MONTREAL — Saudi Arabia and Cirque du Soleil have reached a deal that could see the struggling circus company perform a slew of shows in the kingdom.
The Saudi Ministry of Culture said Friday the agreement means Cirque will "have the potential" to debut at least five of its touring performances including the Blue Man Group and Paw Patrol, as well as a possible resident show unique to the country.
However, "there are no firm projects to announce" at the moment, Cirque said.
The two parties will also develop a plan to set up a regional Cirque training academy there, the government said.
Cirque last pitched its tent in the kingdom in 2018, raising the ire of some of its artists who hoped the company would cancel shows amid international criticism of the regime, which added to a high-profile diplomatic dispute between it and Canada sparked by the arrest of women’s-rights activists.
The condemnation followed the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
Soon after the COVID-19 pandemic struck two years ago, Cirque scrapped its performances and cut nearly 3,500 employees, but began to add shows again last summer.
The Montreal-based company was sold to a group of its creditors led by Catalyst Capital Group in late 2020 after the circus troupe was forced to file for creditor protection.
It is not the only Canadian franchise to have faced calls to cancel shows in Saudi Arabia. Pop star Justin Bieber heard similar demands ahead of his concert in the Red Sea city of Jidda last month during the kingdom's Formula One race. He took the stage on Dec. 5.
Cirque, which performs in more than 90 countries, said in an email it values "open-mindedness and diversity."
"Through our shows, our goal is always to inspire the local population and our presence in any market should not be interpreted as a political and moral stance. As a private company, we do not believe it is appropriate to interfere in the domestic and foreign affairs of the governments of the countries we visit," spokeswoman Caroline Couillard said Friday.
She also pointed to announced economic and social reforms by de facto ruler Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman aimed at modernizing Saudi Arabia.
The regime's Vision 2030 agenda seeks to diversify the economy away from oil and lure talent and investment from abroad.
Last year, the government announced judicial reforms to increase accountability and play down the prominence of Islamic law in its legal system.
In June 2018, women were granted the right to drive. They remain subject to guardianship laws, though these were loosened in 2019, allowing them to obtain a passport and travel abroad without a male relative's permission.
Newly protected by standard employment discrimination protections, women must still seek a male guardian’s permission for certain actions, such as entering a domestic violence shelter.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 28, 2022.
Christopher Reynolds, The Canadian Press
