In film, an element that can take a good movie and make it great is the set and production design. Current Oscar winner for Best Picture Parasite is a perfect example of a story that is elevated by the set, as the house where the majority of the story takes place is filled with nooks, secret rooms and angular vantage points that create both advantages and disadvantages for the characters.
Taking that concept to live production is difficult, but nobody does it better than Cirque du Soleil. While there are seemingly no disadvantages in the stage design of “O,” the set is a crucial element that moves this show beyond other theatrical productions.
Watching the show unfold, the audience realizes that the 1.5-million-gallon pool is not only stunning visually, but is actually used to propel acts both in and above the stage. The high fliers on the bateau are given depth as the ship sails in the sky above the water. The high divers take the audience’s collective breath away as they speed towards the liquefied stage. The environment presented here is as much a character as the people who perform in it, and one of the main reasons to go see “O.”
Bellagio, 7 & 9:30 p.m. daily, 7 p.m. show only March 9-12, starting at $99 plus tax and fee. 702.693.8866
