Cirque du Soleil: Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour -
Allphones Arena, Sydney, 26 September -
Cirque du Soleil’s “ode” to the king of pop is a spectacular romp. It is a two-hour celebration of Michael Jackson’s artistic legacy, without a trace of cynicism, giving this reviewer a refreshingly pretension-free evening of enjoyable entertainment.
As expected, the merging of these two juggernaut brands delivers a show of unrivalled seamlessness and professionalism. The unknown was which brand would exert the most palpable influence over its tone and delivery.
Writer-director Jamie King has relinquished many of Cirque’s trademark acts and much of its usual (slightly disturbing) weirdness, to deliver a show placing Jackson’s voice and creativity at its heart. What unravels scene by scene is an extraordinary song-by-song, music-clip-cum-dance-off retrospective of arena rock concert scale.
The Immortal World Tour is for fans of Jackson’s music. The musical designer, Kevin Antunes, was given unprecedented access to master recordings. Working alongside musical director Greg Phillinganes, he weaves a score integrating as many of Jackson’s songs as possible through mash-ups, remixes and new arrangements. The hand-picked band of musicians, many of whom knew or worked with Jackson, bring it to life. Standouts are the sexily-clad Mariko on electric cello and the ferociously-mohawked Desireé Bassett on guitar.
Set in Neverland, Jackson’s ideas, words, moves and dreams flit and frolic across a multi-dimensional canvas of stages, screens, poles, wires, air, sound and light waves. There are touches of Cirque to be seen here – particularly in some of the more bizarre props, costumes and unnecessarily high and pointy head dresses! But generally speaking, these elements do not overshadow references to Jackson’s own style and ideas, albeit exaggerated ones like the oversized iconic white glove and pair of penny loafers.
Ten choreographers are credited. You can see why as the scenes reveal an integration of diverse movement styles, sequences and Jackson repertory references. Forty international dancers and acrobats carry out his legendary moves with consummate precision: breaking, locking and popping. Pointe shoes twinkle by; toes tap; there’s mime and more. The moves and movement often culminate in soaring, twisting and contorting acrobats, but they always remain just elements of the show, highlighting otherworldly ideas and chords, and punctuating beats with exaggerated impact. The choreography is made for the music, not vice versa.
To me, the most brilliant component of the show is the combination of live and pre-recorded projection with which the performers interact, and in and amongst which they are located. Superbly crafted by Olivier Goulet, it is through this music-video-like mash-up of animation, old footage, cinematic innuendo and references that darker ideas are able to be explored and powerful juxtapositions and memories expressed.
Jackson was a mixture of saccharine sweetness, disconcerting and unripe sexuality, genuine well-meaning, unending neediness, generosity, neurotic perfectionism and grotesque lavishness, and this show does his truly complicated personality justice. He is present throughout, in his art and his artistry. The Immortal Tour makes no judgments. It doesn’t need to. All is transparent in the work.
- EMMA SANDALL
'The Immortal World Tour Australian tour continues in Brisbane (2-6 October), then Melbourne (9-13 October) and Adelaide (15 - 17 October) .
For more info check out the Cirque du Soleil - Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour website.