ENTERTAINMENT PROFILE

Guy Laliberté is a modern-day Dali and one of

the world’s wealthiest theatrical impresarios.
In 1984 he set up Cirque du Soleil, a surreal
reinvention of the circus that is currently worth
US$1 billion. Now he wants to be a hotelier.

Billion-dollar circus
By Christian Sylt in Brussels

O
n the opening night of his latest European tour, called Saltimbanco,
Guy Laliberté is sitting in a hotel suite smiling. He has good reason to.
In just 18 years a man who started out as an entrepreneur by playing
his accordion on street corners has transformed his traditional performing
circus company Cirque du Soleil from 73 people, touring Canada and
playing to 270,000 people a year, into one that has over 500 performers,
2,400 employees worldwide and currently runs eight different shows set to
play to over seven million people in 2002.
It has got so big that 43-year-old Laliberté has had to divide his
organisation up into three regions – North America, Europe and the East –
from its #39 million, 32,000 square-metre headquarters in Montreal and
regional offices in Singapore and Amsterdam. The huge Montreal
headquarters is a showpiece divided into two wings that house offices,
training rooms, dance studios, props workshops and the costume shop
where Cirque’s colourful characters are born. All of the company’s touring
shows are premiered there.
Laliberté eschews measured corporate tones, preferring a turbo-charged
stream of consciousness – his hands gesticulating and face lit up with enthu-
siasm. Dressed in crazily-coloured jeans and a T-shirt, he still looks more
street entertainer than boardroom bigwig. He doesn’t even call himself the
CEO, but rather the ‘guide’ who artistically directs the company. He likens
the situation to that of a Scottish taxi driver with a karaoke in the back of his
cab. “Is he a taxi driver or an entertainer?” says Laliberté. “I think he’s both.”
By reinventing the circus, Laliberté has breathed new life into one of the
oldest and most antiquated forms of entertainment in the world. He is no

Guy Laliberté says his hotels will be dif ferent.

A gym full of circus equipment, a nightclub where
customers can dance in water, and a r estaurant
where guests may be spoon-fed by staf f.
clown and Cirque du Soleil is no ordinary circus: no sawdust-strewn stages,
no animals, and its productions are high-tech spectacles with stunning
sets, dramatically coloured lighting and avant-garde acrobatics. The venue
locations are similarly sumptuous.
Today Cirque du Soleil has two permanent auditoriums in Las Vegas and
Disney World in Florida, and its five touring troupes play in the cosmopolitan
cities of Europe and North America.
“I love surrealism,” Laliberté says of his shows’ dominant ingredient.
They have appropriately bizarre brand names like Dralion, La Nouba,
Quidam, Varekai and O. But Laliberté insists that his use of surrealism isn’t
simply an esoteric highbrow hook to lure custom.
“We like the audience to have its own emotional association with the
acts,” he says. And while critics claim that Cirque’s shows are light on story
and theatre, with tenuous scene-linking, the productions are so surreal,
bizarre and diverse that personal interpretation is inevitable. No language is
spoken, thus bypassing cultural barriers and allowing Cirque to have
performed to around 33 million spectators in over 130 cities since its
inception in 1984.
Each show is distinctive, devised from scratch and woven around themes
from the offbeat to the ordinary. Varekai, Cirque’s latest US tour, which Guy Laliberté is a creative giant – the dreamer and the
was launched in April 2002, looks at the story of Icarus, the ancient Greek ringmaster who provides continuity to the twisting tales in the
who flew too close to the sun; Saltimbanco, a 16th-century Italian word hit circus show Saltimbanco.

44 EUROBUSINESS NOVEMBER 2002 EUROBUSINESS NOVEMBER 2002 45

ENTERTAINMENT
The travelling big top costs #10 million
and around half as much again to take
down and set up after each month-long
performance season.
meaning ‘skilled street performers’ was
inspired by the more traditional theme of
medieval troupes and wandering minstrels; and
La Nouba, the permanent show in Disney
World, is themed to youth because the show’s
director was inspired by his teenage child.
Spectators, however, are affected differently.
And with such bizarre characters as a man
dressed as a baby, a silent ringmaster with no
head sporting an umbrella, and an acrobat who
has a tail and is dressed in blue pyjamas, Laliberté
plays on people’s sense of curiosity to draw them
in. “We take people by surprise,” he says. But
true to its roots, the most eye-opening scenes in a
Cirque show are the stunts and acrobatics.
