REVIEW: Cirque’s Michael Jackson
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Bubbles the chimp busts a move in Cirque Du Soleil’s Michael Jackson show. Picture: supplied.
Source: Supplied
REVIEW: Cirque Du Soleil – Michael Jackson Immortal – The World Tour
Rod Laver Arena, Wednesday, October 9
4 stars
FACT: someone in Melbourne rang up to get a refund on their Cirque Du Soleil Michael Jackson Immortal tickets when they found out Michael Jackson would not be performing. Seriously.
But there is a moment towards the start of Immortal where you’ve been so bombarded with his songs, voice and imagery that when the band launch into Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’ there’s a tiny part of you thinks how incredible it would be if MJ was around to walk out and join in.
Sadly that’s not going to happen, which is why this tribute exists. This is precisely the kind of stage show Jackson should have aligned himself with; even in his ailing health he would have fitted perfectly in front of all the dancers busting his trademark moves for him.
The only problem with Immortal is that it falls awkwardly between being a Michael Jackson tribute show and a traditional Cirque Du Soleil performance.
When the backing singers or drummers move to the front of the stage all it does is reinforce what – or more accurately who – is missing from the picture.
The show works best when the dancers, not the band, are in pole position.
Every modern dancer owes a debt to Jackson and this is the perfect show to pay respect. Just as you did in the Smooth Criminal video, you’ll wonder how they’re doing that gangster lean that defies gravity. Although there’s surprisingly minimal moonwalking or crotch grabs.
There’s several classic Cirque jaw-dropping moves – the ninja tumbling in Scream, the aerial ballet in I Just Can’t Stop Loving You that looks both highly beautiful and highly dangerous. The astounding high-rise pole dancing in Dangerous instantly legitimises the sport for anyone who thinks it’s purely for strippers. And Immortal even drags mime into the modern day.
Some of it’s too literal – for Dancing Machine the dancers are dressed as machines. And surely there were better songs from Jackson’s catalogue to pick than basketball ode Jam or the Thiller-lite Is It Scary. Especially when they don’t even perform the full version of Thriller. Thriller! And just a sliver of Bad.
The other problem is taking the megamix approach to Jackson’s hits stops it from being a basic tribute show, but you’re left with bite-size versions of his classics – Billie Jean, Can You Feel It, Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough and Black and White in a medley.
However there’s plenty to help fill the Jackson-shaped void left in the performing world; from the life-size shoes and white glove in Beat It, to the illuminated costumes that make Human Nature and Billie Jean so special.
And you presume Jackson would have loved watching one-legged dancer Jean Sok using bone-shaped crutches in Thriller, or someone dressed as his beloved pet Bubbles storming the dancefloor. Chamone!
Immortal plays at Rod Laver Arena until Sunday, $ 89.00 – $ 189.00, Ticketek.
Adelaide Entertainment Centre, October 15 to 17.
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