Las Vegas - The New Criss Angel Cirque du Soleil - Believe (NOT!)

Saw the new Cirque/Criss Angel show, Believe, last night. The overall conclusion that I came to, along with my wife and friend who saw the show with me, was that Criss Angel and Cirque du Soleil are cool when done separately, but don't go well together.

Cirque is all about costumes, music, fantasy, acrobatics, crazy set pieces, etc. It's not meant to suspend belief. It's always clear that the acrobats are attached to cables and safety harnesses, etc. But the production makes it all very "cool" to see.

Criss Angel is all about seeing it and saying, "Woah...how the heck did he do that?" But, because you're in a Cirque show, you already know he's using harnesses, wires, and trap doors. Instead of being in disbelief about Criss Angel's act, I was in disbelief about how cheesy it all was. And, the result was that we were all predicting what Criss Angel was going to do and how he was going to do it well before it happened.

So, at the end of the day, we had a Criss Angel show that wasn't very Criss Angel because of what we know about Cirque shows. And, at the same time, we had a Cirque show that wasn't very Cirque because it was more focused on Criss Angel than on really impressive acrobatics.

If I hadn't read the review that someone posted here first, then I wouldn't have lowered my expectations to the point where I was just unimpressed--I would have been pissed! As it was, I wouldn't go back, I wouldn't recommend it, and I'd rather pay to go see Ka than get a free ticket to Believe.

http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2008/9/30/16531/5374/hotels/Does_Criss_Angel_s_Cirque_du_Soleil_Show_at_the_Lu xor_Really_Suck_That_Much_

http://vegasblog.latimes.com/vegas/2008/09/sneak-peak-at-a.html

http://www.ratevegas.com/blog/2008/09/open_topic_disc_27.html

http://www.ratevegas.com/blog/2008/11/cirques_first_b.html

Yeah, I was reading around and haven't seen a positive review, or anything even coming close to it yet. They've been known to revamp shows in a short period of time, but I'm surprised they're still showing it as is with all the bad press.

Am I the only one who just finds him totally annoying?

Am I the only one who just finds him totally annoying?

No. I cannot stand this guy. He has to be the tackiest individual alive and you can't tell me he doesn't pay those supposedly "random" people on the street or on the roof of a parking garage (how many people really hang out there?) to act shocked by his grade school illusions. I also love how the equally tacky producers of the show always act like he's doing someone really death defying this time and they can't believe it :rolleyes: This is what happens when you pull the curtain on a hack and make him actually perform without special camera angles and ask the audience to pay rather than the other way around. I love Cirque, but seriously, what were they smoking on this one?

My daughter just got back from a convention in LV. She is/was a big fan of Angel. She told me (less than an hour ago) that the show was a waste of her time. And, the tickets were $175.00 each!!!!!!

I have tickets for mid-November. (My DH wanted to see Penn & Teller, but I bought these instead...)

I think that I can cancel my tickets...so after reading these reviews I probably should (or else risk a pissed off husband!).

I have tickets for mid-November. (My DH wanted to see Penn & Teller, but I bought these instead...)

I think that I can cancel my tickets...so after reading these reviews I probably should (or else risk a pissed off husband!).

Yes, I'd elect for your refund. Escape whilst you still can!!

I have tickets for mid-November. (My DH wanted to see Penn & Teller, but I bought these instead...)

I think that I can cancel my tickets...so after reading these reviews I probably should (or else risk a pissed off husband!).

Penn & Teller are awesome.

Agreed. Don't walk, but run to Penn and Teller.

Angel is a hack.

The Criss Angel Believe show is a disaster. It's the worst "professional" show I've ever seen. Bad magic, bad cirque, boring, cheesy, creatively bankrupt, just a mess. People couldn't wait to get out of the theatre ... just horrible entertainment.

And yes, SEE PENN & TELLER!!! ... the exact opposite of Criss Angel/Believe ... excellent magic, great performers, an engaged crowd that doesn't want the show to end, and the guys do a sincere meet and greet with the audience after. True pros, I can't recommend P&T enough.

Btw, we saw Believe on Monday and Penn & Teller Tuesday so the comparisons are recent and relevant. Absolutely no contest between the shows ... and I'll just say that I've been a casual fan of both CA and P&T for a while now, at least I was a fan of CA ... not anymore ... if I was associated with Cirque or Luxor I'd be ashamed of the toxic junk that is Criss Angel Believe. I wish I could get my money back and I'm sure many of the others who were running for the exits do also.

Penn & Teller are EXCELLENT!!

He certainly impacts me with his performances: my skin actually crawls.

I saw it on 10/25 RUBBISH!!!!

How can Cirque even put their name on such a worthless show? I have seen every show they have put on in Vegas and this one is so bad i feel like i was robbed. They should do the Cirque name a favor and abandon ship now before they ruin their reputation.