Saltimbanco’s jugglers put a new spin on their
art, bouncing seven balls off the floor, and
acrobats are catapulted metres into the air to land
atop five-person pyramids. But the gasps are
perhaps greatest in the Adagio act, which sees a
tiny child (performer) in a white jump-suit
tossed onto a trapeze that is then sent flying
around the big top. But in the best circus
tradition, the audience’s awe is tempered with
humour as clowns with hooked-nose masks run
through the stalls and joke with the audience
between the main acts.
Laliberté has created his own acts rather than
hiring guest artists with their own routines. This
allows Cirque’s show content to remain constant
throughout its lifetime rather than being at the
mercy of travelling troupes. Of course, it
also brings the added kudos that its acrobatic
displays and stunts can’t be found elsewhere;
Laliberté has copyrighted his creations.
46 EUROBUSINESS NOVEMBER 2002
Cirque’s control over its creative output
doesn’t stop there. For example, 80 per cent of
the fabric used in the shows’ wildly colourful
costumes is bought white, then dyed in the
company’s workshops so that exact replacements
are available throughout the show’s life. And
plaster busts are made of each performer’s head
so precisely-fitting masks can be made.
To ensure that Cirque has the pick of the best
performers, Laliberté spends eight months a year
scouting for new stars. Surprisingly, only 24 per
cent of them come from circus-related disciplines
whereas 50 per cent have an acrobatics or gym-
nastics background and 26 per cent artistic careers
such as theatre, dance and street performance.
The logistics of a Cirque du Soleil tour are
daunting. Apart from the fixed auditoriums, the
main business is travelling with a show staying
in a city for an average of a month. The two-and-
a-half-hour spectacle takes place in a 2,500-seat
big-top, known as the Grand Chapiteau, which
costs #10 million. Getting the production to
opening night requires the transportation of up to
80 performers, 20 technicians, 800 tonnes of
equipment, 70 containers, a school, warehouses
and four generators. Each tour requires over
1,000 costumes, tended to by five travelling
staff, and Cirque even has its own pastry chef on
the road. All in all, it takes eight days to set up
Cirque’s self-sufficient village and three days to
dismantle it. So it’s no surprise that taking the
whole thing up and down costs #4 million.
Touring takes its toll on the performers, who
come from over 30 countries. Each show is
staged twice daily and at least 360 times a year.
Laliberté’s big task and the secret of his
success is continuous recruitment of highly
skilled performers. He explains that the
turnover of travelling employees is quite high as
they return home or have children and Cirque
recruits hundreds of artists each year to cover
departing members or to work on new projects.
Managing the permanent-venue shows is
slightly easier. These, in Las Vegas and Orlando,
are the jewels in Cirque’s crown. Length of staff
service is longer, which balances out the turnover
on tours and allows up to 470 shows to be
performed each year. And as Laliberté says, they
‘permit things we cannot do with tour shows’.
Mystère in Las Vegas, Cirque’s first permanent
project, opened in 1993 at the Treasure Island
Hotel. Venue owner Mirage Resorts spent #27
million building a 1,541-seat theatre in the
grounds and Cirque paid for the #24 million
pre-production costs. With this production,
Cirque entered the realm of movie-size budgets,
and the circus took on a suitably grandiose
theme. The subject matter is the origins of life.
With more room, Mystère features set pieces
on a grand scale and huge props such as spinning
cubes with acrobats inside, soaring over the
stage; and in the closing scene, a huge snail,
symbolising the pace of life in the grand scheme
of things, is inflated below the stage before rising
through a trap-door. The show is so complex that
computers are even required to control the
lighting and movement of the stage itself. After
this baptism of fire nine years ago, according to
Laliberté Mystère is still 98 per cent sold out
every day with an average ticket price of #80.
ENTERTAINMENT
Guy Laliberté is Cirque du Soleil’s
president and CEO but prefers to be
known as the guide who orients and
artistically directs the company.
48 EUROBUSINESS NOVEMBER 2002
PROFILE
The permanent show made Laliberté’s “Since 1989 we’ve turned out profit on
fortune and was soon grossing US$1.5 almost all our shows,” says Laliberté. Not bad
million a week. It was so successful that five for someone who left his home in Montreal
years later Cirque opened a second show called aged 14 armed only with a backpack and
O in a new Mirage Resorts property in Las an accordion.
