« Columnists Offer Opinions On Believe’s First Preview Weekend
The Lost Penn Jillette Film… »

Ya Gotta Believe! Criss Is Top Cirque Show In Vegas According To Ticket Sales

Week Ending 09_28_2008 | TicketNews.jpg

We heard this weekend that Cirque was very excited about the ticket sales for Believe but this should put that in context. Criss Angel is third amongst all shows and within spitting distance of ticket-selling machines Cher and Bette Midler. In terms of the Cirque family, Believe is tops, supplanting the long time front-runner LOVE.

As always, the data comes from Ticket News.com.

Also, we figure we can use that headline now that the Mets will have no use for it until Spring.

Posted by Editor on Monday, September 29th, 2008 at 2:02 pm.

  • Friend in Florida

    If Believe can work out the kinks, this will continue. I have every faith in Criss. Hopefully people will listen to what he is saying.

  • mary

    the bad press criss is getting (from the people who went to see his show)doesn`t make anything better … i feel so terrible sorry for criss – i really hope that this nightmare is turning into a wonderful dream for criss.
    but this is a great meal for all the haters of criss – know they have another reason to bash him … so sorry this whole thing : (

  • watchdog

    Ticket sales are high, yet the pundits at iTricks are completely ignoring how bad the show is received by the audience… Here is another source to get some insight:

    Criss Angel’s Vegas Show is an Armageddon Level Failure

    http://www.starblogs.net/archives/2008/09/cris_angels_vegas_show_is_an_a.html#more

  • http://itricks.com Editor

    watchdog, to be fair the post before this one focused on the Las Vegas Review-Journal column from which the quotes in your link came from.

  • Friend in Florida

    Don’t worry Mary. There are always rocks in the road to success. There have only been 4 preview shows to date. It is going to take time for all the good and bad to come out. But, in the end, you know how hard Criss works and he won’t give up till its right. The haters will always be there, but on the flip side, it sparks conversation, which is what Criss has said he has always wanted from his art. :)

  • Brookie

    Ok the previews are just there to get peoples reaction, because THE SHOWS NOT FINISHED YET. Think of it like the previews before a movie, you only get some of the show not the entire thing, because it’s more than likely still in the editing process. So, don’t judge what isn’t finished.

  • mary

    so there are five weeks (i think left), how many preview shows has criss until the premiere?

  • Troy from Las Vegas

    “There have only been 4 preview shows to date.” true but keep in mind those weren’t the only times the shows had been performed before audiences, including full houses. those preview shows were the first PAID performances. The show had been run through in its’ entirety many times prior to last Friday night.
    The previews ARE the show. It is what they are offering. there may be this or that added or taken away but basically what is being shown now is what is intended to be shown on October 31.

  • mary

    that sounds not good : (
    you have seen it troy (if i`m not wrong), can you please tell me what you did think when you were sitting there? please

  • Brookie

    Troy to me you sound like you are blowing hot air. I mean I have read several places that say that they are in the fine tuning process, and you are the only preson I hear saying that this is it.

  • me

    Fine tuning means little tweaks an adjustments. Such as changing a line or two or moving some blocking around. At this point, when you are charging the public to see the performance, the show is 95 to 99% complete. So what people are seeing in the previews will be what they see at the premeire and after. Sorry everyone this is the show, this is it. And it sounds like the only way they can make improvements on it is if they shut it all down and start over.

  • Troy in Las Vegas

    Think about the definition of “fine tuning”. Fine tuning means exactly what it sounds like. They are doing little tweeks based on what the audience likes or doesn’t like.
    This is the show Brookie.
    Just like a music concert the band has other songs they can play but they basically do the same show night after night for the whole tour from start to finish.
    Someone asked me what I thought. As a fan of magic and having a personal connection to Cirque I can say I am hyper critical. I know how all the illusions are done so I was looking for mistakes. I say that to be fair. I did not see the wires others say they saw. Yes, the acrobats have safety wires. Those were obvious and meant to be.
    What I personally thought was, like most Cirque shows, there was not a clear story line. Something about going into the mind of Criss Angel. So what does that have to do with a tornado or moles break dancing? I dunno. Criss’ dialogue seemed forced like he was making stuff up on the fly as well. He spoke of his divorce. Not necessary. He dropped an F-Bomb. Not necessary.
    With continued practice and experience it will flow. But I do think it will take time.
    One thing at the end of the show I saw was Criss’ dedication of the show to his father. Criss left us with an importnt message of how he has been dreaming of this show for 15 years and if you have a dream, and believe in your dream, it can come true.

  • Brookie

    did he say that stuff durring the show? And Cirque said that it will not be like anything they have ever done plus Sergre co-wrote the storyline with Criss.

  • Troy in Las Vegas

    Paraphrasing here- “Can you believe I am getting married tonight? It’s las Vegas right so why not? My last marriage cost me a lot of money so hopefully this one will work out.” (Some people I know who have seen the show several times say that was not an adlib. That is something he says in the script)
    That was the opening to a scene somewhere near the middle of the show.
    The comments about his dad and believing in your dream was at the end. he started to cry a little when he was saying it. It indeed was touching and inspirational.
    I am not 100% clear on what he said as he walked off the stage but it was- “Let’s go (effing) crazy” or “let’s (effing) party”. i was just like “Woah! Did he really just say that? At an age 5 and up show when earlier he had even acknowledged on stage when he told some other dirty joke that it was a family show?”
    And yes Brookie, I have seen all the other Las Vegas Cirque shows numerous times and have seen almost all the touring shows going back to 1990 and I do not remember simulated rabbit, uh, lovemaking, at any Cirque du Soliel show.

  • Brookie

    Ah

  • Friend in Florida

    *giggles* is that why the rabbit’s name is Lucky?

  • mary

    i asked you troy. thank you for answering me : )

  • Slim King

    People want their money back :)

  • bettylouh

    I remember reading that tickets for the preview shows were cheaper because they would have to stop the show here or there to tweak it according to responses and also to work out kinks.
    Theres also an age limit to see the show.
    Alot of people re pre-maturely judging the show in my opinion.

  • Troy from Las Vegas

    Re Bettylouh-
    They don’t also have to stop the show but they have the option to. On opening night of previews they went straight through. And yes, as I said, there is a minimum age of 5 years old.

  • Friend in Florida

    I agree Betty. Remember, when Mindfreak first came out it was met w/ the same resistance. Peeps said it wouldn’t last past the first season and yet they are going into Season 5.