What is the deal with Criss Angel Believe?- Page 2

[TazTarney]

Posted: 6/29/14 at 9:09pm

"
If you don't consider it a "hitch" when a cable snapped and an acrobat in KA fell off the platform to her death last June, then yes they do it without a hitch."

Yes what happened to that woman was horrible, but considering KA is the biggest show in the world and performs 10 times a week USUALLY without flaw...is pretty remarkable.

[FishermanBob]

Posted: 6/29/14 at 9:22pm

If you want to say it's an incredible spectacle, I certainly won't disagree. But this may be the show where you might want to consider refraining from gushing about how incredible it is that they are almost always able to perform it without someone dying.

[TazTarney]

Posted: 6/29/14 at 9:33pm

What I meant to say was I find it incredible that a show like this doesn't have as many technical problems that you might think it would have on a weekly basic. And when I say technical problems I am referring to the stage not moving correctly...not people dying.

[Starship]

Posted: 6/29/14 at 11:22pm

No show is going to go without injuries and Cirque is top notch when it comes to safety. It is unfortunate that a performer lost her life, however, Ka has performs 10 times a week and has so over 4,500 times in the past decade with 0 serious injuries. For such a highly technical show that relies on so many moments of precision, that's quite remarkable and I applaude Cirque for being able to maintain the show's level of difficult while at the same time keeping everybody safe. Updated On: 6/29/14 at 11:22 PM

[FishermanBob]

Posted: 6/29/14 at 11:45pm

"It is unfortunate that a performer lost her life, however, Ka has performs 10 times a week and has so over 4,500 times in the past decade with 0 serious injuries."

Starship, read this sentence again and tell me if you see any parts of your statement that would seem to contradict each other. And how exactly do you know they have had no other serious injuries. Do you work for Cirque? Have you spent the last 10 years based in Las Vegas working for OSHA?

Is it a great show? Yes. Is it technically extremely difficult to stage? Yes. Does Cirque care very deeply about the safety of its performers? Yes. I'm not trying to imply otherwise. But you talk about it being "unfortunate" that an acrobat fell 90 feet to her death in the middle of a show as if she had just pulled a hamstring or twisted a knee. Sorry, but when a performer is killed doing a show, I no longer think it is appropriate to applaud them "for being able to maintain the show's level of difficult (sp) while at the same time keeping everybody safe."

[Starship]

Posted: 6/30/14 at 12:08am

I actually am a circus performer myself and have lots of connections within the Cirque du Soleil world as well as many other circuses internationally. In addition, I also know a handful of artists currently performing in many of Cirque's Las Vegas shows, including Ka.

As for your statement about the show, I think you took my statement wrong. I am no way undermining the tragic loss of a life. As a circus performer, I have lost dear friends over the past few years of similar situations if not worse, and even though I did not know Ms. Guyard, the loss of her life was felt strongly. However, I do not think negatively of the show nor do I have any less respect for Ka and all the many crew members and artists that work so hard on the show.

Also, thank you for catching my spelling mistake. I wouldn't have been able to sleep without knowing you had done so!!

[FishermanBob]

Posted: 6/30/14 at 12:25am

"However, I do not think negatively of the show nor do I have any less respect for Ka and all the many crew members and artists that work so hard on the show."

I don't think negatively of the show or have any less respect for them either but on the other hand, after a performer was killed one year ago today, I'm not going to sit there applauding their safety record. I think that's the difference between how you view it and how I view it. And if I would have known you appreciated my correcting your spelling error, I would have corrected all of them, not just that one.

Updated On: 6/30/14 at 12:25 AM

[Nateben2]

Posted: 6/30/14 at 8:03pm

Cirque, like most circus acts, has injuries daily - way above and beyond what you deal with in the theater or dance world. And although they touted they have had no deaths on stage until the KA incident, they have lost performers and technicians outside of performance.

