Michael Jackson compensated for a childhood he never experienced by creating a world of fantasy with his life and his music as an adult. Had he not passed away, he could have been the top superstar of the modern Strip residencies, moonwalking across a theater stage inside one of the Las Vegas’ megaresorts. Cast members of Michael Jackson ONE by Cirque du Soleil might have successfully auditioned for the King of Pop himself rather than celebrating his spirit five nights week inside Mandalay Bay.
It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that many of them were inspired to dance by Jackson, emulated his moves and may have even imagined moonwalking alongside him. Imagination also happens to be Cirque du Soleil’s forte. There was no better entity to create a posthumous world of fantasy inspired by his life and music. Extreme acrobatics and crack choreography blend with sonic biography to create a surreal storyline that follows four misfits as they are transformed by Jackson’s magic.
Clumsy, for example, suffers from a lack of coordination and confidence until an encounter with Jackson’s shoes and the beat of “Bad” makes him a master of the double slackline. Shy tries on a pair of glasses she finds in a magic trunk and is given enough martial arts prowess to take on media-machine monster Mephisto during “Jam.” Smarty Pants reawakens the child within herself to the tune of “Smile” when she finds Jackson’s magical hat, and Sneaky finds that the iconic spangled glove has a life of its own, and is pretty sneaky itself.
Visually the show is spectacular tableau after spectacular tableau. A Vortex sucks the misfits into Michaelworld after they sneak into the show. Mother Moon Goddess Ngame watches from above during “Stranger in Moscow” and “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You.” The MJ Warriors interpret the driving beat of “Billie Jean” courtesy of dazzling LED costumes. Creatures crawl in search of blood to terrorize y’alls neighborhood with trampoline talent during “Thriller.”
Jackson thought of himself as an illusionist, making magic a primal element of the show and giving Cirque the opportunity to make a showstopper out of “Man in the Mirror.” He did battle with the intrusive paparazzi and gossip peddlers, represented by the Tabloid Junkies, and fought for space to breathe and be his authentic self. Although he was unable to defeat his real-life Mephisto, Cirque banishes the media-machine monster at every show.
While Jackson can only be there visually through special effects, his presence is everywhere inside the theater, thanks in large part to a surround-sound system. Michael Jackson ONE isn’t a tribute show, but instead makes an indelible impression on people who prefer to remember how they learned to do the robot watching him on Soul Train, as The Scarecrow in The Wiz, as the artist who enabled Quincy Jones to do his finest work, rather than the sensationalized celebrity. It also has an overall message of unity and a climactic scene that brings opposing forces together, and shows them how they are better off working as one.
Mandalay Bay, 7 & 9:30 p.m. Sun.-Mon. & Thurs.-Sat., starting at $69 plus tax and fee. 702.632.7580
