Photo Flash: Jeremy Piven, Arlene Phillips, Twiggy and More at Opening Night of CIRQUE DU SOLEIL's KOOZA

The critically acclaimed Cirque du Soleil show KOOZA opened last night, Tuesday 8 January, for a limited engagement at Royal Albert Hall. Tickets are currently on sale until 14 February 2013. Since its premiere in April of 2007, KOOZA has captivated close to four million spectators in North America and Japan. London is the first destination on the 2013 KOOZA European tour. Check out the star-studded arrivals on opening night below!

VIP's included Amal Fashanu, Andrew Castle, Angela Griffin, Arlene Phillips, Ashley Banjo, Blake, Carol Vorderman, Craig Revel Horwood, Dakota Blue Richards, Darcey Bussell, Esther Rantzen, Eva Herzigova, Fay Ripley, Future Kicks, Gethin Jones, Gillian Anderson, Harvey and Diana Goldsmith, Helen Fospero, Hermoine Norris, Jason Orange, Jeremy Clarkson, Jeremy Piven, JoAnna Page, Jon Culshaw, Jonnie Peacock, Jordan Banjo, Katherine Jenkins, Kimberly Wyatt, Linzi and Will Stoppard, Mark Foster, Matthew Freud, Natasha Kaplinsky, Nick Candy & Holly Valance, Olivia Williams, Pam Hogg, Philip Schofield, Rick Parfitt Jnr., Ronni Ancona, Sir Ben Kingsley, Sir Clive Woodward, Sir David Jason, Sir Steve Redgrave, Stefan Booth, Twiggy and Tyler James

Written and directed by David Shiner, KOOZA is a return to the origins of Cirque du Soleil combining two circus traditions - acrobatic performance and the art of clowning. KOOZA highlights the physical demands of human performance in all its splendor and fragility, presented in a colorful mélange that emphasizes bold slapstick humor. The name KOOZA is inspired by the Sanskrit word "koza," which means "box," "chest" or "treasure," and was chosen because one of the underlying concepts of the production is the idea of a "circus in a box." Between strength and fragility, laughter and smiles, turmoil and harmony, KOOZA is set in an electrifying and exotic visual world full of surprises, thrills, chills, audacity and total involvement. The show presents an unprecedented approach to the High Wire and a breathtaking Wheel of Death - an act that Cirque du Soleil has never before presented under the big top.

The show brings together the following team of 13 creators, several of whom are working with Cirque for the first time: Writer and Director David Shiner, Director of Creation Serge Roy, Set Designer Stéphane Roy, Costume Designer Marie-Chantale Vaillancourt, Composer Jean-François Côté, Choreographer Clarence Ford, Lighting Designer Martin Labrecque, Co-Sound Designers Jonathan Deans and Leon Rothenberg, Props Designer Rogé Francoeur, Acrobatic Equipment and Rigging Designer Danny Zen, Acrobatic Performance Designer André Simard and Makeup Designer Florence Cornet.

From a group of 20 street performers at its beginnings in 1984, Cirque du Soleil is a major Québec-based organization providing high-quality artistic entertainment. The company has 5,000 employees, including more than 1,300 artists from more than 50 different countries. Cirque du Soleil has brought wonder and delight to more than 100 million spectators in more than 300 cities in over forty countries on six continents.

Regular priced tickets, Family-Pack offers or VIP Rouge options for the ultimate experience are available at www.cirquedusoleil.com/kooza or through the Royal Albert Hall box office.

Cirque du Soleil gratefully acknowledges Infiniti, CGI and Xerox as the official sponsors of the KOOZA 2013 European Tour.

For more information about Cirque du Soleil, visit cirquedusoleil.com or their Twitter account @cirque.

Photo Credit: Kevin Moran