I had high hopes for this one. After all, sister show Mystere at sister hotel Treasure Island is probably one of my favorite show in town. This production from Canadian circus and performance troupe Cirque du Soleil sounded great on paper with a huge water tank acting as a stage featuring a variety of water-based acts (synchronized swimming, diving, etc.).

I'm happy to report that for the most part O succeeds and if it isn't quite as good as Mystere well, I'll forgive them because it's still pretty darn good. The circus type acts are unparalleled with the aforementioned swimmers and divers, contortionists, fire dancers, high-wire type acts and the like that are guaranteed to elicit some gasps of disbelief. Of special note are the performers who dive into the water from several swings and a couple of platforms high above the stage. Also enjoyable are the clowns that provide some comic relief before and during the show. These parts of the show don't quite come to the level of Mystere's acts simply because using the water is a bit of a hindrance at times.

I do feel it is necessary to mention that the theater aspects of the show are much more avant-garde than most of the other Cirque shows in Vegas. In some cases that's a good thing such as in the opening where four men come in on carousel horses from the ceiling that descend into the water and float away. In other cases it's just downright weird - I'm not sure I understand the stockings, garter belts, and full make-up on some of the male performers, not because of gender or sexual orientation issues but because it just doesn't seem to have anything to do with the rest of the show.

O is, without a doubt, one of the most original and interesting shows in town and I'd recommend it highly if it weren't for the outrageous ticket prices. I have a hard time paying more than $100 per head to get into this but on the other hand, you'll probably just waste that amount in the casino so why not get some art and entertainment for your effort?