Celebrating the musical legacy of The Beatles.
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**Show schedules may vary. Please see above link for more information.
(This show was reviewed in the July 2006 LVA; some of the information contained in this review may no longer be accurate.)
Hey la! Hey hey lo—the Beatles are back!
In a marriage made in psychedelic heaven, Cirque du Soleil choreographs, costumes, and showcases the characters, images, humor, and all-around '60s optimism, exuberance, and magic that the Beatles still embody.
The big show is housed by the big new $120 million theater that used to belong to Siegfried & Roy. Inside the 2,000-seat room in the round, two mammoth rectangular video screens are situated high up on the walls and there are more than 6,000 speakers; one is installed in the backrest of every seat. The stage is separated into many different pieces, each on individual hydraulics, rising and falling as necessary; likewise, visual backdrops other than the two stationary screens appear and disappear.
The show opens with the rousing "Get Back," then moves into "Eleanor Rigby," which is set to scenes of WW II in the Beatles’ Liverpool. "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" introduces Beatlemania, and by then you know what you’re in for. As the show continues to unfold—with such numbers as "Something in the Way She Moves" set to an aerial ballet and "Mr. Kite" accompanied by an epic circus scene (in which Henry the Horse dances the waltz on roller blades)—you notice that the music, which has been digitized and remixed by Sir George Martin, the fifth Beatle, isn't exactly the same as on the LPs. Though some may find this distracting, we found it refreshing. The soundtrack isn’t just music, either, but also Beatles banter and rehearsal snippets from recording sessions, plus suitably surreal transitions between the songs. One thing's for sure: The acoustics are outstanding.
And the hits just keep on coming: "Help," "Blackbird," "Strawberry Fields," "Octopus' Garden," "Lady Madonna," "Here Comes the Sun," "Come Together," "Revolution Number Nine," "Back in the USSR," "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" (catch some new lyrics), "Day in the Life." All are acted out with bizarre props, weird parades, and continuous surprises.
Is it too much? It can be. But ultimately, if the show stops making sense or gets overwhelming, just close your eyes and enjoy the sounds.
For the finale, umbrellas spread confetti all over the room to "Hey Jude" and then, predictably, it's "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band": We hope you have enjoyed the show and we're sorry but it's time to go.
Even if you're not familiar with all the tunes, LOVE is recommendable as a celebration of an irrepressible and irreplaceable era. If you know and love the Beatles’ music, however, this is a must-see and Las Vegas is the only place you can.
There's really not a bad seat in the house, but the closest and most expensive seats might be too low, since all the action occurs on the elevated stages and in the airspace above. The seats farthest away are fine if you want to see LOVE on a budget, but our recommendation is to get in the middle with the mid-priced tickets. At the concessions beer is $3.75/$7; wine, mixed drinks, and Champagne are $7-$16; and popcorn is $5.