[drewprops]

I searched to see if we had a thread about this and didn't find one so....


1. Have you been?
2. If so, how many times?
3. What's your favorite show?
4. Why?
5. Essay (extra credit)

Graded on a curve*





...

[drewprops]

1. Yes
2. At least 7 times
3. Allegria
4. It was my first show
5. I like them all, have a lot of soundtracks




...

[kieran]

I've been to a few. One of the travelling ones that came to Philly and then I saw "O" in Vegas. That was incredible. Sitting up high, you can see the stage and the water together.

They're simply stunning shows. I need to get back to see one.

[Moogs]

1. Yep.

2. Once.

3. Not the one I saw (was more than 15 years ago so probably no longer playing but it was called Qui something -- Cuy (pronounced "quee" or "Qui" if you're French) is S. American for Guinea Pig so it might've been about Guinea Pigs... in colorful outfits). There was definitely no cool water stuff going on like at Kieran's show. I like water.

4/5. While anyone who goes has to admit to the athleticism and talent of these acroba-ctors, to me it was way too.... French. Don't get me wrong, I like French bread, French wine, French women (as long as they shave their legs and armpits), French Canadians, French food (well, some of it). Maybe I'm just a theatrically ignorant Philistine but I felt like I was watching someone else's acid trip. I also had that nagging feeling you get when watching artsy fartsy movies from the 60s where you start thinking "where is this going and why"... but you never get there. The message gets lost in the "artistic vibe turned up to 11".

There was (during this variant anyway) way too much shit and garrish color going on all over the place, I couldn't really focus on anything and enjoy it. I mean... I can see it's a professional deal well put together and all but. It's all over the freakin' place. Felt like it had no coherence. Or something.

I liked the Vegas Blue Man Group show more than the circus tent Cirque du Olay show by a pretty wide margin. (That's an e-Hollywood True Story ™ -- the show was in an actual circus tent.) BMG was still artistic, musical and creative, but also funny and there's no question where your focus belongs.

Also my ex-psycho girlfriend who I dated for about 2 months until I determined she was a psycho, purchased the soundtrack for me as a gift. I don't think I made it all the way through a single listen (and I generally LIKE different kinds of non-dance non-techno synth music, especially when accompanied by well-placed traditional instruments so it's not so one-dimensional). I have the Blue Man soundtrack too and I've listened to it hundreds of times with great enjoyment and bluenificence.







Did I get an A?

[drewprops]

Yes, you got an A, but you are floonking zee course mon ami!!!

I think it just means that you're REALLY, ESPECIALLY an American.

Some Cirque shows are holistic masterpieces where the music and acts and choreography really come together.

Some are apparently hot messes.

The show that's currently in Atlanta was disappointing in a lot of ways that I could expand on in detail, but the music was terrific and the singer was awesome and performing it live. The balancing act was terrific (and she tweeted with Captain Drew after the show!).

A lot of the other show elements that really stood out as being impressive would not have been so impressive in many of the past shows. That speaks to how the show under-delivered.



...

[Moogs]

Originally Posted by drewprops Yes, you got an A, but you are floonking zee course mon ami!!! I think it just means that you're REALLY, ESPECIALLY an American.

No doubt I have not been exposed to some of the crazee Euro-cinema and theatrics from Germany, France and elsewhere. However I am a bit of a film buff and like many kinds of films, appreciating the genius from new and old, and I like to go to museums and such so not anti-art by any means. But I found the production values of the show I saw (and hints of others) to be a bit... shall we say... over ze toop? Like eet heet me wit ze... emmm... ze sledge hahmer? Ze cirque need emmm... how you say... subtlety?

No doubt part of why they do what they do, is to make sure they're reaching the cell phone generation / millennials, who generally have seen it all (onlinez) and have the attention span of ferrets on dark roast.