The 4 clowns pre show were very good. I cannot name one good thing about the rest of the show.

I wrote to Cirque and this was their reply:

Thank you for you interest in Cirque du Soleil Matthew. We appreciate all comments and feedback and are forwarding them to the creative team. As with all of our Cirque du Soleil shows, CRISS ANGEL Believe is evolving into its own element. It is a process that Cirque du Soleil is working diligently on. My apologies if offense was taken.

OFFENSIVE there is the word I was looking for. Save your cash you will thank me later.

The show is definitely not your "typical" Cirqye show. Much like Zumanity brought out the "sensual side of Cirque" this show is simply expressing a different part of Cirque. It's Cirque combined with Criss Angel. This is the first time that Cirque has done a show where there is a main character so you'll need to have an open mind to enjoy it. If you go into the show expecting it to be like other Criss performances or like other Cirque shows you'll be disappointed because it's something totally different.

Am I the only one who just finds him totally annoying?

Not sure if annoying is the word I would use, but the guy just gives me the creeps.

As for Cirque, I've seen Mystere (twice) and Love (once, and again later this month) and they're absolutely, positively phenomenal entertainment. :)

The show is definitely not your "typical" Cirqye show. Much like Zumanity brought out the "sensual side of Cirque" this show is simply expressing a different part of Cirque. It's Cirque combined with Criss Angel. This is the first time that Cirque has done a show where there is a main character so you'll need to have an open mind to enjoy it. If you go into the show expecting it to be like other Criss performances or like other Cirque shows you'll be disappointed because it's something totally different.

Does that mean you actually liked the show?

Does that mean you actually liked the show?

Please note that "you'll need to have an open mind to enjoy it" doesn't mean that one with an open mind would enjoy it (a necessary but not sufficient condition). Aside from teenage girls, I think that post has been the closest thing to an endorsement I've heard ...

Does that mean you actually liked the show?

Yes, I did like the show. I particularly liked the artistic elements of the show like the costumes, dancers and the illusions.

Yes, I did like the show. I particularly liked the artistic elements of the show like the costumes, dancers and the illusions.

Had you seen any prior Cirque shows? They have costumes, dancers and illusions too, but seem to please the audiences much more than this one.

Has any part of the show been improved/changed, since the preview or first few days of the production?

Has any part of the show been improved/changed, since the preview or first few days of the production?

Wondering the same thing. I havent seen reviews this bad for a Cirque show since Wintuk's previews

Some of the changes that they've already made to the show was adding additional illusions and removing the part at ther end of the show where he sang as well as an overall tightening of the show. Many Cirque du Soleil shows change a lot during the preview shows. I've read an article where someone said that they saw Zumanity in a preview show and then a few months later and they felt like it was an entirely different show.

Well, how I wish I had read this site prior to going to Vegas last week. My wife & I love the Cirque shows, Zumanity not to my taste, but it was Cirque.
We saw the Believe production on the 21st November, thankfully we did not pay top $ for our seats. What a disappointment, first time ever with Cirque. Angel was in my opinion, Crap! No Cirque show should revolve around one man, what happens if he is ill?
The show did not work, we felt like leaving mid way, some did with children. I guess they may have been frightened! It was the best part when we left the theatre. Angel made sad comments about David Copperfield, we saw him at the MGM the night before, what a show, what a true star. Angel cannot stand in Copperfields shoes, a far superior show all round.
Cirque I feel may catch a cold with this one, they could save face if the plug is pulled now, but I guess they will plod on.
So please, anyone reading this blog, do not waste your hard earned cash on this show, I saw KA for the second time prior to the Copperfield show, what a difference, a great production. Believe a non starter, do not go there!!!!!!!!

Saw this show 22nd November. We saw "O" two nights previous and it was FANTASTIC!!! so I was really looking forward to seeing Believe...

As you can tell from the title it was pretty bad. Everything they've been saying is true and then some. I thought every part of the show was terrible. The illusions were transparent and obvious, not to mention boring, and the Cirque portion of it was pretty bad as well. All it was was dancing; that is not what Cirque is... I will say that the costumes were pretty impressive, though.

We wasted way too much time and money (we had great seats at 169 a pop) and our group of 5 wanted to leave after 20 minutes (too bad we didn't communicate this with each other - would have saved a lot of time and agony!). It was one of those things that you just kept thinking, this HAS to get better, there's NO WAY it can be this bad... but it just never did.

Criss Angel sucks, can't act, his magic is pretty awful and he is SO ANNOYING... yes he is nice to look at (if you're into that tragically hip/punk thing... and even if you're not, at least he has his shirt off most of the show - that part being directed toward the ladies ;) ) but he was terrible overall.

Don't waste your time or your money... there are a million other fantastic shows in Vegas. Cirque is destroying their reputation with this one.