[Brian07663NJ]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 9:13am

Criss Angel Believe is probably one of the worst "Cirque" shows in their history. My friend used to work for Cirque in the office doing group sales. Criss Angel was selling the tickets. Cirque hoped to have a mega hit by teaming up with him. There is an actual CD of the soundtrack when it was a Cirque/Criss production. From what I have been told...the music and the acrobatic performances have been scaled back almost entirely and now it is a shadow of what it was on opening night. It is now more of less a Criss Angel magic show.

Viva Elvis was enjoyable but something was lacking. I was not an Elvis fan going in but I thoroughly enjoy the CD Viva Elvis. The same goes for The Beatles and the LOVE CD. Not a fan of Beatles music but really enjoy the LOVE CD. LOVE was successful in creating a story line (of sorts) to hold the audience attention.

[StageDoor3]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 11:45am

I pretty much agree with Haterobics and Brian. I'm a big Cirque fan. I've seen every domestic US touring and sit-down Cirque since they opened at the Olympics Arts Festival in LA in 1984 when no one had ever heard of them here. The only one I missed was Banana Shpeel. I had tickets in NY and San Francisco and it was cancelled both times before I got to see it.

I saw Believe two years ago and though the magic was interesting, the show itself was mediocre and not up to the standards of the other Vegas Cirques. I came out of the theatre and saw video screens showing dancers and acts that weren't in the show. They were still playing the old promos even though these Cirque elements had been taken out. A while before I got there they had cut the show down to Angel's magic acts and some peripheral characters who interact with him (to save money on not renewing contracts I believe). I felt doubly cheated.

I was in Vegas a few months ago and the Cirque branding has almost disappeared from the ads for Believe. To be catty, I guess they're trying to distance themselves from it cause unless you're a big Criss Angel fan, it was a pretty sorry evening when I saw it two years ago.

Here's my 2 cents to add to what Haterobics said about the Vegas Cirques...

1. O - In my opinion, one of the most amazing live theatrical productions ever. The staging, the acts and performances, the clowns, the music, the aesthetics - everything is stunning.

2. Ka - I was bowled over by the physical production of Ka. I don't know where you'll see a more amazing theatre with fire balls coming out of a pit and a stage platform that rotates 360 degrees and vertically. The show has more of a story than other Cirques and perhaps fewer acrobatic acts. But it's a marvelously conceived piece - using major technology blended with art and still tipping its hat to shadow puppetry around a campfire.

3. Mystere - the perfect blend of what Cirque is all about - great acts, colorful, humorous and fun.

4. One - I was not expecting much having seen the touring Michael Jackson Cirque and the Elvis show which was uninspired to be polite. But I was surprised to find the One was really entertaining and varied in its acts and spectacle and a wide range of songs from visual-and-audio-overload rock to hip beats and fanciful numbers. It's difficult not to feel emotion for Michael Jackson who passed away too early, but in my opinion this show could have failed like Elvis or just been an attempt to recreate the "Michael Jackson concert that never was" like the touring show. It was quite different from the Michael Jackson touring show and I think it succeeds in evoking some real emotion and wonderful moments.

5. Love - Love is entertaining, immersive and fun especially if you're a Beatles fan. I enjoyed it but I thought it went all over the place. I saw it close to opening and I believe they've changed it since then.

6. Zumanity - I saw the show about a year after it opened and it's undergone a lot of changes since then. It was good, but like Haterobics said, some of it is no surprise or nothing new to us gay guys. I don't know what it's like now cause I haven't been in almost a decade.

7. Viva Elvis - Uninspired. Yawn and it's gone.

8. Zarkana - Ugly, dark and what the heck is it about. I understand that in New York it had more of a theme or concept and they spoke English rather than jibberish.

9. Le Reve at the Wynn - Yeah, I know it's not a Cirque, but it was created by Franco Dragone who directed O, Mystere and many of the touring Cirques. It's really unusual and stunningly conceived with some amazing diving and acrobatics. It's a different version of O in the round. And what's not to like about a dozen wet gymnasts in speedos doing acrobatics for an hour and a half.











