Created originally by Franco Dragone, the man who created Cirque du Soleil’s “O,” Le Reve has many of the same thematic elements, most notably the giant water tank that people dive into, swim through, and do dramatic aerial stunts above. As with “O” the conceit can be a bit limiting but part of the shows evolution has been to emphasize more of the non-water based stunts and dance making it a richer experience.

The story, such as it is, is pretty much the same as it was – a person falls asleep and then wanders through an aquatic dream world of angels and demons, hopes and fears, comedy and drama. The big change, however, is that the lead character is now a woman returning home from a date with a handsome chrome-domed man. This shift has proved seismic in the overall tone of the show, turning it into a romantic quest – a stumble through the kinds of insecurities we all feel when exploring the boundaries of a relationship.

Gone are the misogynistic and homophobic overtones that many people picked up on in the early version of the show, even though many of the set pieces that evoked those feelings are pretty much the same. For instance a human sculpture segment, where two men angrily lock bodies while showcasing almost unbelievable feats of strength, is virtually identical. But whereas before it came across to many as a war between the two sides of human sexuality with the gay side taking a very serious beating, now comes off as a battle between the two sides of the woman’s boyfriend’s personality – is he a good, loving, caring man or is he a jerk?

That’s not to say that all of the disturbing imagery is gone but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. One particularly affecting segment looks like an aerial ballet of angels falling to earth (or water, as the case may be), only to be scooped up by a grim-reaper-esque figure collecting the dead. Whether or not that’s the intended meaning behind that part the show, or whether that’s how you’ll interpret it, is almost irrelevant. The very fact that these elements exist to challenge the willing members of the audience who want something more than people diving into a pool is noteworthy.

But for those who do want the mindlessness, Le Reve can still deliver on that. It is certainly darker than similar shows but it now contains enough humor and all of the eye-popping visual stunts and set pieces that people have come to expect from this particular genre.

Also new and noteworthy is the revamped theater. More than 400 seats were removed and the existing ones replaced with larger, more comfortable versions. Plus there is a row of VIP seats – big plushy chairs that ring the top row of the theater with built in monitors to watch the action above, backstage, and underwater. It’s difficult at first to get used to it – as is the case with most of these types of shows there is too much going on at once anyway to catch it all, but once you get the hang of when to look at the video screens (most notably when someone hits the water from a high distance) it really adds to the show. Plus the seats come with champagne and chocolate covered strawberries complimentary in the price of the ticket.

More changes are on the way with dramatic lighting, new set-pieces, and an even more heightened emphasis on the dance elements so the evolution will continue and hopefully continue to improve this show.

It is impossible not compare Le Reve to O and in its early incarnation I gave the nod to O. Now I think it’s a total toss-up, with the two shows each having their own strengths that make them worth seeing.

Although to be honest, the fact that you can get those cool VIP seats at Le Reve with complimentary champagne and chocolate for the same cost that one of the good seats at O tips the balance just a little bit.

Vegas4Visitors Grade: B+

Le Reve
Wynn Las Vegas
3131 Las Vegas Blvd. S.
702-770-WYNN
tickets
Showtimes:

The epically talented cast uses “found” objects (a nice way of saying junk) to create a symphony of sound both big and small, serious and humorous, and always entertaining. What starts with one guy sweeping the stage with a standard push-broom turns into a thumping, whooshing, clacking orchestra as the entire cast of 16 takes the stage, each playing a slightly different instrument with the same piece of wood and straw. If you can mentally step outside of what you’re seeing and hearing for a second you’ll be amazed at the intricacies of the rhythms and the precision timing. It’s like watching a perfectly executed marching band complete with choreography.

From the brooms they move on to, well, just about anything you can imagine. Dust pans, boxes filled with what sounds like peanuts, empty water jugs, pipes, plastic garbage bags, metal rods, and of course the signature trash can lids all become just another thing to make music with and although there is a certain sameness to some of the numbers it never ceases to remain revelatory.

The stand-out numbers are the ones that veer off in even stranger, and strangely quieter, directions. When all 16 cast-members sit on the lip of the stage in a completely dark theater and do a musical composition worthy of Beethoven with Zippo lighters, you’ll be blown away. And when a subset of the group turns newspapers and coughing into a hilarious hip-hop battle of wills you’ll be laughing yourself sick. And of course when several of the cast members literally “play” kitchen sinks, well – that’s just genius.

There are a couple of quibbles with the show. As mentioned above some of the numbers blend together with their sameness and perhaps I’m just getting old, but even I started getting a bit of a headache from the loud banging by the time the show was over, but that’s really nit-picking. I walked out happier than I was when I walked in so that has to be worth something.

I also loved how the cast was not the usual super-toned, manufactured pretty that you often see on Vegas stages. Their ages range from 20’s to 30s, men and women, there was at least one of virtually every race or ethnicity you could think of, and several of them were not exactly what you might call “fit” at least in comparison to the rock-hard-ab set that dominates most productions in this town. This melting pot of “types” adds to the overall tone of the show, that seems to say there is music and movement and joy in everything and everyone if you just take a few minutes to look for it. It is the very definition of the word inclusion.

Vegas4Visitors Grade: B+

Stomp Out Loud
Planet Hollywood
3663 Las Vegas Blvd. S.
877-333-9474
Tickets
Show Times:

Question: What is your favorite thing to do in Vegas that has absolutely nothing to do with Vegas? I’m looking for the kind of thing that will allow us to forget that we are in Sin City for a little while.

Answer: There’s a new on in town that I talked about recently that fits the bill very well. The Springs Preserve is a new cultural oasis located just a few minutes from The Strip that really shouldn’t be missed. You can read more about it here.

But really you don’t need to drive to get a non-Vegas experience in Vegas – just head the Mirage Dolphin Habitat. Step through the back doors of the glimmering gold tower and you might as well be a million miles away when you are visiting the habitat, one of the most successful dolphin sanctuaries in existence.

Now, I know, a lot of you probably wince at the thought of any dolphin being in captivity for human enjoyment and in many ways, you’re right. But the work they do here at the Mirage habitat has been almost universally recognized as important in both the study and breeding of these creatures and has helped to educate millions who have passed by its tanks.

This is not a Sea World type extravaganza – no wacky trainers riding on the backs of dolphins – but you’ll be able to get up close to these magnificent animals at both above ground and water level viewing stations and, if you’re lucky, be nearby when they are feeling frisky.

And if you go now you can catch sight of something very rare – a baby dolphin. The 30-year-old dolphin named Duchess gave birth last week and her baby calf is swimming with her everywhere in one of the habitat’s massive tanks.

The Mirage Dolphin Habitat only costs $15 ($10 for children) and is open every day from 10am until 7pm.

return to the top