Frommer's Las Vegas 2004

THE MAJOR PRODUCTION SHOWS 249
Kids
Family-Friendly Shows
Appropriate shows for kids, all described in this chapter, include the
following:
• Tournament of Kings at Excalibur (p. 256)
• Siegfried & Roy at The Mirage (p. 255)
• Lance Burton at the Monte Carlo (p. 253)
• Cirque du Soleil’s Mystère at Treasure Island (p. 248)
a circus is like calling the Hope Diamond a gem, or the Taj Mahal a building.
It’s accurate but, as the ad says, doesn’t begin to do it justice.
Cirque du Soleil began in Montreal as a unique circus experience, not only
shunning traditional animal acts in favor of gorgeous feats of human strength and
agility, but also adding elements of the surreal and the absurd. The result seems
like a collaboration between Salvador Dalí and Luis Buñuel, with a few touches by
Magritte and choreography by Twyla Tharp. MGM MIRAGE has built the troupe
its own theater, an incredible space with an enormous dome and super-hydraulics
that allow for the Cirque performers to fly in space. Or so it seems.
While part of the fun of the early Cirque was seeing what amazing stuff they
could do on a shoestring, seeing what they can do with virtually unlimited funds
is spectacular. Cirque took full advantage of MGM MIRAGE’s largesse, and
their art only rose with their budget. The show features one simply unbelievable
act after another (seemingly boneless contortionists and acrobats, breathtakingly
beautiful aerial maneuvers), interspersed with Dadaist/commedia dell’arte
clowns, and everyone clad in costumes like nothing you’ve ever seen before. All
this and a giant snail!
The show is dreamlike, suspenseful, funny, erotic, mesmerizing, and just lovely.
At times, you might even find yourself moved to tears. For some children, however,
it might be a bit too sophisticated and arty. Even if you’ve seen Cirque before,
it’s worth coming to check out, thanks to the large production values. It’s a worldclass
show, no matter where it’s playing. That this arty and intellectual show is
playing in Vegas is astonishing. In Treasure Island, 3300 Las Vegas Blvd. S. & 800/288-7206
or 702/894-7722. www.cirquedusoleil.com. Tickets $80 (excluding tax). Fri–Tues 7:30 and 10:30pm.
Cirque du Soleil’s O Finds How to describe the seemingly indescribable
wonder and artistry of Cirque du Soleil’s latest and most dazzling display? An
Esther Williams–Busby Berkeley spectacular on peyote? A Salvador Dalí painting
come to life? A stage show by Fellini? The French troupe has topped itself
with this production—and not simply because it’s situated its breathtaking acrobatics
in, on, around, and above a 1.5-million-gallon pool (eau—pronounced
O—is French for “water”). Even without those impossible feats, this might be
worth the price just to see the presentation, a constantly shifting dreamscape
tableau that’s a marvel of imagination and staging. If you’ve seen Mystère at Treasure
Island or other Cirque productions, you’ll be amazed that they’ve once
again raised the bar to new heights without losing any of the humor or stylistic
trademarks, including the sensuous music. If you’ve never seen a Cirque show,
prepare to have your brain turned inside out. We know—those ticket prices—
ouch. We want to say that we can guarantee it’s worth it, but that’s a decision