Think bugs galore cavorting in a tropical forest.

For some, the very thought of this scene might draw up images of a vacation from hell. For fans of the ever-unique Cirque du Soleil, however, it means the return of the Canadian entertainment gurus to Boston with their newest touring production, “Ovo,” opening July 22.
Since 1993, Cirque du Soleil has been a regular visitor to the Hub, with its trademark blue-and-yellow Grand Chapiteau (that means Big Top), this time located at the Fan Pier & Pier 4 on Boston’s New Waterfront.

This is the first time “Ovo” will be seen locally, featuring 54 artists from 16 countries performing jaw-dropping displays of acrobatic prowess in a Brazilian-themed show.

This is also the first show for Assistant Artistic Director Andrew Corbett, who joined “Ovo” and Cirque about six months ago.

Even he hasn’t been able to stop his jaw from perpetually dropping since the move.

“It’s very different,” said Corbett, a Londoner who trained as a dancer with the Royal Ballet.
Corbett was accustomed to seeing amazing feats indoors, but had no clue what enterprising entertainers could achieve under a big top until he joined Cirque and hung up his ballet shoes.
He loves the fact that this show is so theatrical, and possesses one of the most thorough storylines he’s seen Cirque undertake.

“I found it really cohesive,” he said. “It’s a very happy show, and family oriented.”

“Ovo” means “egg” in Portuguese. The show uses a large white version of said egg as both a character, as well as a metaphor for life and the colorful ecosystem in which the characters find themselves.

“It’s a story of love and growth and change,” Corbett said. “It’s a very simple story. And I think that is why it works.”

“Ovo” features the sort of performances that have become Cirque’s trademark, including a stunning flying trapeze act of six flyers soaring 40 feet in the air – the biggest feat of its kind ever presented under a big top by Cirque du Soleil.

“Some of it has been done before in different realms, but not quite like we have done it,” Corbett said. “That is all I am going to give away.”

About ‘Ovo’

• The Grand Chapiteau stands 66 feet high and is 167 feet in wide.

• Its four masts each stand 80 feet tall.

• 550 pegs hold the Grand Chapiteau firmly to the 4,500 square meters of asphalt.

• It accommodates more than 2,600 people.

• Ovo travels via 50 trailers carrying more than 1,000 tons of equipment for the tour.

If you go

What: Cirque du Soleil’s “Ovo.”
When: July 22 through Aug. 29 .
Where: Fan Pier & Pier 4, on Boston’s New Waterfront.
How: Tickets cost $35-$161 for kids and $45-$230 for adults. Special packages available. To purchase visit the box office, call 800-450-1480 or visit www.cirquedusoleil.com/ovo.