LOVE Cirque du Soleil

Love is in the air at the Mirage

By Kristine McKenzie

If you're looking for a show that's a fusion of acrobatics, dance and visual effects, accompanied by a classic rock 'n' roll soundtrack, then all you need is LOVE.

Show Director Dominic Champagne calls Cirque du Soleil's LOVE a "rock 'n' roll poem." The show is a slightly psychedelic journey through the trends and politics of the '60s and most importantly, The Beatles' history, told through nearly 30 of the group's songs.

LOVE started out as a collaboration between George Harrison and Cirque du Soleil's Guy LaLiberté. After Harrison's death, the remaining Beatles and the families of the late group members helped bring Harrison's vision to life, sharing their ideas about song selection and song order for the show.

The music director for LOVE is none other than Sir George Martin, who is best known for his work producing The Beatles' music. Martin's son, Giles, is also a music director for the show.

Although LOVE features some well-known Beatles songs, it is not meant to be a greatest hits show.

The journey starts with the energetic "Get Back" at the scene of The Beatles' farewell concert and then flashes back to Liverpool during World War II when the band members were young children.

No journey through the '60s would be complete without a trip through the era of Beatlemania. Acrobats and tumblers on trampolines perform, accompanied by "I Want to Hold Your Hand" and "Drive My Car."

"Help" serves as the soundtrack for four extreme sports athletes who take the stage leaping 11 foot ramps on inline skates.

 

"Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" and "Octopus's Garden" are the perfect backdrops for Cirque's famous aerial ballet moves.

The show even features a "jam session" created from authentic recordings of the four band members. All of the audio clips and music in the show are from actual recordings from The Beatles' Abbey Road studio.

The show concludes with its namesake "All You Need is Love," as a montage of photos of The Beatles plays on huge screens, leaving the audience with a feeling of nostalgia for a bygone era.

Besides The Beatles, the other star of the show is the 2,000-plus seat theater itself, which features 360-degree seating. There is not a bad seat in the house and the farthest is only 98 feet from the stage.

The sound system is unlike any other - there are 6,341 speakers in the theater and patrons feel as though they are completely enveloped in sound. There are three speakers per seat -- two in each headrest and one in the seat in front of you.

The theater also features a complex video system with 28 projectors and two 20-foot-high by 100-foot-wide screens, which contribute to the visual experience.

LOVE is not a typical Cirque du Soleil show with high-flying trapeze artists, gymnasts and acrobats. Although there is some of that in the show, it is mainly a theatrical and dance-oriented show. The creators also wanted to bring a bit of the youth of today into the show, showcasing extreme sports, break dancing and street dancing.

In the end, it's all about the music and if you're a fan of The Beatles, you'll have nothing but love for this show.

Criss Angel's

You'll have to see it to believe it

By Jorge Labrador

What would a magician do when his act gets mixed reviews for having too much going on and too much filler?

He'd make those parts disappear, of course.

And in true magical fashion, he makes them re-appear as something much better.

The recently revamped "Believe" brings out more of what Criss Angel's fans have been clamoring for in the first place: magic.

This Cirque du Soleil production has seen some significant changes in response to feedback from guests and critics alike, and the end result is a highly focused and entertaining show.

"Believe" takes Criss Angel's illusions and stage presence, combined with the flair and artistry Cirque is best known for -- with just enough of each to make fans of both happy.

Although the magic acts in "Believe" form a loosely-connected narrative, this story is secondary to wowing the audience with illusions. From levitation to "how'd-he-do-it?" disappearances, Angel brings out all the acts he has made famous on "Mindfreak" and then some, along with some more traditional illusions with an added "Mindfreak" twist to them.

From the theater itself to the set pieces used during Angel's performance, the whole atmosphere is dark with gothic accents, reminiscent of old-fashioned circuses and carnivals with a morbid twist.

Angel's back-and-forth interaction with the audience throughout the show keeps things interesting, but his bumbling assistants -- four "ushers" named Maestro, Luigi, Slim and Lars --  ensure that the whole experience, from start to finish, inspires both awe and laughter. Expect lots of dark humor, as 

Angel has snappy commentary to accompany many of his illusions.

"You're applauding this woman being cut in half. Really, that's horrible.  Just horrible," he says with a sarcastic grin, after a scaled-up take on the classic "saw a woman in half" trick. We've never thought about it like that, but Angel generally has an entirely different way of thinking about these illusions than your average magician does.

If you've ever wanted to be a part of a larger-than-life, stage version of Criss Angel's "Mindfreak" program -- "Believe" is the show to see.