Vegas, the Bellagio Hotel. The young entrepreneur left home not out of
Opening a second show was still a gamble rebellion but because he dreamt of travelling
and Laliberté sent three-and-a-half years and seeing different cultures. “I found out that
researching something different. This time the best way for me to live while I was travelling
Mirage spent US$75 million on constructing was to learn tunes on the accordion and be a
the permanent auditorium and Laliberté another street performer,” he says.
#25 million on the show. Laliberté came up with His experiences planted the seeds of ideas
the concept of a show in, on and above water – that would later grow into set pieces in Cirque
hence the name O, which is a play on the French shows. While travelling, Laliberté was captivated
word eau. by a group of street performers juggling. He
The 1,800-seat theatre has a 930 square-metre soon mastered the arts of fire breathing,
stage that is transformed mid-show into a 6,800 juggling and stilt-walking, and in 1979, on
cubic-metre pool to handle water acrobatics – returning to Montreal after spending the winter
hence the seven underwater lifts. in Hawaii, the 20-year-old Laliberté founded a
The show is 99.9 per cent sold out, and theatre troupe on stilts called Le Club des
Laliberté says customers queue for hours to Talons Hauts (The High Heels Club). He made
get their hands on tickets to see its high moderate profits by organising and playing at
diving trapeze acts and synchronised swimming festivals with his colleagues, and in 1982,
movements, which are choreographed by 25,000 people turned up to see his show in the
Olympic gold medallist Sylvie Frechette. small Canadian resort of Baie-St-Paul. But
As the company’s first aquatic attraction and Laliberté’s big break came in 1984.
its most expensive permanent project, O is That year marked the 450th anniversary of
billed as Cirque’s headline event. At #110 a tick- the discovery of Canada and the government
et, Laliberté says it is turning over around #2 was after an original concept for the festival cel-
million a week for an ebrations. Laliberté’s
operating profit of Overall revenues are festival industry con-
between #800,000 and tacts suggested he
#900,000, which has US$500 million, so using a make a pitch to
more than covered the multiple of two times annual the prime minister’s
huge initial costs. sales, Cirque is worth US$1 billion. o ffice in Quebec,
In the same year as which was eventually
O opened, Cirque also That’s some circus. won over. Cirque du
debuted the permanent Soleil – circus of the
show La Nouba at Disney World in Orlando. sun – was created by Laliberté and childhood
The 12-year deal with Disney took 10 years of friend Daniel Gauthier and named after the
talks. Disney also agreed to put up the #25 million Hawaii sojourn.
it took to construct La Nouba’s 1,671-seat Together they funded Cirque du Soleil with
purpose-built big top; and Cirque, now skilled a #1 million Quebec government contract
in partner projects, footed the #40 million to provide 13 weeks of entertainment in the
production costs. Although the overall cost of summer of 1984.
La Nouba was less than for O, Laliberté says Cirque used the contract to spread the word
that its box office sales – averaging 88 per cent about how it differed from a traditional circus;
– are holding up against its sister shows because and because of it, 1984 was financially one of
its average ticket price is around #67. the easiest years. However, Laliberté explains
All in all, Cirque’s three big permanent shows that the government still wanted assurance that
are bringing in around #300 million a year. Cirque could control its outgoings. Luckily,
Laliberté says the key to this income stream is although the first big top only seated 800, it
choosing the right locations. made #32,200 profit that year when the show,
The travelling circuses are bringing in around simply entitled Cirque du Soleil, was performed
#500 million a year. Tours are always staged in in 11 cities across Quebec. However, Laliberté
centrally located sites and the permanent soon got his first tightrope lesson in balancing
shows are associated with popular tourist the demands of business and art.
destinations, which as Laliberté points out, In 1985 Cirque ventured into the non-French-
means they already have a captive market in that speaking environment of Toronto and Niagara
environment. The strength of Cirque’s brand Falls but struggled with cashflow. The company
means it can establish good product recognition didn’t get the expected government subsidies
while spending little on marketing. The strategy and was left to crack a completely new audience
is bearing fruit. alone. Poor market research almost saw Cirque
It has certainly worked for Las Vegas. The take a premature bow.
