Archive post: January 2010, Las Vegas

Cirque du Soleil's O

My review: an early arrival, a short cab line, and my quick feet allowed me to revisit my very first Cirque du Soleil show (in a last second purchased fifth row center orchestra seat no less!). This show still amazes me by the sheer beauty that's created on stage. The staging is so incredible and ever changing that sometimes you just don't know where to look. If anything, that's this show's only fault: your eyes get tired after a while and some of the stage movement distracts from the "acts." Loved hearing first time viewers' jaws drop during the show just as mine did 8 years ago.

Believe

My review: WTF! Maybe I'm just not a magic show person or not a Chris Angel fan, but I think it's safe to say that this is the worst of Cirque du Soleil, which is sad since they rarely put on a bad show. The Alice in Wonderland visuals are interesting, but that's about it for this otherwise bore of a show. The lame magic tricks don't go over well and don't mesh with all of the hip hop dancing rabbit numbers (I kid you not). The only audience response came from drunk women crushing on the show's "star."

Bette Midler

My review: Bette looked and sounded great in her penultimate show in Vegas! My only complain is that the show clocks in at a typical Vegas 90 minutes or so, which doesn't allow her to fully explore her extensive catalog of songs. Appearances by Soph and Delores Del Lago were far too short. Also, this amazing theatre was not used to the best effect in comparison to shows by Elton John and Celine Dion, which probably has more to do with the amazing directors of those shows (David LaChapelle and Franco Dragone, respectively). Bette Midler has the best patter of them all though and laced the show with up to date material, telling the best and sauciest Tiger Woods joke I've ever heard: "It's the Black in him that fucked all of those women, but it's the Asian in him that drove into that tree." I'm sure we can thank Bruce Vilanch for that one!

Le Reve

My review: this show could be called "O part 2" and "O in the round," especially since it's also directed by Franco Dragone, but that really doesn't do it justice. It's more of an aerial show than a water show (but what better safety net than a pool of water). That's not to demean that actual pool/stage, which is pretty impressive with it's multiple platforms rising above and below the water line, and at times transforming itself into an ever-changing fountain including jets for the actors to play in. But, the show above the water is much more impressive, with aerialists at times too numerous to count. While not as spectacular or "big" as "O" by virtue of being "in the round," the fluid staging created by the simple set pieces and amazing light show (even some of the lights move around on aerial wires) still dazzles. The ever-shirtless, shaved-headed male eye candy also doesn't disappoint!