Nothing You Can See That Isn't Shown

Some of you may have already heard about this unusual little project, but I thought I would bring it to the attention of the four people who read this blog.

So I'm a huge Beatles fan. I know that there are many people who would claim the same, but I'm not kidding around about my fanaticism. I have the Anthology on DVD and have parts of it memorized. I even like the Magical Mystery Tour TV special so much that I bought an imported version of the DVD on eBay. I'm thinking of naming my first two children Paul and John, even if they aren't boys.

But this thing took me a little by surprise. Apparently, George Harrison was good friends with Guy Laliberte (the founder of Cirque), and this show is the result of their collaboration over several years before George died. Olivia Harrison endorses it. Paul McCartney endorses it. Ringo Starr endorses it. Heck, even Yoko Ono has spoken out in support of the project. Beatles producer Sir George Martin is an acting musical director for the danged thing! And yet, somehow, I just don't like it; It doesn't sit well with me at all. If John were still alive, I'm not sure he would give it the thumbs up either.

People pay outrageous sums of money to sit in a dark theater at the Mirage in Las Vegas and have those familiar, wonderful Beatles songs blasted into their bleeding ears from all sides in an attempt to recreate the "intimacy" of the recording studio. While they are being rendered deaf with intimacy, the audience is treated to random ethnic dances and silly but sparkly acrobatics supposedly inspired by the music. For example, Lady Madonna is now interpreted much like Stomp with galoshes and Here Comes the Sun is a tribute to the sun-god Ra and his tacky chandelier. Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds is just a girl with a shiny shirt being hurled through the air on a string.

Have we sold out the greatest rock band in the history of time for this? And why are all these people who should know better backing such a spectacle? The whole thing reminds me a little too much of Harold Zindler and his troup trying to sell their unwritten play to the Duke:

"It will be spectacular, spectacular! No words in the vernacular ... can describe this great event; you'll wonder where your money went!"

Am I too cynical? Have I lost the ability to enjoy anything new?

See the spectacle for yourself and decide: www.cirquedusoleil.com/CirqueDuSoleil/en/showstickets/love/intro/intro.htm