KA – MGM Grand Resort & Casino, Las Vegas

Music: Rene Dupere

Creator/Director: Robert Lepage

Reviewer: John Roberts

KA - Las Vegas 2
The MGM grand was once the biggest hotel in the world, its been home to some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry, It is currently the resident home of master illusionist David Copperfield and is also currently home to the most technically advanced and biggest Cirque Du Soleil show in its history KA.

KA is fresh from the imagination of French Canadian director Robert Lepage, who’s previous credits include the 9 hour epic Lypsynch and 2003’s critically acclaimed film The Far Side of the Moon.

KA transports us into a parallel world an almost apocalyptic Asia, where we are thrust into the middle of a celebration in honour of the Imperial Twins, when out of the blue an attack from Archers and Spearmen mean the twins are separated, reluctantly they are thrust into a world full of danger and evil, where they must encounter and overpower the evil forces, come to terms with growing up and deal with feelings of Love, but most of all can they conquer the duality of KA the fire that can either unite or separate, destroy or Illuminate.

One cannot deny the grandeur and spectacle that this multi-million dollar extravaganza gives to its audience, with an international cast of over 80 performers representing 26 different countries, state of the art technology that provides two giant sized platforms which seemingly hover over a fiery void. Platforms that can be either completely vertical or horizontal, that incorporate state of the art laser video projections (Holger Forterer) which interact with the cast providing life like ripples in water or rocks that seem to knock and hit a performer.

One feels that Cirque du Soleil with KA has taken a huge risk with the amount of technical wizardry that is incorporated into this production, and because of that there like the mythical KA seems to be two shows that just don’t quite sit firmly together hand in hand as with other Cirque productions.

For me this productions strength lies in two main areas, the first being the stunning musical composition by Rene Dupree which underscores the whole production, this powerful score strikes right at the heart, it is full of emotional depth and anguish that is rarely heard or felt. The second is what Cirque du Soleil is most famous for Circus at the highest levels, it is during these moments that one is really at the edge of your seat gripped with awe and excitement, and also wondering how they do what they do, considering one small slip and the whole thing could go from a beautiful display of the human body to a show stopping disaster.

Of all the circus elements highlights include the death defying Slave Cage and the stunningly beautiful Ariel Ballet performed by Erica Linz and Pierre-Luc Sylvain. Other notable performances are given by Mathieu Bollio and Jason Zulauf as the Valets (or clowns) bringing a much needed light relief to the overpowering darkness of Lepage’s production. KA - Las Vegas

Overall this is a production that is well worth seeing, there are so many elements that you just wouldn’t be able to see in a touring Cirque production. Technology that just wouldn’t fit in your average West End theatre and for these elements alone you will more than get your monies worth, but one can’t help think that the overall feel of KA is to wow a generation of movie goers and that is probably exactly what they intended to achieve and if that is the case then it has been mastered completely, but one feels what should be at the heart of KA which is clearly more evident in other productions by Cirque du Soleil is the beauty of a simple story wonderfully crafted by the fine art of Circus.