Mystère Cirque du Soleil

Add a little Mystère to your life

By Caroline Fontein

Even if you get covered in popcorn, you won't want to stop the clown from posing as an usher and engaging in some pre-show debauchery with the crowd. With his black suit and disheveled gray hair, he has no problem amusing people. The clown is zany, mischievous and your first exposure to the unknown at Cirque du Soleil's Mystère at Treasure Island. What's ahead is a wondrous world of mystifying creatures who perform a series of incredible acrobatic and gymnastic feats. 

 

Mystère recently celebrated its 18th anniversary in Vegas. When it opened, the show was the first Cirque du Soleil production in Vegas. Emphasizing awe-inspiring athleticism and imaginative imagery, it embraces all of the signature Cirque du Soleil elements that have made the production company a mainstay on the Las Vegas Strip.

From rebirth to the pursuit of happiness, each of the characters and acts in Mystère symbolizes something different. They combine to create an overall theme for the show as a celebration of the circle of life. Some audience members may interpret each act as an allegory, but with the innovative costumes and performances, realizing those themes isn't necessary for enjoying this show.

What makes Mystère so endearing is that many of the performances are typical circus-style acts like the flying trapeze, an aerialist and the teeterboard, an acrobatic tool where a person jumps on one end of what looks like a seesaw and the person on the other end is launched into the air. However, in Mystère, the boundaries of those disciplines are pushed, creating fantastical routines that you won't see in any other production.

For instance, in the hand-to-hand routine, two muscular men demonstrate a series of gravity-defying poses and their incredible strength, but they don't even perform on a flat surface. In Mystère, the men do this while balancing on a rotating dome, adding to the awesomeness of their routine.

The Tissu act is another example. In this routine a female aerialist performs while suspending herself with two pieces of fabric hanging from the ceiling. This type of act can be seen in other shows on the Strip, but in Mystère the performer combines contortion, acrobatics and movement in her routine, creating optical illusions that defy imagination.

Music played by live musicians and singers drives the show. Mixing elements of everything from rock to Celtic, African and soul music, the soundtrack is just as mysterious as the action on stage.

Along with awe-inspiring moments, Mystère offers a hearty does of comedy brought on by the clown "usher" and an adult-sized baby. They appear on stage throughout the show. The clown and baby don’t tell jokes, but their wacky antics and interactions with the audience make people laugh. It's hard not to chuckle when you see a man on stage wearing a diaper and a bonnet.

When the comedy segments come to a close, the show quickly changes pace. Once again the audience is sitting in amazement at another thrilling routine. One of these is the Chinese Poles. For this act a group of gymnasts perform on four vertical poles. They crawl, jump and flip up, down and across the poles. Their masks add to the implausibility of their performance. While their bodies face away from the audience, their masks are looking right at them. It seems impossible, but then again, this is Mystère.

Las Vegas all Cirque du Soleil Shows

Mystère Cirque du Soleil

Mystère Cirque du Soleil's Mystère provides a complete spectrum of awe-inducing entertainment with colorful sets, imaginative costumes and highly-skilled performers.

• CategoryCirque du Soleil, Production
• LocationTreasure Island - TI

Michael Jackson ONE Cirque du Soleil

Combining dance, music and awe-inspiring visuals, Michael Jackson ONE by Cirque du Soleil brings alive Jackson's creative genius in a new adventure.

• CategoryCirque du Soleil, Production
• LocationMandalay Bay

CRISS ANGEL Believe Cirque du Soleil

Criss Angel Believe and Cirque du Soleil take audiences on a mystifying journey that defies reality with illusions and a troupe of performers.

• CategoryCirque du Soleil, Magic, Production
• LocationLuxor

KÀ Cirque du Soleil

Cirque du Soleil's KÀ is their first production to feature a cinematic story line while maintaining flawless imagery, music, martial arts and acrobatics.

• CategoryCirque du Soleil, Production
• LocationMGM Grand

LOVE Cirque du Soleil

Cirque du Soleil's LOVE is a psychedelic journey through the trends and politics of the '60s and most importantly, The Beatles.

• CategoryCirque du Soleil, Production
• LocationMirage

Zumanity Cirque du Soleil

Featuring expressions of sensuality through dance and gymnastics, Zumanity reveals a provocative new side of Cirque du Soleil.

• CategoryAdult, Cirque du Soleil, Production
• LocationNew York - New York

O Cirque du Soleil

O by Cirque du Soleil is an ethereal, visually stunning show that incorporates the elements of air, fire and - most prominently - water.

• CategoryCirque du Soleil, Production
• LocationBellagio

Zarkana Cirque du Soleil

Cirque du Soliel's Zarkana at Aria Resort & Casino introduces Zark, the mysterious ringmaster for an awe-inspiring collection of marvelous characters and their incredible talents.

• CategoryCirque du Soleil, Production
• LocationAria at CityCenter