Cirque du Soleil and The Estate announce MICHAEL JACKSON ONE : My Thoughts
So... #MJFAM I'm sure that you've all heard by now... the newest collaboration between Cirque Du Soleil and the Michael Jackson Estate has been announced. After the first leg of the IMMORTAL World Tour grossed over $160 million ( source) it's no surprise that Cirque is going to ride this wagon 'til the wheels fall off. I'm not mad at that!
About the Show
The show will start its indefinite run at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino on June 29th, 2013. According to the official website for the show, " Michael Jackson ONE is a theatrical evocation of Michael’s creative genius. Guided and inspired by his music, four misfits set out on a transformative adventure. By journey's end, they will personify Michael's agility, courage, playfulness and love". That all sounds excellent but, personally it's not enough for me to judge whether this show will be something I will enjoy or not. I'll just have to make a trip to Vegas and see :-).
Naturally, I am like most Michael Jackson fans who love most tributes related to him and his legacy. My ONE requirement for this show though, is that it be better ... WAY better than the Immortal show.
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MJ FanGirl's Thoughts on Immortal
I was very excited to see the Immortal World Tour for two reasons: A. It was a Michael Jackson tribute show (duh!) and B. I'd never seen a Cirque show before.
My experience was quite emotional. As this "world tour" would be the first MJ tour without Michael Jackson's physical presence, I found myself enjoying the music but my heart yearned for Michael to burst out of the stage. That did not happen. I also do wonder, if I wasn't a Michael Jackson fan, how much would I have enjoyed the show? The music was all familiar to me and the themes were as well but, yet it didn't quite hit the spot for me because let's face it... the performers are NOT Michael. I think us huge Michael fans will always struggle with that when it comes to tribute events. I also felt like it was just a TASTE of what could be done. I totally know that a Michael Jackson tribute has the potential to be and I can imagine just from all of the raving that I've heard others do about Cirque, that those shows are generally amazing. I have seen tons of reviews online of people complaining that the show was underwhelming.... NOTE: Michael Jackson's musical performances will always seem a bit underwhelming because Michael is not the one on stage. (Or at least that's my take on it!)
What will be the key difference between the Michael Jackson Immortal and Michael Jackson One Cirque Du Soleil shows?
I'm not sure and the information that has come out about the show so far hasn't made that very clear for me. Although here is an excerpt from an interview with director of both the Immortal and One shows, Jamie King where he addresses a similar question:
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Robin Leach: You also were the director of “Michael Jackson Immortal,” so how tough was it to do a show different from a show you have already done? It has got to be the toughest.
Jamie King: I think at first the idea of it made me a bit nervous; I felt the challenge of it. I was so excited about another opportunity and knowing that it would be different because I know how to do a rock show. That was really what ‘Immortal’ was meant to be -- a rock/Cirque interpretation, arenas I get that -- but a theater show, to be able to do that, is really a dream for me. It already is a different show because it is in a theater, and once I got my head around that, a smaller, more intimate venue, it can be much more immersive.
(read more here: http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2013/feb/25/michael-jackson-one-mandalay-bay-director-jamie-ki/#ixzz2M8ZTuIdn)
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I do feel that after seeing Immortal, I am now more prepared to appreciate the artistic interpretation of Michael's life and legacy through Cirque Du Soleil.
Annnnnd I will absolutely be posting my thoughts and review of the show once I do go see it.
So... who's coming with me to Las Vegas ?
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