city’s marketing strategy is to use entertainment “We’d been told by local people to go to
to attract gamblers. A recent Las Vegas tourist Niagara Falls because there are two million
authority survey showed that 700,000 people people going there every year and it’s a big
or two per cent of the city’s 35 million visitors tourist attraction,” says Laliberté. But it was
in 2001 went specifically to see a Cirque du only after setting up shop there and trying to
Soleil show. sell tickets without luck that Laliberté
EUROBUSINESS NOVEMBER 2002 49
ENTERTAINMENT PROFILE
discovered that the average tourist’s trip to says Laliberté. By 1989 the company was being in Asia, Korea and Japan. Europe, which Cirque
the Falls lasts just 45 minutes. weaned off public funds as the touring shows only began touring in 1995, is still largely
Cirque actually made a #483,000 loss in were selling out and the money was pouring in. untapped. In the US alone, the company is
1985. Although it had a #1.5 million budget, And Cirque hasn’t received any grants from the performing in 12 new ‘markets’ this year and
Laliberté says he had contractual obligations public or private sectors since 1992, which Laliberté keeps learning from previous mistakes.
totalling #1 million which had to be paid before neatly coincided with its first test-bed tour in “Sometimes we stay too long in a city and get
any other outgoings that year. However, he Vegas, Nouvelle Expérience, at the Mirage a little weaker in the last week or two so we
showed his business savvy by speaking to all his Hotel. The street performers had really moved readjust the times and number of shows next
creditors and presenting a third-year plan for the up in the world. time so that the door closes on the nose of
following year. Stressing his 1986 performance Nowadays to put a new Cirque tour on the somebody at the end,” he says. So despite his
contracts, Laliberté placated his creditors; and road requires a capital investment of #12 million wealth and the size of Cirque now, Laliberté is
although he asked the government for a for all the equipment and about #11 million to still well aware of the bottom line: “The audience
#322,000 loan, he turned down its offer of cover all of the research, development, rehearsal decides if you live or die,” he says.
#161,000 because without the full amount, and costume costs. The tours are entirely To keep them wanting more, Laliberté learnt a
Cirque couldn’t guarantee repayment. financed by Cirque’s cashflow; the company is strategy from legendary car-maker Enzo Ferrari,
A born survivor, Laliberté persevered despite private, and Laliberté keeps the numbers to who said that after studying a new market to
acknowledging he was technically bankrupt. himself, including the crucial revenue splits find out his potential customer base, he would
“We knew exactly what we’d need,” he says, and with partners Mirage and Disney. The company build that number of cars minus one to ensure
Cirque did survive. In 1986 it made a #483,000 now has annual sales of some #500 million and that he barely met demand and increased the
profit: all its debts were paid and the company the biggest costs are probably the rent paid to rarity of his product. In fact Laliberté’s interest
broke even. But one dice with debt was enough. landlords at its permanent shows. in motor-racing extends beyond the boardroom,
“If you asked me if I could do it again, I would Laliberté is now believed to be a billionaire as he is a fervent Formula One fan and is known
say probably not,” he says. Then in 1987, US based on his company’s estimated cashflow. to trial-run concepts for new Cirque shows at
success was the catalyst that transformed His average pre-tax margins exceed 20 per one of the biggest parties of the Grand Prix
Cirque from a single touring troupe into a global cent; 40 per cent on some shows. Annual profits season, which he hosts at his Montreal home
entertainment group. are some #100 million. He gives one per cent following the Canadian race.
“We said we live or die in LA,” says Laliberté. of his revenues to charity and employees share Spearheading Cirque’s drive into the next
The budget for this first make-or-break foray the profits. generation of entertainment will be the launch
out of Canada was so tight that had the show Two years ago he bought out his partner of two new permanent shows at Las Vegas’New
flopped, he would have had to sell the company’s Daniel Gauthier for a sum thought to be around York-New York and MGM Grand hotels in
new yellow and blue, 1,500-seat big top to US$300 million. Laliberté could easily have 2003 and 2004 respectively.
finance the journey home to Montreal. To put funded the purchase from cashflow. Gauthier The New York-New York event will be a fresh
the troupe on the map, Laliberté made a deal with was happy to sell him his share, keen for a take on traditional music-hall shows, while the
the festival organisers in LA. If the organisers quieter life but still concerned that Cirque MGM Grand project will have the more
guaranteed to pack the opening night with should continue in safe hands. Laliberté says metaphysical themes of space and gravity. But
celebrities, Cirque that he is ‘not ready to even the US$100 million budgets of these
would do the rest. The “In LA they squeeze a lot of give up an active life’; shows place restrictions on Laliberté’s vivid
stars duly turned up, rather, he is beginning imagination. Cirque has no control over the
the reviews were ecsta- money out of you in such a work on the next stage external appearance of the buildings, and to let
tic and Cirque was fast way and then after that in Cirque’s history. To the world know about Cirque du Soleil Lalib-
literally an overnight they drop you like an old Kleenex in do this, he believes erté wants to be ringmaster of an entertainment
success in LA. that maximising brand empire rather than just a circus show. Enter the
Once again, Guy the garbage can.” awareness is key. Cirque du Soleil complex.
