Las Vegas - Cirque du Soleil shows About This Page:

[bradk]

well, for the record, I actually liked Zumanity. it's a different 'class' of show as it is, so if you aren't into that humor and any heavy element of sexuality, you're bound to be disappointed. but the fishbowl segment alone is almost worth the price of admission.

as for O, it was actually probably one of my least favorites of the bunch. the stage is a star of the show, but as it turns out, the stage is a predominant factor in many of the cirque shows, including Love and most notably Ka.

Love is also very unconventional for a cirque show, mostly dancing, but is really entertaining, even if you aren't a heavy beatles fan (which i'm not - i don't recognize half the stuff the british invasion plays).

Ka is pretty intense as well. and it's semi-immersive with all of the ushers/ticket takers being part of the show which has parts of its sets (albeit mostly for the pre-show) all around you.

Mystere is the most cirque of them all I'd say, not quite up there on family friendliness as La Nouba, but somewhere in that spectrum.

as far as Vegas becoming familytized, no matter what they do, it won't get rid of the strip clubs and burlesque-type shows. i mean.. even one of the hotels known for being family friendly, the excalibur, has the thunder from down under. i remember how disgusted i heard some people were as they brought their kids to watch the sirens of TI and that's completely on the strip.

as for magicians, i saw a bunch in vegas. some of the greats and well knowns, Copperfield (who was doing a limited run), Lance Burton and Penn and Teller. some of the greats but not as well known such as mac king and a couple of lesser knowns. I've never had the privilege of seeing Criss Angel live yet (I never got to him when he was here with Mind Freak in NYC) and I do want to go see him, but his show has been less than impressive in later seasons. i know a bit about illusions/magic and theatre so sometimes it's just too easy to spot how something is done (that said, there are some things that are just so downright impressive, it's awe inspiring - something Copperfield is a god at). but reportedly his stage acts blow away anything on tv anyway, so I'm still anxious to see him in Vegas at some point.

for Lance Burton, I made the mistake of sitting too close (which was intentional for me) and could easily see how some of his stuff was done. I'm still dumbstruck as to how Copperfield appeared out of thin air literally over my head though (and if you've ever seen him 'flying'... can't get enough of that guy). but he's a great performer, amazing slight of hand, but he's also getting up there in age and seems to be in denial with that.

as for Penn & Teller, unfortunately as great as blast off/trapdoor is, it is a very old routine and has been performed on tv many times. They have a formula as to how much old and new content they keep, I think they update the show quarterly? At least annually. I recognize some old stuff from when I saw them on Broadway but there was plenty of new stuff. They're still very good and entertaining and Teller's slight of hand is amazing as well. It's just a shame that the Rio is so out of the way.

anyway, for some fun diversions..

if you never saw copperfield's flying routine: YouTube - david copperfield flying

he didn't do it at the show in vegas, but i saw him do it over 20 years ago in person in CT and still remember being awed by it.

this is the other routine he did which i did see in vegas. i was in the front row for that too and saw him literally appear on nothing but a platform on a crane over my head.
YouTube - David Copperfield - Portal - The most amazing illusion ever

and penn & teller's blastoff/trapdoor
YouTube - Magic Revealed!!!

[HeatherD]

as for Penn & Teller, unfortunately as great as blast off/trapdoor is, it is a very old routine and has been performed on tv many times. They have a formula as to how much old and new content they keep, I think they update the show quarterly?

I don't know if it's quarterly, but I know they regularly do it to keep the show from getting stale. I'm friends on Facebook with their "Director of Covert Operations" whom I went to college with, so I can find out (but I don't think it matters that much to this conversation).

It's just a shame that the Rio is so out of the way.

It's actually only a 5 minute cab ride from Caesar's Palace, closer than getting from one end of the strip to the other. You just have to head west, instead of north or south (if you were sticking to just the strip).

if you never saw copperfield's flying routine: YouTube - david copperfield flying
he didn't do it at the show in vegas,

He flew and made it snow at the show we saw, so it probably depends on which show each person saw.....

[AngelGirlie5]

Well the new Cirque du Soleil show, Criss Angel Believe was created as a haunting exploration inside the mind of Criss Angel. In the show the audience journeys with Criss between life and death so you can imagine there is a lot more going on than just magic. There's sensual elements,magical elements, music, dancing - there's a lot to be seen.

If you've been to previous Cirque du Soleil shows and are expecting this to be like the other shows you've seen you should also watch the videos and read about the show on the Cirque du Soleil or Luxor website. Much like Zumanity showed the sensual side of Cirque and is very different from the traditional Cirque shows, Criss Angel Believe is a whole different type of show.

[chezp]

Originally Posted by AngelGirlie5

Well the new Cirque du Soleil show, Criss Angel Believe was created as a haunting exploration inside the mind of Criss Angel. In the show the audience journeys with Criss between life and death so you can imagine there is a lot more going on than just magic. There's sensual elements,magical elements, music, dancing - there's a lot to be seen.

