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Mystère at Treasure Island

by Heather on January 30th, 2008

We took the kids to see Mystère at Treasure Island last night. My husband and I went six years ago by ourselves because the kids were too young, but we decided they were old enough to appreciate it now (they’re 7 and 9), and we were right!

Cirque du Soleil’s Mystère opened in 1993 and has been going strong for the last 15 years. It has had a permanent residence at the Treasure Island Hotel & Casino and is one of five other Cirque shows currently on the Strip, among O, Kà, LOVE, and Zumanity.

It’s so simplistic to say, but the entire show is just amazing and was even better than I remembered (possibly because it was so much fun to see the kids’ faces as they watched). It’s hard to pick one act to like best over any other, and to do so almost seems to discount any of the other acts, which would just be wrong. The acts include:

Opening

Aerial Cube
A virtuoso who can turn a simple cube into an object of beauty, he effortlessly turns and spins the cube while nonchalantly performing a gravity-defying ballet of aerial maneuvers. Fascinated observers hold their breath, wondering who is in control.

Chinese Poles
Crawling up and down the poles, like sprouting vines, these artists are a symbol of organic life which feeds on itself as it grows.

Hand-to-Hand
Two mighty physiques come together in gentle, fluid movements, exuding a sensuality that captivates the audience. This act is an exhibition of strength and stamina. The two brothers who perform the increasingly difficult maneuvers demonstrate harmony while fusing power and grace. Developed through many years of intense training, the hand-and-body balancing act is performed on a rotating dome, demanding extreme precision of the artists.

Bungee Jumping
Like majestic birds in flight, they dive in unison, creating a fantastically organized chaos. They drop from their trapezes in turn or as a group, their falls halted only by the elastic around their waists.

Trampoline, Fast Track and Korean Plank
The comic chorus, always present, always jolly, laughs in the face of the pain of humanity. With their energy, these bouncing characters are like a virus contaminating the world of Mystère with an infectious folly. Perhaps they possess the true wisdom…

Aerial High Bar
Human dreams take flight, borne by the hopes of a new millennium. The pendulum movement of the high bar flyers emphasizes the relentless passage of time. But the benefits outweigh the risks, for the adventure is the reward.

The Aerial High Bar act was created and implemented by coach Andrei Lev and choreographer Pavel Brun. Inspired by the gymnastics high-bar routine, Mystère’s High Bar bears Cirque du Soleil’s own unique stamp. Fourteen national-calibre athletes from Russia, Romania, Canada and the United States use a symmetrical metal structure to fly and spin 40 feet above the stage.

Taiko
The adventure begins with the Big Bang symbolizing primitive man embarking on a never-ending journey. The opening also juxtaposes the characters and contexts in a way that creates the timelessness of Mystère: the primitives on the drums, the Renaissance Archangels and the ultra-modern decor coexist seamlessly.

Closing

If you show up before the doors open, don’t let the line intimidate you. Ours was at least 1/8 of a mile long down the hallway (no exaggeration!) so we went out front and looked at the pirate ship and took a few shots of the Palazzo. We were outside maybe ten minutes before we headed back in and the line was gone and we found our seats without any trouble.

If you don’t want to participate in the show (yeah, it’s one of those!) don’t sit front row center! In fact, I would avoid the front row altogether: The ticket agent who sold us the tickets several months ago said she recommended them, but upon sitting down last night we realized we were smack in front of guard rails and the kids needed booster seats. We got the tickets with a locals discount so it didn’t cost us as much as they normally would have, but if we go again we’ll definitely get second row or higher.

Also, while the show is appropriate for younger kids, I wouldn’t recommend taking children under 7. And if you’re worried about there being a lot of kids there, don’t! We saw one other family with kids in the audience of 1600 seats, and if there were more we didn’t see or hear them.

The show is 90 minutes long and began at 7pm, and we were home by 9:00, so it’s really not even too late for a school night. I would have loved to have included some pictures of the show but I called the box office before we left to check the policy and was told that pictures are okay before or after the performance, but not during, so we didn’t bother. Staff photographers do wander up and down the aisles before the show starts and take pictures that can be purchased afterward.

Tickets can be purchased through the TI Box Office by calling (702)796-9999, or toll free: 1-800-963-9634

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POSTED IN: Attractions, Family Fun, Hotels, Music, Nightlife, Performaning Arts - Theater & Dance