That's too bad because despite disappointing ticket sales it's a pretty entertaining night at the theater. While not the best Cirque show in town (that distinction goes to KA or Mystere) and not exactly ground breaking, it may very well be the lightest, most accessible, and most outright fun one of the bunch.

Set up as a retrospective of sorts of The King's life and legend, the production features many of Elvis' biggest hits and quite a few of his minor ones. Some are remixed versions of the original and others are performed by cast members, but with a catalogue of songs like this it's virtually impossible to go wrong. And the ways in which Cirque brings the songs to life through dance, acrobatic and gymnastic stunts, set pieces, and video to examine a moment in Elvis' history can be a lot of fun.

The show opens with "Blue Suede Shoes" as a live band pumps up Elvis' original vocals and the cast, dressed as '50s era teens, dances and twirls around a pink Cadillac and a giant blue suede shoe. Again, not terribly inventive but definitely high energy and a good way to kick off the proceedings.

It starts to get really interesting with a number that is meant to represent Elvis and Jesse Garon, his twin brother that died during childbirth. An Alicia Keys-esque singer floats in with her piano singing the mournful "One Night With You" as identically dressed aerialists jump and cavort on a giant guitar suspended in a starry sky. It's a nice, emotional moment.

This seques into a superhero themed "Gotta Lotta Lovin'" where costumed acrobats seem to fly through the air and climb the walls with the help of some well-positioned trampolines.

An Elvis in the army section includes a beautifully rendered "Heartbreak Hotel" with a guitarist and a vocalist doing it ballad style while video and photos of the young singer joining the military and going off for duty play overhead. Then the energy pumps up with a basic training themed "Return to Sender" complete with gymmastics and Stomp-style dance.

Other notable moments include an homage to Elvis in the movies, a floating aerialist pas-de-deux to "Are You Lonesome Tonight," some really astounding rope tricks representing Elvis in his iconic gunslinger pose, and a prison break "Jailhouse Rock." And the couple performing a fierce and passionate modern dance interpretation of "Caught in a Trap" are absolutely stunning.

The re-interpretations of Elvis' music were fascinating. "All Shook Up" is performed as a gospel rave-up with a choir and tent-revival style dancing; "It's Now or Never" is remixed into a sultry rhumba with performers twirling on poles. Elvis purists may be outraged, but to the rest of us it's a fascinating new way to hear his music.

There are a few missteps. An actor portraying Colonel Tom Parker acts as a narrator and it's not only unneccessary but it breaks the rhythm in a few places. Also, the section about Elvis and Priscilla's wedding, with a woman on a giant wedding cake while roller-skate wearing grooms zoom around at the base is just kind of odd.

But by the end when you see video of Elvis' comeback concerts in Vegas along with an entire stage full of Elvis impersonators and showgirls in traditional headdresses, it's impossible not to cheer.

And that's the key, here, I think. Viva Elvis is a celebration of Mr. Presley's life, career, and music and instead of challenging the audience with some of the more outre avant garde theater that Cirque is known for, it asks the audience to come along and enjoy the ride. The show is inviting and accessible and just wants you to have fun, much like The King himself did. If that's not a fitting tribute, I don't know what is.

It is believed that much of the dance and (thankfully) Colonel Parker's narration will be jettisoned in favor of more Cirque style acrobatics. Look for an updated review in 2012.