micah67

Cirque dul Soleil is opening a new show at The Mirage in Las Vegas using music from The Beatles. Friday, June 2nd, was their first public preview performance - it officially opens July 2nd. I found out about the show earlier in the week and as I was going to be in Vegas that weekend, managed to grab an awesome seat for that first performance.

They renovated the old Siegfried & Roy theater and created a theater-in-the-round. I'd probably stay away from the "balcony", they seemed a bit removed from the experience. I would also avoid the premium "lower orchestra" as they seemed too close to the stage and you were looking up towards the action - rather limiting at times. Wrap-around video screens are on both sides of the theater and drop down screens are often used to augment the displays.

The entire theater is divided into six sections and when you first sit down, each section is separated by large scrims. There was some speculation before the show started that the scrims were there so people would come back and watch the show from different vantages. Never fear: they come down at a well-timed event. Each seat has speakers built into the head rest and there's a speaker in the seat in front of you. The sound during the performance was, in a word: awesome – crisp, clear, and delightfully loud; it reaches into your soul.

The musical selections are very well thought out and fresh. Nothing a die-hard fan hasn't heard before (Harrison's acoustic version of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and the a cappella version of "Because", for example) but some of the blendings of the songs were inspiring: Ringo singing "Octopus's Garden" using the background music from "Good Night". Added through out the show were edited together conversations from the lads. The music used spanned their career but focused more on the later years.

Visually stunning, this isn't like many of the other Cirque du Solei shows I've seen (Alegria, Quidam, "O", Mystere, Dralion) in that it wasn't the same acrobatic performances loosely woven together. in "Love", the entire visual spectacle was primary and "acrobatics" were secondary. It worked rather well.

I found myself becoming quite emotional with the experience, several times in fact. The music and the visual deluge sometimes struck just the right chords. I really was tempted to try and see it again the next day. Instead, I’ll wait a couple of months so they can tighten-down the show (there was one technical glitch that put a five-minute pause in the show – the price you pay for a 25% reduction for seeing a preview performance).

I strongly recommend seeing this performance and I hope they’re around for quite a while.

__________________
~micah

Reese

That's awesome. I love Cirque Du Soleil. I've never been to a show but I've seen pretty much everything they've put on TV multiple times. Seeing them live is seriously on my things to do before I die list. I wish I could make it to Vegas.

__________________
“It is better to be rich and healthy than poor and sick” - Dave Barry

Lwang9276

yea i saw the ads when I was in Vegas and the show looked good. Ill make sure not to miss it some time during the summer.. ahah instead of a crazy expensive show I went to go watch the Amazing Jonathan, he was good and funny but not a lot of magic per se.

fresnelly

Thanks for sharing micah. I was wondering how they would blend their style with the Beatles - without it turning into a tribute cheesefest.

I really want to see Ka, but now I'll have to add another to the list

Elphaba

I read that they are also doing one with Elvis songs and I really couldn't imagine it. Perhaps it will be similar to "Love".

CyberMike, the only one I have seen is Alegria and it was fantastic. I hope you get to catch one soon.

Vales419

WOW, thanks for sharing the information. I read about this show in a magazine about a year ago. Glad to know it made it through. Well try to see it sometime next year.

__________________
"Here's ten bucks, bring me the head of Barry Manilow" --Dr. Denis Leary