cirque du AWESOME

we had a great time (for the most part) at cirque du soleil last nite. first a story, then a review.

the story:
i met the bwe at qdoba in brentwood around 6 for a quick bite before heading downtown. we'd never been there before, but had heard good things. i give it a "meh" review at best. as in, "meh. i guess we can go there since it's close." we then stopped in the cold stone creamery next door for some lt. dan time ("lieutenant dan. ice cream!"). it gets the same review. maggie moos and ben and jerry's are definitely better, no doubt.

cut to downtown.

we got free parking on gateway blvd (sweet) and had no problem getting the tickets from the the gec's new will call "atm" machines. we even got upgraded from the 200's to the 100's because of an obstruction in our original section (supersweet). we found our seats and quickly settled in. that's where things started going downhill faster than a pinebox derby car with lead in the floorboard.

dinner started disagreeing with me. the people sitting next to us (we were seats 3&4, they had 1&2) seemed less than thrilled to have to stand up to let us in, nevermind having to get up to let me out 5 minutes later. when i say less than thrilled i mean the guy looked punch-me-in-the-mouth unhappy. i missed all of the opener and had to hang out in the concourse for the intermission, just to make sure i wasn't gonna barf or pass out. i really felt like warm dogshit. anyway. when we walk back in, as politely as i could, i told the "happy" people that i wasn't feeling well, might have to get up a few times during the show, didn't want to impose on them by making them stand up repeatedly, and asked if they minded swapping seats with us (remember...we're talking about 2 seats). the blank stares on their faces quickly told me that their answer was "no." luckily there were some open seats, albeit with a slightly obstructed view, a few rows up, above the entrance to our section. they gave me good aisle access, so the bwe suggested we move there. i really thought about going down and barfing in the dude's lap at some point, just because i thought he was pretty rude and inconsiderate, but decided to hold my dinner...on with the show.

the show:

in a word: badass. i'm glad that i was thinking i'd be disappointed, because it made the show all the more enjoyable (barfy feelings notwithstanding). i couldn't tell you the first thing about the story (at least in a way that would make sense). what i can tell you is that it was the most amazing (non musical and non sports) live production i've ever been to. it definitely lived up to the hype that a cds show generates. one of the main characters spent 95% of the show on stilts that must've been 10 feet tall. another character, brian, spent the majority of the show suspended above the stage hanging from a balloon.

acrobats spun from hoops and ropes and balanced on each other and on platforms the size of saucers. dancers and musicians filled the stage. lights and multimedia images bounced off the side screens and the translucent curtains that moved back and forth across the stage. singers floated above the stage. a hula hoop dancer spun hoops off anything she could get it around (at one point i counted 5 - 2 on the hips, one on a knee, one on a foot held above her head and one on her wrist). it was an amazing production and, even without being able to recount the storyline, a fantastic story.

i wish i could see it a few more times to more completely soak it in. i'm sure there are things i missed and there are definitely things i would like to see again. if you're free tonite and have a little extra coin, i would highly recommend taking in this show.