Updated On: 7/1/14 at 11:45 AM

[Brian07663NJ]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 12:05pm

Zumanity...the Cirque show I could not wait to see. Finally saw it and thought "huh"? I had purchased the CD prior to seeing the show and while driving to the Valley of Fire I was listening to the CD thinking "Wow this music is fantastic? Why didn't I love the show as much?" So next time I went to Las Vegas I went to see Zumanity a second time. By this time I had listened to Zumanity on CD many times. Guess what? The Zumanity CD is "music inspired by Zumanity"! I really wish the show used the more up beat rock sounds of the CD. The show music is similar but more mellow. When I saw the show it was too tame for those looking to see a risque performance and since just the pubic area was covered it was too much skin exposure for the blue hairs looking to push their limits. I think the show it in a weird uncomfortable location that doesn't show enough and too much so neither audience is satisfied. In either case...it is still playing so who am I to make any comments?

I love both O and Ka.

Totally agree that Le Reve is really worth seeing even though it is not a Cirque production.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 12:06pm

I saw Le Reve, O and Love in the same trip. I thought Love was unique and beautiful and I'm eager to see it again. I found Le Reve to be the superior version of O. Unfortunately, I saw Le Reve first and afterwards, O just seemed slow and dull. Mystere was the only other Cirque show I've seen in Vegas, but that was back when it was the ONLY Cirque show in Vegas just a few days after it opened, so I really enjoyed it at the time.

I don't know how expensive it is to run Believe, but illusionists are one of the signature attractions in Vegas. Lance Burton played the Monte Carlo for 16 years.

[TazTarney]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 12:19pm

Very interesting, Stagedoor3. Have they really cut most of the acrobatic acts? That's a shame. I can't imagine how the ensemble felt when they heard they weren't going to be doing what they were contracted for.

"I understand that in New York it had more of a theme or concept and they spoke English rather than jibberish."

Yes that theme has been completely demolished. The Main character and plot was completely taken out.

I was one of the few that saw Banana Shpeel and it was horrible. Just embarrassing. I would much rather of seen the version with Michael longoria and Annaleigh Ashford. That show looked like it had potential. Was anyone able to see that version of the show?

[haterobics]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 12:53pm

I also enjoyed La Reve at the Wynn. I'm not sure what it says about Vegas audiences, but the close seats where you might get wet and be next to the stage were the cheaper ones (and they said it was because you might get wet, not that it was a bad angle or anything), so I sat up close, got a few drops on me, and had a nice time of it.

[Brian07663NJ]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 1:28pm

I saw Banana Shpeel...it was pretty bad. There aren't many shows I have missed in Cirque repertoire - I did not see: Cirque du Soleil (1984), La Magie Continue (1986), Le Cirque Reinvente (1987), Nouvelle Experience (1990), Zaia (200, Zed (200, Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour (2011), Michael Jackson: One (2013), Kurios (2014) and Joya (2014). Was easier to say what I haven't seen rather than the longer "I saw" list.

The Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour I skipped strictly because I thought the prices were way too expensive.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 1:50pm

" I'm not sure what it says about Vegas audiences, but the close seats where you might get wet and be next to the stage were the cheaper ones (and they said it was because you might get wet, not that it was a bad angle or anything), so I sat up close, got a few drops on me, and had a nice time of it."

I'm sure they are aware that if people get wet they are less likely to stay in the casino afterwards and gamble and drink, instead going back up to their rooms, or even worse, to their room in another hotel or home, to change. The reason the casinos host these shows is to get people in the door and spending, and losing, money.

[haterobics]

Posted: 7/1/14 at 1:57pm

Now I wish Bette had a wet zone... I just went out for a walk on the strip afterward, and was dry almost instantly.

[StageDoor3]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 12:25pm

Thanks, Brian. I think some higher power was saving me from Banana Shpeel based on the reviews I read. But I still would have liked to have seen it.

Great comment on wet zone for Bette, Haterobics.