Laliberté’s sharp When Laliberté In an ambitious expansion strategy Laliberté
business acumen guarded him against LA took full control of the company, he instigated a plans to set up entertainment centres featuring
excess. “In LA they squeeze a lot of money out new 10-year plan for Cirque which included nightclubs, hotels, restaurants and spas. Each
of you in such a fast way and then after that they licensing merchandise. But as he says, complex will be anchored by a Cirque show and
drop you like an old Kleenex in the garbage merchandising is only successful if enough surrealism will permeate the facilities.
can,” he says. So the Cirque ringmaster turned people know the brand. So Cirque created a Laliberté says his hotels will have five-star
down the usual get-rich-quick offers of children’s television series, developed its service with a difference. Guests may find
movies about his story and set about forging the internet activities and expanded its portfolio of trapeze artists practising in the lobby and morning
company’s long-term future. full-length and IMAX films based on its coffee may be served by costumed, juggling
He already had a five-year business plan in portfolio of vibrant shows and characters. butlers. Fitness machines in the gym could
mind: establish a solid tour plan in main North Cirque has come a long way since it left the consist of circus equipment and, taking a tip
American and Canadian cities for a few years confines of Canada but its core values have speciality wallpaper to candles, but the blanket ban, Cirque should give up more of its Cirque du Soleil tour shows – we have five from O, customers in the nightclub could dance
while he developed another touring show to changed little. Laliberté may seem contradictory best-sellers are still the videos of each event and strategic alliances, like the one it has in Europe now,” says Laliberté, explaining that he doesn’t in water. Even the restaurant won’t escape
diversify the company. Just as important was his by being eager to proliferate Cirque’s brand now CDs featuring the haunting tunes and rock with car manufacturer Opel. want to create a global production line as Cirque’s service: Laliberté envisages waiters
decision to compromise neither the company’s whereas in 1987 he was fiercely protective over tracks from the shows. Cirque is already looking at alternative happened with productions such as Cats and who are contortionists, and guests being
strategy nor its artistic integrity. “The one thing American exploitation of it but in fact both Multimedia and merchandising currently revenue streams, such as its 150-person VIP Phantom of the Opera et al. spoon-fed by staff.
we didn’t want to do was make any kind of artistic moves are simple business decisions. “I believe contribute 15 per cent of total revenues, but marquee, which is being marketed as a Cirque has the best of both worlds – the The complexes could generate further
concession because when industries offer in marrying the perfect balance of business and Laliberté hopes to increase this to 30-35 per corporate hospitality venue complete with a bar permanent shows pull in the mass market while spin-offs, such as the hotel becoming a model
money they’re buying themselves the rights to creativity,” he says. In 1987 he was trimming cent in the next seven years. Box office sales and replicas of props from the show. And while the tours retain rarity value. But Laliberté for stand-alone hotels in other cities. But Cirque
say yes or no to content,” says Laliberté. This back his fledgling brand to prepare for the make up about 83 per cent of the total, and getting rid of sponsorship altogether would doesn’t discount the possibility of leading isn’t trying to tread on the toes of hospitality
move gave Cirque’s shows a rarity value and big push over 10 years later. And what better surprisingly sponsorship only brings in around certainly take Cirque closer to the zenith of Cirque down a different path, using its touring giants. “Cirque du Soleil is mainly and firstly a
consolidated the public’s perception that the way to do this than get into people’s homes #10 million or two per cent of revenues. But complete aesthetic independence, Laliberté experience to stage other events such as a magic content provider. Our intention is not to develop
brand was here to stay. around the world? Laliberté is looking to change that too. recognises that these deals could provide crucial show around the world under a big top. in terms of owning bricks but finding financial
“We made a business and artistic decision Cirque sells hundreds of different items of He says Cirque is facing a dilemma about capital for the latest round of expansion. In the meantime, Laliberté, far from complacent, partners,” says Laliberté. He adds that potential
not to multiply our shows. They’re more like merchandise on each tour, and in 1999 even whether to allow more sponsorship of its shows Tours will always be central to Cirque, but the is continually reinventing and streamlining partners must recognise that Cirque’s creativity
jewellery where we take a diamond and polish opened its first dedicated store near Orlando’s or drop it entirely and concentrate all attention next one, to be launched in 2005 or 2006, will Cirque. He’s identified growth markets for tours is worth as much as money. But at an estimated
it, when we take care of our shows one by one,” La Nouba venue. The eclectic mix ranges from on the brand. His view is that rather than a be the last addition. “Our goal is to have six to Moscow, St Petersburg and Prague as well as cost of between #81 million to #324 million,

50 EUROBUSINESS NOVEMBER 2002 EUROBUSINESS NOVEMBER 2002 51

ENTERTAINMENT
Saltimbanco is Laliberté’s longest-running
show – and his most profitable.
