[Hong Kong] A Thrilling Night at Cirque du Soleil's KOOZA!

Ellie Furuya
May 23
3 min read

After a seven-year wait, Cirque du Soleil is finally back in Hong Kong — and they’ve returned in full, breathtaking force with KOOZA, a dazzling celebration of acrobatics, live music, and theatrical magic. I had the incredible opportunity to attend this world-class spectacle as a guest of Tatler Hong Kong, and what an unforgettable night it was.

This marks KOOZA’s first stop in Asia as part of their global tour. Before touching down in Hong Kong, KOOZA had already completed over 4,000 performances across 65 cities, captivating more than 8 million audience members worldwide. And now, it's our turn (not Singapore's!) to be enchanted under the Big Top.

The VIP Experience

Thanks to Tatler, I experienced the show in ultimate style. The UBS VIP Tent offered pre-show and intermission access to free-flow drinks and elegant canapés — a major upgrade from your usual popcorn-and-soda fare. That said, for non-VIP guests, there’s a convenient concession area outside the tent offering snacks and drinks à la movie theatre. Pro tip: don’t worry about queues. The site is well-planned, with plenty of clean, modern restrooms, so lines move quickly.

I sat in the second row (BB Seat 3) — close enough to feel the heat, the wind, and every gasp-worthy moment of the action.

Acts That Took My Breath Away

What makes KOOZA special is its return to Cirque’s traditional circus roots: jaw-dropping acrobatics paired with laugh-out-loud clowning, all set to a live band.

Here were my absolute highlights:

The Wheel of Death: Two performers race, leap, and even jump rope while running on the outer rim of two rotating wheels suspended high above the stage. I was so close, I could feel the wind from their spins — it was so terrifying, I almost couldn’t watch… but couldn’t look away either.
The High Wire: Precision, balance, and showmanship collide in this act where acrobats ride bicycles across a tightrope high above the crowd. At one point, they stacked a chair on a pole between two moving bikes and sat someone on top. Absolutely unreal.
Tower of Chairs: One acrobat, dozens of chairs, and sheer nerve. Slowly, methodically, he builds a teetering tower using only the chairs and climbs to the top, performing handstands and poses that defy gravity and reason.
The Clowns: Don’t mistake them for filler — Cirque du Soleil clowns are trained artists, often graduates from elite clown conservatories (yes, real clown schools exist and they are fiercely competitive). These performers are masters of timing, physical comedy, and improvisation. One sketch involved a guest from the crowd and had the entire tent roaring with laughter. It was pure joy.

The Atmosphere

The energy inside the tent was electric. You could tell people were thrilled to be there — maybe it was the Bollinger flowing freely in the VIP tent, or maybe it was the sheer excitement of finally seeing an international act of this caliber again in Hong Kong. People were laughing, clapping, gasping — fully in it. The short intermission midway gave just enough time to refresh and come back recharged for more magic.