this talented troupe of acrobats.