In Vegas It Is a Cirque World (the rest of us just live in it)

09:34 AM PT, Apr 14 2006

Late yesterday afternoon I got a phone call from my good friend Tiffany who wanted a show recommendation for that evening for two out-of-town guests and her 15 year-old son, Brandon. I didn't have to pause before telling her to take them to Cirque du Soleil's "Mystere." Then I invited myself along.

Looking back, "Mystere"'s opening in December 1993 was probably the most significant event in Las Vegas entertainment since the arrival of Elvis Presley as a regular headliner. The template for the successful contemporary Las Vegas high end resort (mixing clubs, fine dining, shopping and entertainment on equal footing with gambling) is generally believed to have started with the Mirage in 1989. But for its headliner, the property took an already well established act, "Siegfried & Roy," and built them a custom showroom. Obviously, that decision worked out brilliantly for Mirage but ducked the issue of how to move Las Vegas into more innovative entertainment than variety acts, topless showgirls and established headliners.

So, when next door to the Mirage, Treasure Island (now TI) opened "Mystere" a few years later the time was more than ripe for something new, and instantly shows like "Splash" and "Jubliee!" become retro-Vegas. "Mystere" was Cirque's first free standing show (other Cirque shows toured North America) and this allowed the troupe unprecedented opportunities to innovate and create (staging, lighting and the unlimited potential of a custom theatre) that resulted in what I still think is best of the French Canadian company's efforts in town.

After "Mystere"'s success Cirque became the most important entertainment creators in Las Vegas by becoming the go to team for MGM-Mirage properties. They now have four shows here. Anyway, the amazing thing seeing "Mystere" last night---now more than a decade old---- was how fresh the production still seems. And, yet because of its age, "Mystere" is the one Cirque show tourists even have a chance at getting things like ticket bargains and good last minute seats. Good deal.

In the most simplistic terms "O" (at Bellagio) is "Mystere" on water, "Zumanity" (at New York New York) is "Mystere" with pumped up overt sexuality, and "KA" (at MGM Grand) is "Mystere" built into a Hollywood blockbuster with magnificent and epic staging and scope. All of this overlap means that if you live here it is easy to become sick of the Cirque aesthetic; yet it is also fair to say that each of the Cirque shows is really, really good in its own way. Still, if you can only see one of these shows, "Mystere" to me is the most integrated theatre work. My favorite part remains the Taiko drumming at the end. Tiffany loved the two chiseled men doing acrobatics together. 15 year-old Brandon thought the music was fantastic and so he will be pleased to know that it is available in both live and studio performances. Tiffany's two friends (a middle aged couple who were from Maine)had the reaction of most people to a first Cirque experience: overwhelmed with pleasure at the sensuous variety, detail and motion of the experience.

So, now back to the Mirage where, after the Siegfried & Roy show closed, the decision what to do next was now an entirely predictable one: Cirque. So, Cirque has show number five, as yet untitled, based on the music of the Beatles coming to the Mirage in late June or early July. This will be within weeks of when "Phantom of The Opera" opens at the Venetian. Interestingly this will put this latest installment of the Cirque empire into a head to head competition for attention with the latest chapter in the Broadway/Vegas nexus. Stay tuned.

photo by Al Seib/LAT

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