by Connie McMullen
A Day in the Life
Picture credit: Tomas Muscionico
Awave of excitement swept this country when the British Revolution brought model Twiggy, paisley shirts, Go Go boots, and the likes of the Beatles. It was a magical crazy time…thousands screamed, cheered, tore at their clothes, at one another, and jumped franticly trying to get a peek of the fab four as they made their first American tour in 1964. This writer was 10 when the Beatles played the International Amphitheater in Chicago. A lifelong fan, the lure of The Beatles LOVE - Cirque Du Soleil was a must see show at the Mirage in Las Vegas. Forget the “Grammys,” go see it.
Title: Rock’n Roll Run
(I Want to Hold Your Hand / Drive My Car)
Picture credit: Tomas Muscionico
LOVE - Cirque Du Soleil has a Cirque sort of theme, but is unique on its own. It features all the Beatles greatest hits that include “Because,” where sailors climb dramatically on ropes toward the Heavens. “The cappella voices of John, Paul and George pave their ascent. Each pull of the rope elevates the intensity of anticipation, foreshadowing The Beatles revival. An Abbey Road drum solo fast forwards the scene from Liverpool to The Beatles' farewell concert.”
Music, costume design, sound effects, and lighting propel the audience seamlessly into another phase of their musical life. "I Want to Hold Your Hand" followed by a medley of "Drive My Car", "What You're Doing" and "The Word" signal the euphoric onslaught of Beatlemania.
“Crazed fans and screaming groupies bombard the stage in flurry of acrobatic activity.
Teeter boards and trampoline beds launch the ensemble to new heights just as these early hits launched The Beatles to astronomical fame.”
Rock’n Roll Run (I Want to Hold Your Hand / Drive My Car)
Picture credit: Tomas Muscionico
Assembled around a mysterious piano, Dr. Robert introduces the Nowhere Men to an unusual tea drinking ritual. This euphemistic stimulant launches them and the show itself on a psychedelic trip. The surreal "Strawberry Fields" is underscored in the closing stages by "Penny Lane," "In My Life," "Piggies" and "Hello Goodbye."
Music directors for LOVE, Sir George Martin and his son Giles Martin have captured the musical legacy of The Beatles. The Martins spent the last few years constructing the music for LOVE by combining every facet of The Beatles recordings. The panoramic sound experience in the custom built theatre at the Mirage is the closest anyone will get to hearing the full band play again live.
“Our mission was to try and achieve the same intimacy we get when listening to the master tapes at the studio,” said Giles Martin. “The songs sound so alive.”
The international cast of 60 channels a raw, youthful energy underscored by aerial performance, extreme sports and urban, freestyle dance.
To learn more about LOVE - Cirque Du Soleil visit www.cirquedusoleil.com/ or to purchase tickets, call (702) 352-0197.