‘Twas the Night Before…

This season of Broadway at the Eccles includes Cirque du Soleil’s ‘Twas the Night Before... This production creatively interprets Clement Clarke Moore’s poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas” (“‘Twas the night before Christmas”) — weaving together lines from the poem, new arrangements of familiar Christmas songs, glittering sets and costumes, and amazing acrobatic and aerial choreography. The bright, colorful production maintains an energetic pace throughout its 90 minutes, and breathtaking lyrical solos punctuate key moments. It is family friendly with content that will appeal to audience members of all ages. I am happy to have seen it on its opening night last week.

Isabella (Elodie Sanna) and her father (William Borges) have an annual tradition of reading “A Visit from Saint Nicholas” (“‘Twas the Night Before Christmas”) at the holidays. This year, however, Isabella feels like she has outgrown the tradition, and she snubs her father’s attempts to read the poem as well as the new bicycle he gives her. Despite Isabella’s refusals, the poem’s magic comes to life. A snowstorm separates Isabella and her father, sending them on a fantastical journey. The journey takes them through several scenes, each a separate act, and each corresponds to specific lines from Moore’s poem.

While I enjoyed the mix of high-energy, hip-hop influenced routines and slower, more expressive aerial choreography, I preferred the scenes with aerial choreography. They provide opportunities to pause, reflect, and become immersed in the display of daring beauty and strength. I caught myself saying, “Oh, wow!!” multiple times during these segments as the artists would spin, twist, balance on each other or an apparatus, and execute incredible lifts. Highlights in this category include the Straps Duo (a performance about the beauty of snow, performed by Aryn Shelander and Ben Huey), an Acrobatic Hotel Cart (Victoria Baudry-McPherson), a Hair Suspension routine (Martina Trombetta), and the Aerial Lamp (William Borges). Each of these demonstrates unique characteristics that are incredible to watch. Shelander and Huey’s Straps Duo emphasizes fluidity and serenity. Baudry-McPherson’s Acrobatic Hotel Cart showcases the cleverness of using an ordinary item as a “partner” around which to do playful flips and balances. Trombetta’s Hair Suspension Act is ethereal and dreamlike. Borges’ Aerial Lamp exudes warmth, and it is particularly beautiful being set to an arrangement of “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel.”

‘Twas the Night Before... runs through Sunday, December 14, 2025 at the Eccles Theater in Salt Lake City. Click here for information and tickets. Check arttix.org for all of the performing arts offerings in Salt Lake City and surrounding areas.

Suffs