Re wet zones - I've seen O and Le Reve from the front row and further back. Of course there are pluses and minuses to both. If one has the opportunity and saves up enough you can do both. I don't spring for the premium center sections. I usually go for next price level down seats on the right or left side aisles. If you are on an aisle you usually have a clear view. You get the big stage picture further back which is important at the Vegas Cirques.

But I also like seeing the performers and costumes up close from the front. Sometimes you are underneath and have to look up at performers which isn't always the best. But when you can sit in the front row and not have to pay the center section or Tapis Rouge premium price, I go for it. You don't get that wet. It's not Splash Mountain









Updated On: 7/2/14 at 12:25 PM

[Brian07663NJ]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 1:04pm

I totally agree StageDoor...there are advantages not only to Cirque shows but also Broadway shows when you sit further back and/or close. Love the big picture but also the costume details, makeup and facial expressions!

[TazTarney]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 1:12pm

This might sound weird but I have always loved the way cirque theatres smell. They just have a lovely aroma. Does anyone know what I am talking about?

[StageDoor3]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 1:51pm

Thanks, Brian. I usually try to sit close in the theatre. Speaking of theatre AND circuses, I booked a front row seat to Pippin for my trip to New York in spring 2013. I'm glad that I asked about the sight lines from the front row when I picked up my ticket at the box office, and I'm glad I changed it to the 5th row. The stage is so high at Pippin that if you look straight ahead you are looking at wood panels.

I have not noticed a Cirque aroma, but then again, my sense of smell isn't that great. But come to think of it, in all the years of sitting up close I've never really noticed Cirque performers sweating. But I won't stray off topic here










Updated On: 7/2/14 at 01:51 PM

[Brian07663NJ]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 1:57pm

OMG glad you moved a little further back. On my first visit to Pippin when it was at A.R.T. in MA I was about half way back. View was great. On my second visit to Pippin I was in the Mezz (Broadway). Third visit I was in the second row and it was too close. Great to see the expressions but for this show I really think you need to be further back a bit to take in just how much is going on everywhere.

[StageDoor3]

Posted: 7/2/14 at 2:01pm

You're lucky! I only get to New York once a year if that. I did go to Vegas in April to see the A.R.T. production of "The Tempest" which tried out in Vegas. It was good but not as good as I had expected. That's when I caught the Michael Jackson Cirque. I'm very curious about A.R.T.s "Finding Neverland" comin' up.

[BenjaminNicholas2]

Posted: 7/3/14 at 5:12am

Fisherman: I do work for Cirque (Las Vegas) and what has been said about our safety record is true and the standard we hold is the best in the industry. KA was an unfortunate incident, but nowhere near what we consider a norm. Accidents do happen, especially when it was a computer-controlled glitch that caused this particular incident.


I also agree with those here who have complimented Dragone's Le Reve at Wynn. It's a stunning show and was worth every penny that Steve Wynn paid for it.
Updated On: 7/3/14 at 05:12 AM

[FishermanBob]

Posted: 7/3/14 at 10:48pm

"KA was an unfortunate incident, but nowhere near what we consider a norm."

I would hope a performer dying on stage would not be considered a norm. Not sure that even needed to be stated.

I'm not saying Cirque has a poor record or they don't care about safety etc. etc. My whole point which I thought initially was a fairly straightforward and simple one was that when a performer is killed, I don't care what the rest of your record looks like, no one should be gushing, applauding, wetting themselves over how great Cirque's safety record is. It's just disrespectful to the performer who lost her life. Every time someone starts off with "well other than that accident Cirque's safety record ..." I want to grab them, shove them in a car and drive them out to say that to the two young kids who lost their mom. You figure out what went wrong, you make sure it can't happen again and then in 5 years, if nothing else has happened, we can start to talk about how good your safety record is.

Another poster mentioned that Cirque has had serious accidents and/or fatalities that did not occur during the course of a show. Has this happened or can you confirm definitely that it has not. And just out of curiosity when it comes to injuries what does Cirque consider the norm?