no matter how creative it is, Cirque will need
some heavyweight partners to back up the small
slice of the investment provided by its cashflow.
The first complex will be in the company’s
home town of Montreal, and Laliberté says that
Cirque’s management contract could last
around 50 years. But he’ll be walking a fine line
when extending the Cirque experience without
making it look like a money grab. So even with
such a long-term plan, Laliberté is eager to
emphasise that he doesn’t want to over-expose
the concept.
In the next 15 years Laliberté hopes to build
six centres – a flagship casino complex in Las
Vegas, one in New York, two in Asia – Hong
Kong, Tokyo, Shanghai and Beijing are under
consideration – and one in Paris or Berlin.
“London is also a target,” he says, but so far this
has been the only failure.
In 2001, Cirque announced an agreement
with Parkview International London plc. The
company owns the former Battersea power
station in London, a dilapidated Grade I-listed
structure that is the largest brick building in
Europe. Cirque was to provide the content for
its redevelopment as a leisure destination – a
pilot for the entertainment complexes.
However, the deal with Parkview wasn’t
consummated. Laliberté simply says it was not
‘the appropriate environment’ for either party.
Similarly, he turned down the chance to run the
central show in London’s ill-fated Millennium
Dome. Laliberté says of his projects: “If
52 EUROBUSINESS NOVEMBER 2002
everything is a failure, the last thing I want is for
people to be left with the impression that it was
not my fault. If I am to live or die with that
responsibility, I want to assume it 100 per cent
and I don’t want to put Cirque in a position
where it could be affected by other people’s
creative decisions.” If the Dome is anything to
go by, Laliberté has an intuitive grasp of what’s
best for his company.
In fact he is such a guiding light for Cirque
that flotation is out of the question, even though
it would likely be one of the world’s hottest
entertainment stocks.
Laliberté says he turned down the opportunity
to float Cirque when he bought out his partner
because it was already very profitable and
didn’t need money. “If you go public everything
changes. All my life I’ve been able to say
yes or no. And that means I’ve never had to
compromise my artistic standards, and that’s
very important to me,” he says. Not only is it
difficult to imagine Laliberté giving up his
reins to the trading rooms, the thought of him
suited and sitting in lengthy board meetings is
equally unimaginable.
Laliberté couldn’t be any more committed to
Cirque du Soleil. He’s only 43 years old, but is
so concerned about Cirque’s legacy that he is
already searching for his successor. Once the heir
is found, the long grooming process will begin.
“I don’t want to wait until I’m 60 years old in
order to prepare the people who will replace
me,” he says. “Then there would be a gap. I
think I should start that right away. Then the
link will be smoother,” he adds. But finding
someone with his level of enthusiasm and
commitment may be a tough act for anyone to
follow. He has no business partner to pass the
torch to and only time will tell whether his
children – aged five and two years old – will
share their father’s unique characteristics.
The circus is in his blood and he clearly
won’t let anything dilute it. “There are three
ways of being committed to a project,” he says.
“The first one is for me to have 110 per cent
involvement, which is having the courage and
determination to go over and above what is
considered a good project. Then you could
play it safe, go at the 100 per cent level, so that
it’s still a good project, but more conservative.
Then there’s what I call the chicken way, which
is going only by the financial rules. You have to
lock in at 90 per cent of what’s possible and
that’s when failure happens and you go broke.”
For now it’s impossible to imagine Guy
Laliberté giving up and he’s set himself a
suitably impressive goal. “Hopefully we’ll see
the day when all of the world’s six billion
citizens will wear a red clown’s nose at the same
moment and be united in laughter,” he says.
Until then Cirque will continue to grow. “If I
was to stabilise the company now, making
eight shows and TV specials, I could have
a great life,” he says. “But you’d be bored,”
says his assistant. For once, Guy Laliberté is
stuck for words. EB