How does something magical become familiar and yet retain its magic? Ask the creators, cast and crew of Mystère, who have been enchanting and entertaining audiences at Treasure Island since December 1993. It’s the original must-see Cirque du Soleil production on the Las Vegas Strip, and no matter how many times you’ve experienced this vibrant, avant-garde circus spectacular, you continue to feel you must see it again.
Mystère is an institution in Las Vegas and around the world, and the first permanent resident Cirque show, which explains why, after the long live entertainment shutdown of 2020, it was the first production from the Canadian company to return to its Vegas stage on June 28. Its international cast of 65 onstage artists combine aerial acrobatics, music, dance, comedy and drama in a dreamlike environment to create a phenomenon that has yet to be duplicated, though it remains one of the most influential theatrical presentations in the world.
The 1,600-seat theater at TI feels like an intimate environment when you first enter, with the stage sunken while cozy seats wrap around it, providing access to these innovative performers. But what feels small unfolds into something more massive as the veteran clowns interacting with the audience during the preshow depart and thundering Japanese taiko drums guide you into the world of Mystère.
In this world, colorful characters abound. Red and yellow birdlike beings display daring and mischievous behavior. A large and lovable infant plays with his toys, including a motorized car that speeds around the stage. A pair of muscled men arise to balance on a half-sphere and support each other’s impossible feats of strength, and you’re sitting close enough to see the graceful movements that make this hand-to-hand act so memorable.
As the famous Chinese poles are erected at center stage for one of the most noteworthy performances, the creepy army of “Double Faces” descends from above, ready to join in the acrobatic fun. The ability of these athlete-artists to pull off impossible physical tricks and make everything look so easy is difficult to truly understand; you can keep coming back to see Mystère every night and you still might not grasp their skills.
Just when the onstage antics reach a fever pitch, the live band performing atop two pedestals kicks the music into gear and the action moves to the sky. A classic group trapeze act recalls traveling circuses of yesteryear, an age-old art form that still feels dangerous and exciting after generations of performance. And a wild trapeze-and-bungee act later in the show, sparked by bright, fringe-covered costumes that seem to transform the artists into otherworldly creatures, feels like a tribal celebration of joy and togetherness.
Mystère changed Las Vegas forever almost 28 years ago, and now the show is changing moods and minds and maybe lives on a nightly basis. The magic never left.
Treasure Island, 702.894.7722
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