If you've been to previous Cirque du Soleil shows and are expecting this to be like the other shows you've seen you should also watch the videos and read about the show on the Cirque du Soleil or Luxor website. Much like Zumanity showed the sensual side of Cirque and is very different from the traditional Cirque shows, Criss Angel Believe is a whole different type of show.

Thanks for that information. That's really useful and it's good to know that the new Cirque show is such a departure from their usual.

[awitelin]

Originally Posted by HeatherD

I saw Penn & Teller last night at the Rio Hotel. It actually wasn't as "off" in humor as I expected. It was entertaining and lighthearted. DH was a little disappointed that it wasn't as much as he expected and he has a favorite trick of theirs (Trap Door) that they didn't do. Overall, if money isn't an object, I'd say stick with the Cirque shows. But for a little break, or if Criss Angel is a little too much, then it's a nice show to catch.

I've been to Penn & Teller twice now. It is a genuinely funny show, and a lot more cerebral than most other magic shows. They will try to make you think about what's going on, and amaze you in very artistic ways. I'm not really a "magic show" person but I adore P&T.

Little bit of an insider's secret here, but if you've ever been, you know the guys who come out and play the piano and bass before the show? Well the guy playing the bass is actually Penn. You don't realize it because his hair is down, unlike in the show where he keeps it back and professional-looking. But if you ever get a chance, watch him... he'll be scoping out the audience real subtle-like while he's playing. It's really cool. He gets an amused look when he scans the crowd and he can tell you know who he is.

Okay, I admit it, a bit of a P&T fangirl. But I'd barely heard of them the first time I went to the show, so it wasn't until afterwards that I turned into a fangirl.

[omd]

We absolutely loved O. I don't think there is a bad seat in the house. I would absolutely go again.

[HeatherD]

Well the guy playing the bass is actually Penn.

We caught that while we were there. We were lucky, we "know someone" and got tickets comped (and DH got to impress his boss). While we were there, I discovered that someone we went to college with has worked with P&T for over a decade - I've hooked up with him on Facebook now because of that....

[janicelovesmickey]

thanks for this info, we are planning on seeing O BUT I would love to see Criss Angel... hmmm

[awitelin]

Originally Posted by HeatherD

We caught that while we were there. We were lucky, we "know someone" and got tickets comped (and DH got to impress his boss). While we were there, I discovered that someone we went to college with has worked with P&T for over a decade - I've hooked up with him on Facebook now because of that....

That is super cool! Can we be Facebook friends too? It'll be like the six degrees of Penn and Teller...

[lauren-roxy]

We saw O and I have to say that it was absolutely amazing!!

[AngelGirlie5]

Originally Posted by chezp

Thanks for that information. That's really useful and it's good to know that the new Cirque show is such a departure from their usual.

No problem . With Criss Angel Believe it's the first time that Cirque du Soleil has partnered with a star and incorporated them as a main character in a show. Also, there is a lot of beautifully choreographed dancing and singing, as opposed to the acrobatics that you're probably used to seeing. There are definitely true elements of Cirque in the show but its not like any other show that you've seen.

[HeatherD]

DH commented last night that critics are panning Believe - and I don't think it's only because it's not "normal" Cirque....

[awitelin]

Saw this article today and I thought of this thread - enjoy:

It's remarkable how almost every one of these cab and limo drivers talk about good buzz for "O" and "Jersey Boys," and they relate nearly as much positive tourist feedback for "Phantom -- The Las Vegas Spectacular," Cher and Midler.


Several drivers use almost the same words in saying, as cabdriver Kevin Kucharas puts it, "I've never heard a bad word about" Danny Gans.


Other shows that earn good word-of-mouth range from a gamut of Cirque du Soleil shows -- "Love," "Ka," "Mystere" and "Zumanity" -- to "Le Reve," "Defending the Caveman" and Lance Burton.


Some typical responses:


•"'Jersey Boys' is real popular," says Herb Kirkland.


•Cabdriver Alex Ascencio says a fare just told him Terry Fator is fun: "She said he's very nice, but she said he's for children."


•And "Blue Man Group" still gets very good notices in cabs, with an exception or two. Driver Duane Irons qualifies that kids "definitely" like it.


I didn't ask any drivers about specific shows. For instance, not once did I ask, "What do people think of Criss Angel's show?" Instead, I asked: What are the shows tourists like the most, and are there any that they hate? (I didn't want to skew answers for or against any shows in particular.)


Some drivers say they pick up an occasional, unsatisfied customer of, say, "Blue Man" or Midler. But a handful of these 16 drivers say a lot of riders claim they get very turned off by Angel's "Believe," and quite a few walk out.


"The Angel deal -- forget it," says Mraz, who hasn't seen the show. "People want their money back. They see him on stage for 20 minutes of the hour-20, and they can see how (his tricks are) done. It's that terrible." (I think Angel is on stage for more than 20 minutes, but I understand the sentiment.)


But one driver -- Irons -- says there are people who like "Believe," "except maybe they want less dancing and more illusions."

Full article can be found at the Las Vegas Review Journal
ReviewJournal.com - News - DOUG ELFMAN: Cab, limo drivers take pulse of tourists

[chezp]

Interesting. Thanks for that.